Description
Silky pumpkin chocolate mousse cake delivers autumn’s most luxurious dessert experience. Layers of rich chocolate and smooth pumpkin create an irresistible harmony that beckons you to savor each delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Cake Ingredients:
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 ml) hot coffee
Pumpkin Mousse Ingredients:
- 1 cup (240 g) pumpkin puree
- ⅓ cup (70 g) brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mousse and Chocolate Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons gelatin powder
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy whipping cream
- 4 ounces (115 g) dark or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
Instructions
- Craft the chocolate foundation by combining dry ingredients in a spacious mixing vessel, ensuring a uniform blend of flour, cocoa, sugar, leavening agents, and seasoning.
- Introduce liquid components including buttermilk, oil, egg, and vanilla extract, whisking until the mixture achieves a silky consistency.
- Incorporate hot coffee, stirring gently to create a thin, lustrous batter that will yield a rich, moist cake base.
- Transfer the liquid mixture into a prepared circular baking vessel, ensuring even distribution.
- Roast in a preheated oven until a testing implement emerges pristine when inserted into the cake’s center.
- Allow the chocolate base to cool completely within its original pan, facilitating easy removal and stability.
- Prepare the pumpkin mousse by hydrating gelatin with cold water, permitting it to bloom and develop its thickening properties.
- Gently warm pumpkin puree with aromatic spices and brown sugar, creating a fragrant infusion that will elevate the mousse’s flavor profile.
- Dissolve the gelatin into the warm pumpkin mixture, ensuring a smooth, homogeneous texture.
- Whip heavy cream to stiff, billowing peaks that will provide lightness and structure to the mousse.
- Delicately fold the whipped cream into the spiced pumpkin base, maintaining the airiness of the mixture.
- Spread the pumpkin mousse evenly across the cooled chocolate foundation, creating a harmonious layered effect.
- Chill the assembled dessert to allow the mousse to set and flavors to meld.
- Craft the chocolate ganache by warming cream until it reaches a gentle simmer.
- Pour the heated cream over finely chopped chocolate, allowing it to rest briefly before creating a glossy, smooth sauce.
- Cascade the ganache over the chilled pumpkin mousse layer, ensuring complete and elegant coverage.
- Return the cake to the refrigerator, permitting the ganache to solidify and the dessert to reach optimal serving temperature.
- Slice and present this decadent fusion of chocolate and pumpkin flavors.
Notes
- Swap coffee with hot water or decaf if you prefer a milder chocolate flavor or want to reduce caffeine.
- Use gluten-free flour blend for a celiac-friendly version of the cake base, ensuring all other ingredients are also gluten-free.
- Consider using coconut cream instead of heavy cream for a dairy-free alternative that maintains a similar creamy texture in the mousse.
- Choose high-quality cocoa powder and pure pumpkin puree to elevate the overall taste and richness of the dessert.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 327
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 56 mg