Banana Chocolate Cake with Mousse & Caramel Cremeux – A Rich, Elegant Treat
Indulge in this banana chocolate cake topped with smooth chocolate mousse and golden caramel cremeux. This elegant banana chocolate cake features a moist banana sponge with chocolate chunks, topped with silky milk chocolate mousse and finished with a luxurious spiral of caramel chocolate cremeux. A perfect dessert for birthdays, dinner parties, or when you're craving something truly special. Serves 8–10.Some cakes just steal the show – and this one absolutely does. A luscious banana cake packed with chocolate chunks forms the base of this multi-textured masterpiece. It's crowned with a creamy milk chocolate mousse and a stunning caramel chocolate cremeux spiral that not only adds elegance but a rich, toffee-like finish. Whether you're celebrating something special or just want to impress your guests, this dessert is a guaranteed hit. With every bite, you’ll enjoy the moistness of the banana, the creaminess of mousse, and the irresistible smoothness of golden caramel chocolate.
Servings 12 People
Ingredients
▫️Banana Cake (16 cm)
- 2 small bananas or 1 large
- 125 g sugar
- 2 eggs size S/M
- 1.5 tsp vanilla powder
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 50 g melted butter
- 145 g all-purpose flour
- 100 ml buttermilk
- 50 g chopped milk or dark chocolate
▫️Milk Chocolate Mousse (18 cm mold)
- 3 sheets gelatin
- 200 g milk chocolate chopped
- 400 ml whipping cream
- 2 egg yolks
▫️Caramel Chocolate Cremeux (14 cm spiral mold)
- ½ sheet gelatin
- 120 g caramel chocolate e.g. Callebaut Gold
- 15 g sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 80 ml whole milk
- 80 ml heavy cream
- A pinch of salt
▫️Decoration
- Wood sorrel leaves optional
- Grated milk chocolate
- Crunchy chocolate pearls e.g. Valrhona
Instructions
🔹Banana Cake Base
- Preheat the oven to 185°C (fan setting). Line a 16 cm springform pan with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, and vanilla until pale and fluffy (about 3–4 minutes with an electric mixer).
- Mash the bananas and fold them into the egg mixture. Add buttermilk and mix well.
- Sift in the flour and baking powder, then add the melted butter. Stir just until combined.
- Fold in chopped chocolate. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for approx. 30 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool completely. Remove from pan and set aside.
🔹Milk Chocolate Mousse
- Soak the gelatin sheets in cold water (approx. 10 minutes).
- Melt the milk chocolate gently over a water bath, stirring frequently. Make sure it doesn't overheat.
- Stir in the egg yolks one at a time into the melted chocolate (off the heat).
- In a small saucepan, heat 150 ml cream to just under boiling. Remove from heat, wring out gelatin, and stir into the hot cream until fully dissolved.
- Slowly pour the cream mixture into the chocolate, stirring from the center to emulsify until smooth. Let cool slightly.
- Whip the remaining 250 ml cream to soft peaks.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled chocolate base in 2–3 additions until smooth and airy.
- Pour mousse into an 18 cm silicone mold. Carefully press the banana cake layer on top, centering it and ensuring the mousse covers the sides.
- Freeze for at least 5 hours or preferably overnight.
🔹Caramel Chocolate Cremeux
- Soak the ½ sheet of gelatin in cold water.
- Whisk the sugar and egg yolks together in a bowl.
- In a small saucepan, heat the milk and cream together until they reach the boiling point.
- Gradually pour the hot liquid into the yolk mixture while whisking.
- Return the mixture to the pot and cook to 83°C, stirring constantly (like a custard).
- Strain the mixture to remove any lumps. Add the wrung-out gelatin and stir to dissolve.
- Pour over chopped caramel chocolate in a clean bowl. Let sit briefly, then mix from the center until smooth and glossy.
- Add a pinch of salt and emulsify with an immersion blender (avoid too much air for a smooth finish).
- Pour into a 14 cm spiral silicone mold and freeze overnight.
🔹Assembly and Decoration
- Unmold the mousse cake and place it on a serving plate.
- Carefully unmold the frozen cremeux spiral and center it on top of the mousse.
- Let the cake thaw slowly in the fridge for 4–6 hours before serving.
- Decorate with wood sorrel, grated milk chocolate, and crunchy chocolate pearls for an elegant finish.
