If you LOVE Olive Garden’s Black Tie Mousse Cake as much as I do surely you want to make it at home! This copycat recipe tastes just like the real thing!
The Olive Garden is my absolute favorite restaurant! I usually get a slice of the black tie mousse cake to go, then hoard it over the next week, refusing to share and savoring every bite! I feel a little guilty over the not sharing part so I figured if I could make it at home then there would be plenty for everyone. My recipe is inspired by 4 different recipes. I couldn’t find one that had each layer right. And ya, I know the swirly white chocolate on the top is different. I was not confident in my swirly swooshy abilities so I went with what I know. So with a tweak here and there I proudly present my copycat Olive Garden Black Tie Mousse Cake recipe!
This post contains Amazon affiliate links to products I use for this recipe! For more info see my disclosure policy here.
How to make a Black Tie Mousse Cake:
- For this recipe you will need a 9 inch spring form pan. (affiliate link) Bake the single layer of chocolate cake in a 9 inch cake pan. Cool, level the top and place it in the spring form pan.
- For the chocolate mousse layer, melt the chocolate chips and cream cheese. Stir them together and let them cool while you soften and dissolve the gelatin (affiliate link) following the directions in the recipe.
- In a deep bowl. Beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Beat in the dissolved gelatin and powdered sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form.Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate cream cheese and spread evenly over the chocolate cake layer. Chill in the fridge while you make the white chocolate mousse layer.
- For this layer, start by chopping up the white chocolate chips, the finer, the better. It makes the chocolate melt faster and more smoothly. Soften the gelatin (affiliate link) while waiting for the cream to boil. Add the softened gelatin to the boiling cream. Stir to dissolve and pour over the white chocolate. Stir until it is melted.
- Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks and fold into the melted white chocolate. Spread evenly over the chocolate mousse layer. Chill in the fridge overnight before adding the ganache layer.
- Use a sharp knife to go around the edge of the cake and remove the spring form pan transferring the cake to a cake plate.
- Prepare the ganache according to the recipe instructions. Spread on the top and sides. Press mini chocolate chips into the sides. Chill while you wait for the ganache to be stiff enough to pipe.
- Melt the white candy melts and drizzle decoratively across the top of the cake. You can use white chocolate chips but they melt into more of an opaque color than white. Pipe the remaining ganache around the top and bottom edges. For clean slices dip a sharp knife in very hot water and carefully/quickly dry in between each cut. Store in the fridge.
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PrintBlack Tie Mousse Cake Recipe
If you LOVE Olive Garden’s Black Tie Mousse Cake as much as I do surely you want to make it at home! Follow my recipe below to experience this descant dessert in your own kitchen!
- Prep Time: 2 hours (plus chill time)
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes (plus overnight chilling)
- Yield: 16 Servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Bottom Layer (Chocolate Cake):
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 1 1/4 Cups Flour
- 1/2 Cup Cocoa
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 Egg
- 1/4 Cup Milk
- 1/4 Cup Sour Cream
- 1/4 Cup Canola Oil
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 Cup Boiling Water
Second Layer (Chocolate Mousse):
- 3/4 Cup Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
- 4 oz. Cream Cheese
- 1 tsp Knox Unflavored Gelatin
- 1 Tbs. Cold Water
- 2 Tbs. Boiling Water
- 1 Cup Heavy Cream
- 1/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
Third Layer (White Chocolate Mousse):
- 1 tsp Knox Unflavored Gelatin
- 1 Tbs. Cold Water
- 1 Cup White Chocolate Chips
- 1 1/2 Cups Heavy Cream
Fourth Layer (Chocolate Ganache):
- 1 1/2 Cups Heavy Cream
- 18 oz. Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
- One bag of mini semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
- 1/4 Cup White Candy Melts
Instructions
Bottom Layer (Chocolate Cake):
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 inch cake pan.
- Whisk the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a mixing bowl.
- In a separate boil whisk the eggs, milk, sour cream, canola oil and vanilla together. Then stir this into the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined.
- Drizzle the boiling water in while stirring. Once the boiling water is incorporated pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes. A toothpick should come out with moist crumbs.
- Cool cake completely and remove from the cake pan.
- Make the top level using a serrated knife. Place the leveled cake in the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. Set aside.
Second Layer (Chocolate Mousse):
- Carefully heat the cream cheese and semi-sweet chocolate chips in the microwave until the chocolate chips are melted and you can stir them into the cream cheese making a smooth mixture. Cool for 5 minutes.
- While that is cooling, soften the gelatin in the 1 tablespoon of cold water for a minutes. Then stir in the 2 Tbs. of boiling water. Stir until the gelatin is dissolved.
- In a small mixing bowl beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add the dissolved gelatin and the 1/4 cup of powdered sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form.
- Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate cream cheese a bit at a time until it has all been folded in.
- Spread the chocolate mousse evenly over the chocolate cake in the springform pan and put it in the fridge to chill while you prepare the next layer.
Third Layer (White Chocolate Mousse):
- Chop up the white chocolate chips and put them in a mixing bowl.
- Bring 1/2 Cup heavy cream to a boil. While you are waiting for the cream to boil, soften the gelatin in 1 Tbs. of cold water. Once the cream comes to a boil pour in the softened gelatin and stir until it is dissolved. Pour the hot cream with dissolved gelatin over the chopped up white chocolate chips.
- Stir until the chocolate is melted and blended in.
- Beat the remaining 1 Cup of heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
- Fold the whipped cream into the white chocolate mixture a bit at a time until is has all been folded in.
- Spread this over the chocolate mousse layer and place the cake back in the fridge to chill overnight.
Fourth Layer (Chocolate Ganache):
- Chop up the semi-sweet chocolate chips and put them in a mixing bowl.
- Bring the 1 1/2 cups of Heavy Cream to a boil and pour it over the chocolate.
- Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and you have a smooth bowl of chocolate ganache.
- Cool until the ganache is still pourable but is not complete liquid. This took mine about 15 minutes. While this is cooling, run a sharp knife around the edges of the springform pan and then remove the outside rim.
- Carefully transfer the cake from the bottom part of the springform pan to a cake plate.
- Spread 1/3 of the ganache over the top layer of the mousse. Put it back in the fridge.
- Cool the remaining ganache until you can spread a thin layer on the sides of the side without it running off. Press the mini chocolate chips into the ganache on the sides. Put back in the fridge.
- You should have about 1/3 of the ganache left. Let it cool until it has thickened enough to pipe. This took mine about a half hour. You can speed this process up by putting it in the fridge and checking/stir it every couple minutes.
- Melt the white candy melts and drizzle across the top of the cake. Then fill a pastry bag with the remaining ganache and pipe it around the edges.
- Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
- To slice the cake making clean cuts, run a sharp knife under very hot water for a moment, quickly but carefully make a cut for the first slice. Run the knife under the hot water and dry it in between cuts.
- Store in the fridge.
Keywords: olive garden copycat, black tie mousse cake
This post contains affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy here.
Any nutritional analysis on this Site is based on an estimate, calculated by Nurtifox plugin (or other third-party source) from the individual ingredients in each recipe. Variations may occur for various reasons, including product availability and food preparation. We make no representation or warranty of the accuracy of this information.
Delicious!!!
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Oh my!!! This will satisfy your chocolate cravings. And it is a showstopper! Love this recipe!
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This looks amazing!
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This looks beyond amazing!!! Can’t wait to try it 😀
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That looks amazing!
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This looks amazing!
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Looks delicious!
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I can’t wait to try this recipe. Directions are clear and it looks delicious!
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I can’t wait to try this! Thanks Mindee!
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Looks delish! Pinning!
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Yummy! Can’t wait to try this!
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Delightful!
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I love your pictures and thorough instructions!
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Loved this recipe thank you! Only things I found while I was making the cake were that one hour in fridge was nowhere near enough time for the mousse to set for me! It needed to be in the freezer overnight or for a few hours so that the ganache wouldn’t destroy it. I also found that 18 oz of chocolate chips was way too much for the ganache. I used 100 grams of dark chocolate with less cream and it covered the whole cake while still tasting very chocolatey.
I think I must keep my fridge colder than most, but I will adjust the recipe to reflect a longer chill time before the ganache. Thank you!
This is probably a silly question, but when the recipe calls for 1 tsp Knox Unflavored Gelatin, is this prepared gelatin or powdered gelatin mix? Thanks for the help!
It’s powdered.
Can this be frozen after its made?
I haven’t ever frozen this, but I can’t think of a reason why it couldn’t be frozen. Just make sure to thaw it in the fridge and not on the counter top for best results.
Made this for my daughter’s birthday and it was a hit! Delicious! Turned out wonderful!
I’ve made this several times and it’s so good!
Thank You!!! Share a pic on Instagram and tag me!
I made this recipe on a whim. I think I would increase the amount of white chocolate mousse next time, but that is my own preference. I already have those I shared it with begging me to make it again. I am so glad you shared this. Thank you!
★★★★★
I made this for Mothers day dessert and it’s boooooooomb. So rich and decadent. Its a fairly easy recipe when you break it into three different recipes: make your cake, then set aside. Make your chocolate mousse, set aside, then make white chocolate mousse and assemble. Breaking it down like that made everything seem less overwhelming or daunting. This is a fabulous recipe. Each flavor really shines… Its better than the OG’s. Also, I just used my leftover white chocolate chips to create the swirl on top, left the sides bare, that layering is pleasing to the eye, in my opinion. And the ganache had plenty of leftovers, which worked perfectly with the copycat costco cheesecake I made this weekend as well!!
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How can i tell if ive over folded the cream into the white chocolate? It almost looks curdled to me but it was folded throughly. I hope it doesnt affect the taste!
Even if you over folded these ingredients it would still be smooth. Heavier, but smooth. It’s more likely the whipped cream was over beaten. When you over beat whipped cream it starts to separate and look curdled.