Classic Neapolitan Mousse Cake

Finding a dessert that pleases everyone at a family gathering can feel like an impossible task. After all, some people are chocolate lovers, others prefer vanilla, and there’s always that one person who insists strawberry is the best flavor, and things get even more complicated when you’re trying to make something that looks impressive but won’t take all weekend to prepare.

Luckily, this neapolitan mousse cake solves all those problems: it combines all three classic flavors in one beautiful dessert, requires no baking, and can be made ahead of time so you can actually enjoy your own party.

What Kind of White Chocolate Should I Use?

For this neapolitan mousse cake, you’ll want to use good quality white chocolate since it’s a key component in two of your three mousse layers. Look for white chocolate that contains cocoa butter as the first or second ingredient – this will give you the smoothest melting and best flavor. Avoid white chocolate chips or baking bars that are made primarily with palm oil, as these don’t melt as smoothly and can make your mousse grainy. If you’re shopping at the grocery store, brands like Ghirardelli, Lindt, or even higher-end store brands usually work well for this type of recipe.

Options for Substitutions

This layered mousse cake has some room for swaps, though a few ingredients are pretty essential:

• Buttermilk: No buttermilk? Mix 60ml regular milk with 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes. You’ll get that same tangy flavor for the cake base.
• Instant coffee: You can skip the coffee if you’re not a fan, but it really helps bring out the chocolate flavor. If you don’t have instant, use 1 tablespoon of strong brewed coffee instead of the hot water.
• Freeze dried strawberry powder: This might be tricky to find, but you can make your own by blending freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor until powdery. Fresh strawberry puree won’t work here as it’ll make the mousse too wet.
• White chocolate: Don’t substitute this with regular chocolate chips – you need proper white chocolate for the mousse to set correctly. If you can’t find it, milk chocolate will work but will change the flavor profile.
• Double cream: Heavy whipping cream works just as well. You need the high fat content for the mousse to whip and hold its shape properly.
• Dark chocolate: For the chocolate layer, you can use semi-sweet or milk chocolate if you prefer something less intense, but stick with good quality chocolate for the best texture.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making this layered mousse cake is not allowing each layer to set completely before adding the next one – rushing this process will cause your beautiful layers to blend together into a muddy mess. When melting the white chocolate for your mousses, avoid overheating it by using gentle heat or short microwave bursts, as seized chocolate will create grainy, lumpy textures that won’t fold smoothly into your cream. Another common error is not whipping your egg whites to proper stiff peaks before folding them in, which means your mousse layers won’t have that light, airy texture you’re after. For best results, make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature before starting, and when folding the whipped cream and egg whites into the chocolate mixture, use gentle motions to keep all that air you just whipped in.

What to Serve With Neapolitan Mousse Cake?

This cake is already a showstopper on its own with all three classic flavors, but a simple cup of coffee or espresso makes the perfect companion to balance out the rich chocolate and creamy vanilla layers. Fresh berries like strawberries or raspberries are a natural choice since they echo the strawberry layer while adding a nice pop of freshness against all that decadent mousse. If you want to keep things simple, a glass of cold milk works great too, especially if you’re serving this to kids who will love the familiar Neapolitan ice cream flavors. For special occasions, try pairing it with a light dessert wine or even some vanilla ice cream on the side for the ultimate indulgence.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: This mousse cake needs to stay chilled in the fridge at all times. Cover it with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The mousse layers will hold their shape perfectly when kept cold, and honestly, it tastes even better after sitting overnight!

Freeze: You can freeze individual slices wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for up to 1 month. The whole cake can also be frozen, but I’d recommend slicing it first since it’s easier to thaw just what you need. Just make sure to wrap everything really well to prevent freezer burn.

Serve: Let frozen slices thaw in the fridge for about 2-3 hours before serving – don’t rush it at room temperature or the mousse might get too soft. The cake is best enjoyed cold, so take it out of the fridge just 10-15 minutes before serving to take the chill off slightly.

Preparation Time	30-45 minutes
Cooking Time	30-40 minutes
Total Time	60-85 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3400-3700
• Protein: 45-55 g
• Fat: 230-260 g
• Carbohydrates: 290-320 g

Ingredients

For the chocolate cake layer:

• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened, for deep chocolate flavor)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur all-purpose)
• 2 eggs (room temperature)
• 1 tsp white vinegar (reacts with baking soda for lift)
• 1 tsp instant coffee (enhances chocolate depth)
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil (or neutral oil like canola)
• 1.5 fl oz hot water
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar

For the white chocolate mousse:

• 2/3 cup heavy cream (cold, for better whipping)
• 7 oz white chocolate, melted (cooled slightly before folding in)
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tsp vanilla extract (pure vanilla preferred for best flavor)
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 egg whites (room temperature, separated from yolks)
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar

For the strawberry mousse:

• 2 tbsp freeze-dried strawberry powder (adds vibrant color and tang)
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 egg yolks
• 3 tbsp hot heavy cream (blooms the strawberry powder)
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 7 oz white chocolate, melted (cooled slightly before folding in)
• 2/3 cup heavy cream (cold, for better whipping)
• 2 egg whites (room temperature, separated from yolks)

For the ganache topping:

• 2/3 cup heavy cream (I prefer Kerrygold heavy cream for richness)
• 3.5 oz dark chocolate (chopped into small pieces for even melting)

Step 1: Prepare the Chocolate Cake Base

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp instant coffee
• 1.5 fl oz hot water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp white vinegar

Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease an 8-inch round cake pan.

In a medium bowl, combine the cocoa powder, instant coffee, and hot water, stirring until the coffee dissolves and you have a smooth chocolate liquid.

Add the vegetable oil, buttermilk, and room temperature eggs, whisking until well combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and baking soda.

Pour the dry mixture into the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.

Finally, mix the white vinegar into the batter—you’ll see it react with the baking soda, creating lift.

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely before proceeding.

Step 2: Assemble the Pan and Prepare for Layering

• cooled chocolate cake from Step 1

Line a clean 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper, allowing some overhang on the sides for easy removal later.

Once the cooled cake has set, carefully level it (trim any domed top) and place it in the lined pan.

This creates your base for the three-layer mousse cake.

Step 3: Create the White Chocolate Mousse Layer

• 2 egg whites
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 7 oz white chocolate, melted
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Begin by whipping 2 room temperature egg whites with 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar until stiff peaks form, then set aside.

In another bowl, whip 2/3 cup of cold heavy cream until firm peaks form and set aside separately.

In a third bowl, combine the melted and slightly cooled white chocolate with 2 egg yolks, 1/8 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, stirring until smooth.

Lighten this chocolate mixture by folding in about one-third of the whipped cream, then gently fold in the remaining cream in two additions.

Finally, fold in the whipped egg whites in two parts, being careful not to deflate the mousse.

Spread this white chocolate mousse evenly over the cake layer in your prepared pan and freeze for 20 minutes until set.

Step 4: Build the Strawberry Mousse Layer

• 2 tbsp freeze-dried strawberry powder
• 3 tbsp hot heavy cream
• 2 egg whites
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 7 oz white chocolate, melted
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Start by blooming the freeze-dried strawberry powder: pour 3 tablespoons of hot heavy cream over the strawberry powder and let it sit for a minute, then stir until completely dissolved and vibrant pink.

Whip 2 fresh room temperature egg whites with 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar until stiff peaks form and set aside.

Whip another 2/3 cup of cold heavy cream until firm peaks form and set aside.

In a bowl, combine the melted and slightly cooled white chocolate with 2 egg yolks, 1/8 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, then stir in the prepared strawberry mixture until evenly colored.

Fold in one-third of the whipped cream to lighten, then fold in the remaining cream in two additions.

Gently fold in the whipped egg whites in two parts.

Pour this strawberry mousse over the set white chocolate layer and freeze for another 20 minutes.

Step 5: Top with Dark Chocolate Ganache and Chill

• 3.5 oz dark chocolate
• 2/3 cup heavy cream

While the strawberry mousse freezes, prepare your dark chocolate ganache: chop the dark chocolate into small, uniform pieces for even melting.

Place the chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until completely melted and smooth.

Pour the heavy cream over the melted chocolate and stir gently until you have a silky, pourable ganache.

Once the strawberry mousse layer is set, pour the ganache evenly over the top, allowing it to settle naturally.

I like to give the pan a gentle tap on the counter to smooth out any air bubbles and create an even surface.

Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight—this allows all the layers to set properly and the flavors to meld beautifully.

Step 6: Unmold and Serve

Remove the chilled cake from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to make unmolding easier.

Run a thin knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake, then use the parchment paper overhang to gently lift the entire cake out of the pan.

Carefully peel away the parchment paper from the sides.

Slice the cake with a warm, dry knife (wipe between cuts for clean slices) and serve immediately.

The contrast of the cool, creamy mousse layers with the rich ganache top creates an absolutely elegant dessert.