This Flourless Chocolate Cake with Coffee Mousse is one of my favorite decadent cakes that I’ve been wanting to share with you for quite some time. The flourless chocolate cake at the base is rich, chocolaty, dense, and fudgy while the coffee mousse on top is full of aroma, soft, and airy. Chocolate and coffee have always made such a great pair and in this form, it is heavenly. This is by far a rich cake for chocolate lovers, who will start to love chocolate even more from now on.
The recipe is easy to prepare and you don’t need too many ingredients to make this unforgettable dessert. Even if this was not made on purpose it is a gluten-free dessert, which makes it great even for those who have gluten intolerance.
How to make a flourless chocolate cake
Grease and line an 8-inch (20 cm) springform pan with parchment paper. Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Melt the chocolate and butter together over a bain-marie until smooth. Allow it to cool slightly, then add the egg yolks one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Stir in the cocoa powder and salt.
In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until foamy using a mixer. Gradually add the sugar and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes. Once baked, allow the cake to cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack.
How to prepare the coffee mousse
Stir the egg yolks with sugar until creamy and pale yellow. Stir in the cornstarch, then gradually whisk in the warm milk until completely combined.
Transfer the yolk mixture to a small saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it boils and thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and instant coffee. Allow the mixture to cool slightly.
Dissolve the gelatin in 2 tablespoons of cold water and let it swell for 5 to 10 minutes. Place it over low heat just until the gelatin dissolves, then pour it over the coffee mixture.
Whip the cold whipping cream until stiff peaks form, then gradually fold it into the coffee mixture. Spread the coffee mousse evenly over the cooled chocolate cake in the pan using an offset spatula.
Cover the pan and refrigerate the cake for about 4 hours or overnight to allow the mousse to set before serving.
When ready to serve, run a warm knife around the edges of the cake to loosen it from the sides of the pan. Dust the top of the cake with cocoa powder, then use a warm knife to cut the cake into slices. Serve and enjoy this decadent chocolate and coffee delight!
Try this recipe as soon as possible, it is a must. If you do, make sure to share the photos with me on Instagram. Would love to see how it turns out for you. Enjoy!
For more mousse cakes check our full collection of Mousse and Mirror Cakes.
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Flourless Chocolate Cake with Coffee Mousse
Ingredients
Flourless Chocolate Cake
- 1/2 cup (110g) butter
- 5 oz (150g) semisweet chocolate
- 3 eggs , separated
- 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
- 1 tbsp (8g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- pinch of salt
Coffee Mousse
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
- 1 ½ tbsp (12g) cornstarch
- 2/3 cup (160ml) warm milk
- 1/2 tsp (3g) vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp (4g) instant coffee
- 1/2 tbsp (5g) gelatin powder
- 2 tbsp cold water
- 1 cup (240g) whipping cream , 35% fat
Instructions
Prepare the flourless chocolate cake.
- Grease and line a 8-inch (20 cm) springform pan (with a removable base) with parchment paper. Separate egg yolks from whites. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Melt chocolate and butter over a bain-marie until smooth. Let it cool slightly. Add yolks one at a time and stir well.Stir in cocoa powder and salt.
- Whip egg whites until foamy using a mixer. Gradually add sugar and whip until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped whites into chocolate mixture.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes. Let it cool completely in the pan over a cooling rack.
Prepare the coffee mousse.
- Stir egg yolks with sugar until creamy and pale yellow colored. Stir in cornstarch. Gradually whisk in the warm milk until completely combined.
- Place the yolks mixture into a small saucepan and cook over low heat while stirring until boils and thickens.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and instant coffee. Let it cool.
- Dissolve gelatin in 2 tbsp cold water and let it swell for about 5 to 10 minutes. Place over low heat just until the gelatin dissolves and then pour it over coffee mixture.
- Whip the the cold whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Gradually incorporate into coffee mixture.
- Spread the coffee mousse over the chocolate cake in the pan, using an offset spatula.
- Cover and refrigerate for about 4 hrs or overnight to set before serving.
- Run a warm knife around the edges of the cake to remove the sides of the pan.
- Dust the top of the cake with cocoa powder.
- Using a warm knife cut the cake into slices and serve.
Video
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @homecookingadventure on Instagram and hashtag it #homecookingadventure.
Prajitura cu doua creme fara blat
trebuie sa o incerci.. nici pe departe doua creme fara blat
I have a “page” on Facebook. I have several people who are gluten intolerant or have Celiac’s. May I post your address on my page so my friends will be able to come here to check out your gluten free recipes?
Hi, im gonna make the chocolate cake with coffe mousse today. And I do want tl make that in a 30cm pan. It means that i have to double the recipe. But for how long should the cake be in the oven if im gonna double the recipe, and how much should the oven have the heat in celsius °C? Thanks.
You seem to have 2 too many egg yolks or confusing whites with yolks?? Could you update please.
How many gelatin sheet I need to substitute the gelatin powder?
can I use dark chocolate instead of semisweet chocolate?
Dear Ella,
Thank you so much for this wonderfully decadent recipe. I made this today and it came out perfect! Definitely a crowd pleaser!
I am so glad you liked it too:) one of the best in my opinion
When mixing the egg yolk, cornstarch, and milk mixture in the saucepan over low heat for the mousse, how long does that take for the mixture to become thick?
Hello Ella can dark chocolate be used instead of semi sweet chocolate..??
Hi Ella,
Tried this recipe and it came out stunning!!! Thanks a lot for sharing this recipe and using simple ingredients and doable methods. Also, love the presentation of your videos, truly an art in itself.
Am facut prajitura asta de Paste si a iesit perfect! Nu e prea dulce, blatul dens si plin de ciocolata merge perfect in combinatie cu mousse-ul pufos. Nu sunt o fana a prajiturilor cu aroma de cafea pentru ca nu obisnuiesc sa beau, dar asta chiar mi-a placut. Cu siguranta o voi reface. Toata lumea a fost incantata! Multumim pentru reteta. 🙂
Ma bucur tare mult sa aud asta Sarah 🙂 Scuze pt raspunsul cu intarziere.. sper ca o sa incerci si alte retete
Hello Ella would love to try this. Can milk chocolate be used instead of semi sweet chocolate
yes.. but you get better results with semisweet chocolate
Dear ella,
is there any replacement for cornstarch ?
yes.. use same amount of flour
yes.. use same amount of flour
Hi Ellen,
First thank you for an easy and great recipe. However I have some problem making this cake. My cake didnt turn out as moist as yours but dry on the surface and deflated badly on a cooling rack. Also my mouse is not as thick as yours. Its kind of runny. I have attached the pics. Can you help me out? I did make sure to have all correct measurements. Am I over folding the battle? Oh I just figure out I can not add pics here.
Hello Ella want to try the coffee mousse but can I go with this instead of adding whipped cream or gelatine. Just gently folding in 2 cups of thick (not whipped) cream and then pouring the mousse in shot glasses. Would the taste differ or what.. please reply..??
Hello! My older sister has been begging me to make her a chocolate mousse cake, so i decided to try out this recipe. Can i substitute the instant coffee for cocoa powder to make a chocolate mousse instead? :)?
Is it necessary to use gelatin powder?
is it necessary to use gelatin powder?
i just want thank you for creating this wonderful recipe! i made this for my sisters today and it was a hit. they even told me to make another one but i ran out of ingredients .will definitely add this to the family’s favorite list. can’t wait to try other recipe of yours.more power and more great recipes to come!!
Is this recipe gluten free?
This recipe is so amazing – flourless cake with coffee mousse! I made it yesterday, and it became very delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
hi ella, is there a reason for not using baking powder? in most of my recipes I use it. plus my batter came a little liquidy…
This cake is seriously SO amazing. For some reason every time I make it it deflates a bit in the middle when it comes out of the oven. But I just add the coffee mousse and it still looks amazing and tastes amazing. I made it for my class and it was gone within 30 minutes.
mi piacerebbe ci fosse la trduzione in ITALIANO.
Hi,
I have made the flourless cake many times and is always a hit with friends & family.
Taste amazing. but my cake base seems to be larger than the mousse layer.
Also the cake batter is runny then yours. Any tips ?
Which ever way it is delicious …….
possibly the best desert i’ve ever made….wow.
THIS WAS A PIECE OF HEAVEN! LOVED IT!
My gluten intolerant family adore it. Only problem is that my cake tins or 24 or 26cm. Could you tell me how to adjust quantities accordingly. When I try it comes out “hit and miss?” Can you help
Hello Ruth.
You can always use the rule of three , from math, to find the correct measurement.
Can I swap out the instant coffee with cocoa powder to make chocolate mousse?
Hi Ellie.
Yes, you can.
Can I replace instant coffee with esspresso ?
Hello Hano.
Yes, you can
Can I leave out the gelatin?
Buna, Ella! Te-am descoperit din intamplare si marturisesc ca acum este singura mea sursa de inspiratie cand vine vorba de prajituri pentru orice aniversare, petrecere, sarbatoare si chiar si comanda 🙂 Sunt retete perfecte si fara secrete ascunse care sa “te ajute” sa nu iasa. Urmatoarea prajitura depe lista este aceasta. Am o intgrebare: Pot folosi toate ingredientele in cantitate dubla, dar sa le pun in aceeasi tava, de 20 de cm? Vreau sa iasa mai inalt tortuletul. Multumesc mult si spor la treaba! 🙂
Hi!
I tried this cake recently and I loved the coffee mousse, but the cake base had a strange taste to it and was pretty dense. Do you have any idea what the problem might be?
Thanks!
It was a WOW I impressed all my family gathering, I mean all.
I 150% recommended it! Easy to make and so elegant and full of flavors.
You made me look like a pro once again.
Thank you ??
Yes:) this is one of the best cakes on my blog:) So glad you tried this out.
This dessert was devine! All my guests raved about it!
There are quite a few steps to make the coffee mousse and the flourless cake but its worth it in the end because it all came together so well.
I used nescafe gold instant coffee granules and found that adding an extra tablespoon did the trick in bringing out the coffee flavour.
Thank you for posting this recipe with an easy to follow video.
This is the second dessert recipe i’ve tried from this page and I cant wait to try more.
This is the first recipe I tried from this site and it is wooooow! All my friends would kill for a piece of it. A few years ago (4 or 5), I baked it for one of my friends for his birthday to share it with his team, but he got another one as well from a fan of the team. And my friend said about this coffee cake: “this is soooooo good that only royalty deserves to eat from it!” and I think this sums it all up. Thank you for the recipe, Ella!
Can I freeze this cake?
Yes, definitely, it freezes very well.
You should add the 4 hours/overnight cooling required for the mousse into the recipe time…