Chocolate Mousse Cupcakes
These Chocolate Mousse Cupcakes taste gourmet but are so easy to make! The base is a rich and dense flourless cake contrasted with light and creamy chocolate mousse on top. It’s THE cupcake for chocolate lovers that is naturally gluten-free!
Chocolate mousse is one of my favorite things to make. The rich, dense, chocolatey flavor just makes every dessert feel so indulgent and special. This cupcake recipe is a mini version of my very popular Chocolate Mousse Cake, which has the same indulgent experience but in handheld cupcake form!
These bite-sized treats have a delicious flourless chocolate cake at the base that bakes into a dense and rich cupcake that pairs beautifully with the light and creamy chocolate mousse on top, creating a perfect balance of textures and flavors that melts in your mouth while still being approachable and easy to make right at home!
Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes
What’s unique about this recipe is that the base of these cupcakes is made with a flourless chocolate cake, which means it doesn’t contain any wheat flour. Instead, the structure of the cake comes from a combination of eggs, cocoa powder, and melted chocolate. This creates a dense, rich texture that is intensely chocolatey and naturally gluten-free, making it an excellent option for everyone. The lack of flour not only intensifies the chocolate flavor but also results in a moist and fudgy cake that pairs perfectly with the light and creamy chocolate mousse topping.
These flourless chocolate mousse cups are great for so many different events. Their rich flavor makes them perfect for birthdays, holidays, and celebrations like Valentine’s Day or anniversaries. Enjoy them with milk, coffee, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
How To Make Easy Chocolate Mousse
Making the best chocolate mousse involves three steps. Making the base, chilling the mixture, and whipping with heavy cream. The mixture must stay chilled throughout the process to make sure the consistency stays thick and rich but also light and fluffy. If you find the mousse is getting too soft, return it to the fridge to chill completely before moving forward!
Make base and chill: Add the chocolate chips to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl and set aside. In a saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, salt milk, and egg yolks until fully combined. Place the pan over medium heat and continually whisk for 10 minutes until it thickens. Remove the mixture from the heat, then pour the chocolate chips in, whisking until smooth and glossy with the texture of pudding. Cover with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill completely.
Prepare for whipping: Remove the bowl from the fridge and wipe out any condensation using a paper towel. Place the bowl on your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Add the heavy cream and whip: Pour in the heavy cream and turn the mixer to high speed until thickened. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then whip until combined. The texture should be very soft but still be able to hold its shape. If it’s too soft, return to the fridge to chill again.
Fill and pipe: Transfer the mousse into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe the mousse onto fully cooled cupcakes.
Top Baking Tips
- Sift the cocoa powder to avoid lumps in the batter.
- Tap the filled cupcake tin on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles in the batter before baking for a dense, fudgy cupcake.
- Gently fold the whipped mousse to avoid deflating the air whipped into it for a light and fluffy texture.
- Melt the chocolate and butter slowly in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds to prevent scorching.
- Fill the cupcake liners only two-thirds full to allow room for the cupcakes to rise. Use an ice cream scoop to distribute the batter evenly.
- Cool the cupcakes completely on a wire rack before adding the mousse to prevent it from melting or deflating.
- Chill the mousse thoroughly before whipping to achieve the right consistency.
- Allow the melted chocolate mixture to cool slightly before adding it to the batter to prevent cooking the eggs.
- For best results, use a stand mixer or hand mixer to whip the mousse.
- Pipe the mousse onto the cupcakes using a large round tip for a professional and polished look.
Chocolate Mousse Cupcakes FAQ
Yes, you can use milk chocolate, but it will make the cupcakes sweeter and less rich. If you prefer a more balanced flavor, stick with semisweet or dark chocolate chips.
If you don’t have a piping bag, you can use a zip-top bag with a corner cut-off to pipe the mousse. You can also spread the mousse on top of the cupcakes with an offset spatula.
Sinking is normal for these flourless chocolate cupcakes! It creates the perfect spot to pipe tons of chocolate mousse.
Chilling the mousse base before whipping is crucial to achieving the right texture. If the base is too warm, the mousse won’t whip up properly and may be too soft to pipe.
Using a mix of dark and semisweet chocolate lends the best flavor as it’s not too bitter and not too sweet. Opt for good quality chocolate, as this will provide the biggest flavor payoff.
Add a teaspoon of instant espresso powder to the flourless cake batter for a mocha-flavored cupcake, or swap the semisweet and dark chocolate chips for milk to create a milk chocolate mousse cupcake.
Store the cooled cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for up to five days. Before serving, you can let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly.
Yes! Freeze the cupcakes without the mousse topping by wrapping them individually in plastic wrap and placing them in a freezer-safe bag. They can be frozen for up to two months. Thaw the cupcakes in the refrigerator overnight and add the mousse topping before serving.
If you have some mousse leftover, place it into a storage container and chill. Now you have a stash of tasty chocolate mousse for snacking!
For more chocolate cupcake recipes, check out my:
- Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
- Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
- Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes
- Toasted S’mores Cupcakes
- Chocolate Strawberry Hi-Hat Cupcakes
Make sure to tag me @butternutbakery on Instagram if you make these chocolate mousse cupcakes. I love seeing my recipes come to life in YOUR kitchen! To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below this post, or on any of the photos above. Happy baking!
Watch how to make these Chocolate Mousse Cupcakes:
Chocolate Mousse Cupcakes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 12 Cupcakes
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These chocolate mousse cupcakes taste gourmet but are so easy to make! The base is a rich and dense flourless cake contrasted with light and creamy chocolate mousse on top. It’s THE cupcake for chocolate lovers!
Ingredients
Chocolate Mousse
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup (240g) whole milk
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup (90g) semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup (90g) dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup (240g) heavy cream
Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temp
- 1/2 cup (45g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup (110g) unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 cups (230g) semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Chocolate Mousse
- In a large mixing bowl (if you have a stand mixer, use that bowl), add the chocolate chips and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, salt, milk, and egg yolks.
- Place over medium heat and continue to whisk until it bubbles and slightly thickens (about 10 minutes).
- Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate chips. Whisk until smooth and glossy (it should be the consistency of pudding).
- Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to chill while we make the cupcakes.
Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a cupcake tin with 12 paper liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until light and frothy.
- Then mix in the cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder.
- In a heat-safe bowl, add the butter and chocolate chips. Microwave in 30 second intervals until smooth.
- Pour the melted chocolate into the batter and mix to combine. The consistency will be similar to brownie batter.
- Distribute the batter between the 12 liners and bake for 15 minutes.
- The cupcakes will appear evenly puffed fresh from the oven, but will sink as they cool.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before moving on to the next step.
Chocolate Mousse
- By now, the mousse base should be completely chilled. Use a paper towel to wipe away any condensation from inside the bowl.
- Place the bowl on your stand mixer with the whisk attachment (or use a hand mixer).
- Pour in the heavy cream and whip on high speed until thickened. Then scrape down the bowl and whip for a couple more seconds to ensure everything is well combined.
- The mousse will be very soft but should still hold its shape when piped. If your mousse is too soft, place it in the refrigerator to chill for about an hour before moving onto the next step.
- Scoop the mousse into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe the mousse on top of the cooled cupcakes and decorate with chocolate shavings.
- Eat right away or place into the refrigerator and serve chilled. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cooling Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Join Our Community
Meet Jenna
I’m the creator, baker, and photographer behind Butternut Bakery. Here I share desserts for every diet because I believe everyone should have a chance to indulge!
Hi Jenna
LOVE your recipes. I’d love to make these into mini cupcakes. Any chance you know the approx change in cooking time ?
TIA
These were fantastic! They blew my (very picky) family away. Melt In Your mouth delicious
How long would these last at room temp.? I’m looking to make them for my dad’s birthday party:)
These cupcakes are a 10 out of 10! I made them for Father’s Day and everyone loved them! I love that the recipe is easy to follow but the result is so impressive! I will definitely be making them again and I’m currently enjoying the mousse that was leftover! Thanks for another great recipe!
Turned out great! Will definitely make again. Mousse recipe was especially straight forward and very forgiving.
Ok, these were UNBELIEVABLE! I made these for my kid who has celiac disease and they ended up being a family favorite. Everybody demolished them! I’ve never made a flourless cake before so I was surprised when they had the same texture as a fudge brownie, then topped with that incredible chocolate mousse. Are you kidding me?! You don’t miss the flour at all! I will be making these over and over again.
I baked the cupcakes for 15minutes but they are still liquid in the middle are they supposed to be or does a tooth pick come out with a moist crumb when done? I’ve never made flourless cake
I just made these and they are the BEST cupcakes I have ever eaten. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe
Could this be made into a sheet cake? Or round cakes? Also, can I use Dutch processed cocoa powder? Thank you!!! 🙂