Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse Cake

Easy Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe

Are you guys sick of dessert yet? That’s a silly question. Maybe pumpkin everywhere, but surely not all dessert I hope because I have a lot more dessert coming your way! I usually don’t bake or post as many desserts as I have lately, but with the holidays just around the corner, it’s been full dessert/appetizer/Fall mode at my house. My neighbors are loving all my surplus. Today, I am giddy to bring you a chocolate lover, peanut butter lover’s dream. As in you will be dreaming about this decadence until you have the pleasure of tasting it and then you will be re-living that moment in your dreams then dreaming about the moment you can again savor the creamilicous Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse once more. A little too dramatic? not in the least… I think of mousse as an adult, sophisticated version of pudding and who doesn’t love pudding?! It was one of my favorite treats as a kid, especially riddled with chocolate chips. Now this mousse is one of my favorite desserts as an adult, especially riddled with Oreos! This mousse is rich, silky, airy and ssssooooooo chocolaty. As in a whole pound of chocolate goodness. You’re welcome. The absolute easiest way I found to create this silky chocolate is to chop your chocolate in your food processor then stream in hot heavy cream and process until smooth (thank you, Epicurious). To this heavenly chocolate, you fold in 2 whole eggs, 4 whipped egg whites and whipped heavy cream to create an airy, luscious mousse. (Mousse is French for ‘froth’ or ‘foam’ AKA airy!) The already mind blowing Chocolate Mousse gets adorned with creamy, light Peanut Butter Whipped Cream. You create the Peanut Butter Whipped Cream like you would traditional homemade whipped cream just with the addition of peanut butter and vanilla. Its practically magic. And tastes like it too.

Chocolate Mousse Cake Ingredients

As I mentioned above, this chocolate peanut butter mousse cake has three layers: the Oreo crust, the homemade chocolate mousse, and the peanut butter frosting. Here’s what goes into this recipe:

Oreos and butter: Together make an unbeatable Oreo cookie crust. Semi-sweet chocolate: I used semi-sweet to prevent this chocolate mousse cake from being too rich, but use any combination of chocolate you’d like. Vanilla extract: Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor. Salt: A must! Balances out the sweetness of the chocolate and enhances the overall flavor. Heavy cream: Must be heavy cream. Half and half or an alternative won’t whip up well enough. Sugar: Just 1 extra tablespoon to balance everything out. Eggs: I recommend using pasteurized eggs since this is a no-bake dessert (more on that below). Peanut butter: Use smooth peanut butter for best results. Powdered sugar: Sift the powdered sugar first to prevent making a lumpy frosting. Garnishes: I topped my chocolate mousse cake with melted chocolate, chocolate shavings, and fresh berries. All are optional, but recommended!

Can You Eat Raw Eggs?

With chocolate mousse being a no-bake dessert (other than the crust), you might be a little wary of eating raw eggs (and mousse recipes without egg whites aren’t as light). We all have licked the beaters clean after mixing a cake and consumed countless pounds of raw cookie dough in our lifetime, and I, for one, have never gotten sick from raw eggs. BUT, to be safe and for peace of mind, I suggest using pasteurized eggs in this recipe. Pasteurized eggs are just a little more expensive but pasteurization destroys any potential bacteria and viruses so they are completely safe to eat raw (see HERE).

How to Make Chocolate Mousse Cake

Make the crust: Pulse the Oreos and melted butter in a food processor. Press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan, bake, then set aside to cool. Make the homemade chocolate mousse: Add chocolate to a food processor and finely chop. Add vanilla and salt and pulse a few times to combine. Bring heavy cream to boil in the microwave or small saucepan. With the processor running, gradually pour hot cream through feed tube and process until chocolate is melted and smooth. Once room temp, whisk in 2 eggs. Meanwhile, in another bowl, beat the remaining 1 cup heavy cream with 1 tablespoon sugar on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Set aside. Add 4 egg whites to a separate large mixing bowl and whip to soft peaks. Gently stir a couple of spoonfuls of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, and then fold the remaining whites into the chocolate mixture, gently but thoroughly. Fold in the whipped cream until completely combined. Pour mousse into prepared crust. Chill the mousse: Chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Make the peanut butter frosting: Beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, peanut butter and vanilla together at medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Spread evenly over chocolate mousse. Garnish: Garnish the chocolate peanut butter mousse cake just before serving!

Tips for Making Homemade Chocolate Mousse

Use good quality chocolate. The chocolate is the star of the show, so be sure to invest in some good quality chocolate bars. Use semi-sweet or dark chocolate. I don’t like using milk chocolate in this recipe because it’s just too sweet. Buy chocolate bars. Chocolate bars will melt better than chocolate chips, so they’re best for making mousse. Use pasteurized eggs. I discussed this above, but I highly recommend using pasteurized eggs to ensure no one gets sick when eating this dessert.

Can I Make Chocolate Mousse Cake in Advance?

Yes! This Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse is a wonderful make ahead dessert that actually gets better the longer it’s refrigerated — perfect for avoiding the day of Thanksgiving or Christmas stress. And perfect for making your chocolate, peanut butter dreams come true one bite at a time.

How to Store Chocolate Mousse Cake

This easy chocolate mousse must be stored in the fridge. I recommend sealing the springform pan with plastic wrap to prevent the mousse from developing a film. Chocolate mousse cake will last up to 4 days.

Can I Freeze Chocolate Mousse Cake?

No, this cake doesn’t freeze well. The mousse becomes less light and fluffy over time, so it’s best eaten within a day or two of making it.

Looking for More Easy Chocolate Desserts?

Chocolate Raspberry CheesecakeGerman Chocolate CupcakesMini Chocolate Peanut Butter PiesChocolate Lava CakesChocolate Fondue Chocolate Eclair CakeChocolate Peppermint CakeChocolate Raspberry CakeChocolate Caramel Peanut Butter Fudge