This Vegan Chocolate Ombré Mousse Cake is the ultimate chocolate dessert. Fudgey chocolate brownie is topped with a chocolate ombré mousse. Vegan, no-egg, no-dairy and easy to make.
This creamy dessert has been made in collaboration with The Coconut Collabrative. All opinions expressed in this post are my own. (For more information along with affiliated links, check out my disclosure policy.)
Chocolate Ombré Mousse Cake
This triple chocolate mousse cake is a delicious combination of chocolate brownie and creamy ombré chocolate mousse, in cake form. Smooth and creamy layers of mousse on top of a rich, chewy brownie, it’s good beyond words! Cut yourself a slice and take a bite into chocolate cream heaven… perfect if you’re craving chocolate! It’s sure to tingle your taste buds!
If you love rich, chocolate desserts than you’ll love my Vegan Triple Chocolate Shortbread Brownies, Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie and Vegan Chocolate Sweet Rolls.
Layers of a vegan chocolate ombré mousse cake
This dessert might look tricky to make, but it is possibly the easiest dessert you can make.
- Firstly is the brownie – This brownie is filled with melted dairy-free chocolate, along with tones of cocoa powder making it super rich and indulgent. It also has a mix of light brown and white sugar to make it chewy and flavourful.
- Next up is the mousse layers – The mousse is four layers going from a dark chocolate mousse to whipped vanilla cream. It’s made using melted dairy-free chocolate alongside the BEST vegan cream double cream from The Coconut Collaborative. This cream is thick, creamy and whips up to stiff peaks, which is crucial for this dessert. If you were to use a single cream or poor quality cream, it won’t hold it’s shape or create the right mousse like texture!
- Cocoa topping – To finish off the dessert and to add even more chocolate to this spectacular dessert, add a dusting of cocoa powder. The richer and darker, the deeper the flavour it will add to the overall dessert. I recommend fine dark cocoa powder.
What cream works best for a mousse cake?
It goes without saying, the cream is the star of the show with this dessert. The light, creamy and airy mousse texture comes from whipping melted chocolate into thick whipped cream. My all time favourite vegan / dairy-free cream is The Coconut Collaborative Double Cream. This cream is absolutely phenomenal! It’s ultra thick, creamy and whips up to soft and firm peaks! It holds it’s shape when piped and even at room temperature!
This cream vegan, gluten-free and heat-stable. It’s wonderfully whippable, simply add it into a stand mixer with balloon whisk attachment and watch it double in size and become the best whipping cream EVER! You can even whip it up in a bowl with an electric or a hand held whisk! It’s personally the only cream I would recommend for this dessert. If you are unable to get your hands on it, you want to make sure the dairy-free cream you are using is stable. The stability in the cream allows for the mousse to hold it’s shape when chilled and to cut into slices!
How to assemble a vegan chocolate Ombré mousse cake:
Once the brownie base is baked and cooled, it’s time to build up the triple chocolate layers of the mousse cake. The brownie is baked in an 8 inch loose base / spring form cake tin. I recommend a deep / high sided cake tin so that the sides are higher and will allow for a taller dessert. To build it in your tin, you’ll want to line the base and sides of the tin with some grease-proof paper so that nothing sticks. I typically put a cake circle in the bottom of the tin and cut strips and stick them to the sides of the tin using some dairy-free butter. When the dessert is chilled and firm to the touch, all you have to do it push up the tin and peel away the paper, it’s as easy as that!
The mousse cake is built in a few parts so that the layers can firm up before adding the next. The darkest mousse layer is added to the top of the brownie first, then allowed to firm a bit. Next is the lighter chocolate mousse, followed by a little wait time, then the white whipped cream. Once the whole cake is firm, you’re ready to serve. I topped the dessert with a light dusting of cocoa powder. You could even serve it with some chopped / grated chocolate!
How to make a ombre mousse cake?
- Start by preparing the brownie
Mix the flaxseed with water together then set aside for 5 minutes until thick and gelatinous. This makes the vegan egg replacement. Next mix the butter, sugars and flax ‘egg’ in a bowl. Add in the cocoa powder, baking powder and flour. Mix until a thick batter
- Bake
Line an 8” loose base / push up can tin with grease-proof paper. Add the brownie batter into the tin and level out. Bake.
- Mousse
Melt the chocolate and butter together. Whisk the cream in a stand mixer until thick and creamy.
- Ombré mousse
Divide the cream into 4 separate bowls, add in the chocolate going from darker to lighter. Layer the mousse on top of the brownie base, chilling each layer before adding the next on top.
- Serve and enjoy
Serve with a dusting of cocoa powder, cut the mousse cake with a sharp flat knife, slice and enjoy.
Chocolate Ombrè Mousse Cake FAQ
Can this be made gluten-free?
- You can swap the flour in the brownie base for a high quality gluten-free flour. The only change, it might not hold together as well, but it will still taste absolutely delicious!
Why didn’t my mousse set?
- The main cause is not having the right cream. The cream you use is crucial to a mousse texture which sets firm. The ONLY cream I would recommend for this recipe is The Coconut Collaborative Double Cream. This is the thickest dairy-free / vegan cream and it’s delicious!
How do I store this dessert?
- You want to keep the mousse chilled, so store in a air tight / sealed container in the fridge. Enjoy directly from the fridge.
How to get even layers of mousse?
- In order to get clean, clear layers of chocolate mousse, you want to chill each layer before adding the next on top.
Cutting the mousse?
- You’ll want to use a sharp flat knife to slice this cake into servings. Don’t use a scerated knife of it could catch on the brownie base and create lines throughout the mousse slice. You can also gently heat up the flat knife in some warm water, wipe clean then cut. This will result in super neat slices.
If you make, and love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below. Thank you & happy baking! Make sure to tag me in your photos on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook! And if you want to pin this recipe for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, above or below this post, or on any of the photos. Happy baking all!
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Vegan Ombré Chocolate Mousse Cake
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 8–10 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Vegan Triple Chocolate Ombre Mousse Cake with a brownie base and ombre mousse layers is rich, chocolatey, decadent and creamy.
Ingredients
Ingredients for the base
- 2 tablespoons of flaxseed + 4 tablespoons of water
- 70g of dairy-free butter/margarine
- 80g of caster sugar
- 80g of light brown sugar
- 50g of cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 100g of self-raising flour
Ingredients for the ombre mousse
- 170g of vegan dairy free dark chocolate
- 60g of vegan butter
- 720ml of The Coconut Collaborative Double Cream
- 2 tablespoons cocoa power (for dusting)
Instructions
Ingredients for the brownie base
- Preheat oven to 180° C fan, and line an 8 inch round loose base or push up baking tin / tin with grease-proof paper.
- To make the flax eggs, add the flaxseed into a small bowl and add in the water. Stir to combine then set aside to thicken. This will take around 10 minutes. It creates your egg replacer.
- In a large mixing bowl, add in the dairy-free butter/margarine, sugars and flax ‘egg’. Whisk to combine until light in colour.
- Add in the cocoa powder, baking powder and flour. Mix until a thick brownie batter.
- Spoon then spread the batter into the lined tin, making sure to get it as flat as possible. Smooth out with the back of a spoon or offset spatula.
- Place the tin into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Keep an eye on it around the 15 minute mark to make sure it doesn’t burn!
- When the brownie is ready, remove from the oven and allow to cool fully before adding on the mousse topping.
Method (ombre filling)
- Fill a small saucepan 1/4 full with water and place on the hob over medium heat. Add the dairy-free chocolate and butter into a heat proof bowl. Place the bowl over the pan, creating a bain-marie. Allow the chocolate & butter mixture to melt, stirring with a heat-proof spatula. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes while you whip the cream.
- Add the double cream into a stand mixer fitted with balloon whisk attachment. Whip the cream on high speed for 5-8 minutes or until it holds a stiff peak. The Coconut Collaborative double cream will whip up very thick!
- Once thick and the chocolate mixture has cooled down. Divide the cream into 4 separate bowls.
- You want to add the chocolate mixture and the cocoa powder into 3 of the bowls. The more chocolate mixture and cocoa powder you add the darker it will be. You want to create an ombré effect, going from darker to lighter ( refer to video for reference). Make sure to use up all the chocolate. The chocolate is what will help set the mousse, so make sure to use it all in the layers!
- Spoon and spread the dark layer to the brownie base. Chill before adding on the next layer on top. You will need to chill after every layer. Repeat until all 4 layers are on. Finishing with the white cream layer.
- Place into the fridge for at least 24 hours / overnight.
- When it comes to removing from the tin, as you’ve used The Coconut Collaborative cream, it will have set quite firm. Carefully lift the mousse cake out of the tin and place on a serving plate.
- Serve with a dusting of cocoa powder.
- Slice and enjoy direct from the fridge!
Notes
To store: Store the mousse in an air tight / sealed container in the fridge. Enjoy within 3 days of making. Make sure to store it chilled.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Brownies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
A Vegan Chocolate Ombré Mousse Cake is an absolute masterpiece of plant-based indulgence. The smooth, rich layers of chocolate mousse in varying shades create a stunning visual impact, while the fact that it’s vegan means it’s inclusive for all to enjoy. This dessert not only satisfies your sweet cravings but also showcases the creative and delicious possibilities of vegan baking. A delightful treat for both the eyes and the palate!
This is so delicious and easy to make. Definitely making this one again. I couldn’t get the double cream talked about in this recipe. I couldn’t find it in Australia. I used Flora Thickened plant cream and it worked a treat. It whipped up really well. I may have whipped it a bit longer, but it got stiffer the more I whipped it.