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Black Tie Mousse Cake - Olive Garden Copycat

4 layers of chocolate decadence cake - perfect for a birthday, holiday, or Valentine's day!
Print Recipe
Servings 15

Ingredients
  

Cake Base

  • 1 box devil's food cake mix plus ingredients on package

Chocolate Cheesecake Layer

  • 8 oz. cream cheese or neufchatel softened
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips melted and cooled to room temperature
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream or 1 cup Cool Whip or prepped Dream Whip

Fluffy White Layer

  • 1 box instant white chocolate pudding mix 3.3 ounces (Jello)
  • 1 cups milk
  • 1.5 cups whipping cream or 2 cups Cool Whip or prepped Dream Whip
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar if using whipping cream instead of Cool Whip

Chocolate Ganache Topping

  • 1 and 1/2 cups whipping cream
  • 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1 Tb whipping cream

Instructions
 

Cake Layer

  • First, take a 9 inch springform pan and spraying with cooking spray. Take another pan such as a 8 or 9" round pan or 8x8 or 9x9 pan and spray this as well. Also line the bottoms of the pans with a layer of parchment. Spray with cooking spray again. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Make the devil's food cake per the directions on the box. Pour about 2/3 of the batter into the springform pan. Pour the rest into the other pan. This other pan will not be used. You can freeze the small cake for another day.

Chocolate Cheesecake Layer

  • Once the cake in the springform pan is cooled. Start makign the chocolate cheesecake layer. In a mixer on medium speed, mix softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and mix. Add melted (but cooled to room temperature) dark chocoalte chips. Mix until completely mixed together.
    At this point, if you are using whipping cream, you will need to whip that with the powdered sugar until soft peaks form. If you are using Cool Whip, use it out of the tub. If using Dream whip, you'll need to make that according to the box now. I would use 2 packages.
    Finally, with a whisk attachment if you have one, whisk in the whipping cream or Cool whip on low to medium-low. It looks chunky at first and then it becomes a single color. Pour onto cake and level with offset spatula. Cover and put into freezer.

Fluffy White Chocolate Layer

  • For the white chocolate layer, mix the pudding and milk on low.
    Again, using a mixer you may need to whip the whipping cream together to soft peaks then add to the pudding. Or add the Cool Whip or prepped Dream Whip. Fold in.
    Add this to the top of the very cold chocolate cheesecake layer. Level with an offset spatula. Cover and put into freezer.

Chocolate Ganache Topping

  • This step is like magic!
  • In a large mixing bowl, pour the 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips.
  • Heat a medium saucepan with the cream. Put over medium heat. Once it starts to steam and start to boil, remove from the heat. Pour onto the chocolate chips.
  • Cover the cream/chips bowl with a lid and let it sit for 5 minutes.
  • Whisk together the cream and chocolate chips. Keep whisking! It will turn into magic chocolate -- shiny and beautiful ganache!
  • Allow to sit for 15 minutes and cool. While waiting, prep a cookie sheet and cooling rack on the cookie sheet. Remove the ring around the springform pan.
  • Carefully, pour about three-fourths of the ganache onto the cake. Use an offset spatula to genty move it to the sides. If you choose to do the mini chocolate chips on the sides, make sure to cover the sides. Then you will simply press the chocolate chips into the sides of the cake. Now, put into the freezer or fridge uncovered.
  • To create white zigzags, melt the white chocolate and cream together in the microwave. Take a sandwich bag and snip the corner off. Pour white chocolate into bag and make zigzags onto the top of the cake. You can use a toothpick for feathering too.
  • To create the chocolate swirls on top, let the ganache cool until it is thick like cupcake frosting. Place a 1M tip inside a pastry bag or cut ziplock bag and pipe swirls onto the top.
  • Finally, I cover the entire cake in a dome and store in the fridge until ready to eat. A sharp, hot knife would be best to cut it cleanly. Enjoy! Keep it cold in the fridge for storage.

Notes

Copycat attempt of Olive Garden's famous Black Tie Mousse Cake