By popular demand, here are some of my favorite recipes, several of which I’ve shared in my newsletter.
Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake Cups
This is 4 recipes: 2 that can be found online and 2 that I learned when I took a cake baking class 20 years ago.
The King Arthur Flour Devil’s Food Cake is a recipe I have been making for 20+ years. It’s delicious and firm–holds up to being stacked and decorated. I have made 8 tier wedding-style cakes with this recipe.
Recipes are listed in the order I make them.
Click ⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎ For Recipe
Devil’s Food Cake | King Arthur Baking Company
For this dessert, I bake the entire recipe in one 8″ x 3″ round pan and then cut thin layers using the tool pictured to the left. (Amazon link for this item is below the recipes.) Thin layers can also be achieved by lining 2 jelly roll pans with parchment or a silicone baking mat and dividing the batter between the two pans to bake.
I make the cake a few days in advance if I can. After it has cooled, I slice and freeze with wax paper separating the thin layers.
To make 24 dessert cups I baked 2 cakes.
A few notes on this recipe, which is slightly different from the version in my cocoa powder-stained 1st edition of THE BAKER’S COMPANION (photo, right).
- I use salted butter
- original recipe uses baking soda (not powder)
- original recipe uses natural cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
- I have always used milk, not water when making this cake
If you don’t have Dutch-process cocoa powder, I suggest using the list of ingredients in the original recipe and follow the first instruction in the photo. After that, the method is the same as the recipe on the King Arthur website. Click on the image for a text version of the ingredients and first instruction.
Raspberry Filling
I have no affiliation with this website. I found this recipe when I decided to switch from using whole raspberries as a filling.
To make 24 cake cups, I double this recipe. Make a day or more before assembly, if possible.
Chocolate Mousse
Can be made a day ahead.
- 2 ¼ cups DARK CHOCOLATE, 62% or higher
- 2 sticks (8 oz) BUTTER
- 1 ½ cups WHIPPING CREAM
- 10 EGG YOLKS
- 1 cup SUGAR
- ½ cup WATER
- 2 teaspoons CORN SYRUP or lemon juice
Melt the CHOCOLATE and BUTTER over a double boiler. Stir occasionally and remove from heat once everything is melted. Do not let mixture get too hot. [I don’t do this. I use the microwave in 30 second intervals.]
Whip the CREAM to soft peaks and refrigerate for later use.
Put the YOLKS in the bowl of a stand mixer and whip on high.
Put the SUGAR, CORN SYRUP, and WATER on to boil and bring to the soft ball stage. (235 – 240° F, 113 – 115° C). Place the water around the sugar so the sugar doesn’t touch the sides of the pan.
When the SUGAR reaches soft ball, let the bubbles recede and then run a thin stream of syrup over the whipped YOLKS, leaving the machine on medium speed. Continue to beat until the mixture is only slightly warm.
Combine the cooked YOLK mixture and the CHOCOLATE/BUTTER. The chocolate should be only slightly warm at this point. (If the combined mixture is too hot it will melt the whipped cream).
Fold in the WHIPPED CREAM.
Refrigerate until ready to assemble dessert cups.
Shiny Glaze
Make the shiny glaze last, after assembling the cups. Pour over dessert cup when slightly warm.
- 2 cups (or 1lb) DARK COATING CHOCOLATE (I use Ghirardelli Melting wafers)
- 1/3 cups DARK CHOCOLATE (bittersweet is okay)
- 2/3 cup WHIPPING CREAM, light
- 1/3 cup SUGAR
- 1/3 cup WATER
- 2 2/3 tablespoons LIGHT CORN SYRUP
Boil everything but the chocolates.
Remove from heat and add chocolates. Use rubber spatula to mix.
Allow to cool to just above room temperature.
Assembly Instructions
Click on the image to go to Amazon.
Note: Amazon links contain affilate codes.
I use a 2.75 inch biscuit cutter to cut the cake layers into circles that fit the dessert cups. You will need 2 slices of cake per cup. They can be pieced together with scraps if necessary.
After placing a layer of cake in the bottom of the cups, pipe (using a large piping tip) a layer of chocolate mousse. This is easiest if you have just made the mousse and haven’t chilled it yet, as the mousse will be stiff after refrigeration. However it works either way.
Place a second layer of cake on top of the mouse.
Pipe the raspberry filling over the cake, use a thin tip (#5) and let it wrap around the top layer of cake (which won’t quite touch the edge of the glass because it flares out at the top) for a thick band of color.
Let set in refrigerator while you make the shiny glaze.
When glaze has cooled to just above room temperature, ladle into cup, filling to the top.
Refrigerate until ready to serve. Can make a day or more ahead.
Before serving add fresh raspberries and any decoration you prefer, including Han Solo white chocolate candy melts.
Enjoy!
Pesto Bread Roll
I have no affiliation with this website. It’s just a recipe I found online when I was hungry.