Coffee Caramel Mousse Cake – With Cookie Base, Chocolate Mousse & Elegant Decoration
1. A layered coffee caramel mousse cake with chocolate mousse, cookie base, and oat biscuit crunch – easy to make ahead and absolutely delicious.2. Creamy coffee-caramel mousse cake with chocolate mousse and two crunchy bases – perfect for birthdays or celebrations.This Coffee Caramel Mousse Cake is an elegant, layered dessert that’s both crowd-pleasing and surprisingly easy to make. Originally created for a first birthday celebration, it quickly became a favorite. The cake features two textured bases: a chewy cookie layer and a crisp cocoa-oat biscuit crust. These are topped with a silky coffee-caramel mousse, made with gold or caramelized white chocolate, infused with vanilla and espresso. To finish, light milk chocolate mousse spheres are added for decoration, along with a touch of chocolate spray and fresh red wood sorrel for a refined look. Best of all, the cake can be fully prepared ahead and kept frozen until the day of serving, making it perfect for busy hosts who want to impress with minimal stress.
Ingredients
🍪 Cookie Base
- 70 g brown sugar
- 35 g soft butter
- 1 egg
- 70 g all-purpose flour
- 45 g chopped chocolate or chocolate chips mix of milk and dark preferred
🍫 Cocoa-Oat Biscuit Base
- 50 g oat biscuits
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 25 g butter
☕ Coffee Caramel Mousse
- 1 ½ sheets gelatin
- 220 g gold or caramel chocolate
- 100 ml heavy cream
- Seeds of 1 vanilla bean
- 3 tbsp prepared coffee
- 300 ml heavy cream whipped
🍫 Milk Chocolate Mousse Decoration
- 200 g good-quality milk chocolate
- 300 ml heavy cream
✨ For Assembly & Decoration
- Brown chocolate spray
- Red wood sorrel leaves or edible flowers
Instructions
Cookie Base
- Preheat oven to 200°C (392°F).
- In a bowl, beat the brown sugar and butter until smooth.
- Add the egg and mix. Stir in flour, then fold in chopped chocolate.
- Pour into a round silicone or springform pan (12–13 cm, or 16 cm for thinner base).
- Bake for 25–30 minutes. Let cool, then freeze.
Cocoa-Oat Biscuit Base
- Crush oat biscuits in a food processor or bag. Mix with cocoa in a bowl.
- Melt butter and mix it into the crushed biscuits.
- Press into a 12–13 cm ring mold lined with parchment (or 16 cm for a thinner layer).
- Freeze for at least 1 hour.
- Once firm, press the cocoa base directly onto the frozen cookie base, keeping the cocoa base at the bottom. Store in freezer.
Coffee Caramel Mousse
- Soak gelatin in cold water.
- Melt caramel/gold chocolate over a water bath.
- Heat 100 ml cream with vanilla seeds until just boiling. Stir in gelatin until dissolved.
- Pour over melted chocolate and stir. Add the coffee.
- Whip the remaining 300 ml cream lightly. Fold into the chocolate mixture in three parts, gently to preserve air.
- Pour mousse into a 16–18 cm round silicone mold on a tray.
- Place the frozen base stack in the center of the mousse, ensuring sides are fully covered.
- Freeze overnight (min. 8 hours).
Milk Chocolate Mousse (for Decoration)
- Melt chocolate over a water bath. Remove from heat.
- Heat 100 ml cream to just below boiling and pour over the chocolate. Stir until smooth.
- Whip remaining 200 ml cream until soft peaks.
- Fold into chocolate mixture in several additions.
- Pour into small half-sphere silicone molds (1–2 cm in diameter).
Freeze overnight.
- Assembly & Decoration
- Remove the frozen cake from the mold.
- Unmold the chocolate mousse domes.
- Arrange the domes on top of the cake.
- Lightly spray with chocolate spray for a velvety effect (do this outside or on a covered surface).
- Place the cake on a serving dish. Garnish with red wood sorrel or edible flowers.
- Thaw in the fridge for at least 5 hours before serving.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
I’m Chef Mimo, a passionate pastry chef with over 17 years of experience in the world of fine desserts. I specialize in French-style entremets, refined cakes, and creative chocolate work. Pastry is not just my profession—it’s my lifelong passion. Through PastryCrafted.com, I love sharing my recipes, techniques, and inspirations with anyone who dreams of mastering the art of pastry. Whether you’re a curious beginner or a seasoned pro, you’re welcome in my sweet world.