This rich and delicious chocolate mousse frosting for cupcakes is made with only two ingredients: semi-sweet chocolate and heavy cream. It has an incredibly creamy texture but is at the same time firm enough to hold its shape nicely. Because the frosting is whipped just like whipped cream, it's not dense but rather light and airy.
Ingredients and notes:
- Please be sure to use a chocolate bar and not chocolate chips or chocolate morsels. Chocolate chips and morsels are usually designed to keep their shape when heated and therefore have stabilizers in them. That prevents them from melting properly.
- If you have more semi-sweet chocolate on hand you can use it to make these individual chocolate trifles!
How to make it:
See full ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below!
NOTE: The chocolate mix for this mousse frosting needs to chill for 8 hours. Please be sure to plan for that.
- Add chocolate and heavy cream to a saucepan.
- Dissolve the chocolate over low heat.
- Transfer to a mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill for 8 hours.
- Whip the frosting to firm peaks (be careful not to overwhip). Keep refrigerated.
How to use the frosting:
You can use the frosting for regular or for mini chocolate cupcakes. (I have included a mini chocolate cupcake recipe below.) Serve the frosted cupcakes by themselves or drizzle a spoonful of this seedless blackberry sauce on the frosting!
More delicious chocolate mousse recipes:
- White Chocolate Mousse Recipe (no eggs)8 Hours 10 Minutes
- Mini Chocolate Mascarpone Trifles (no bake)10 Minutes
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how you liked it in the comments below! Thank you!
Full Printable Recipe
Chocolate Mousse Frosting for Cupcakes
This cool chocolate mousse frosting for cupcakes is ultra creamy, airy and delicious. Makes about ⅔ cup.
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Equipment:
- measuring cups and spoons
- saucepan
- wooden spoon
- rubber spatula
- mixing bowls
- plastic wrap
- standing mixer or handheld mixer
- mini cupcake pan
- mini cupcake pan liners
- whisk
- spoons
- toothpick
- piping bag with tip
Ingredients:
For the frosting:
- 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate*
- ½ cup heavy cream
For the mini cupcakes:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup boiling water
- 2 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
Instructions:
For the frosting:
- Add chocolate and cream to a saucepan.2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate*, ½ cup heavy cream
- Slowly heat and stir the mix until the chocolate is fully dissolved. Be careful not to let the cream get too hot, it should just be hot enough to dissolve the chocolate. (But do be sure to dissolve the chocolate fully.)**
- Let the mix cool, then transfer it to a mixing bowl. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 8 hours.***
- Whip the mix with an electric mixer until firm.****
For the mini cupcakes:
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line a mini cupcake pan with 20 liners.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.½ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- In a separate bowl, whisk boiling water, cocoa powder and instant espresso powder together until dissolved. Set aside.¼ cup boiling water, 2 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, ¼ teaspoon instant espresso powder
- Whip butter and sugar until well combined.4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- Add vanilla and egg and continue to whip until well combined and creamy.¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 large egg
- Add the dry ingredients and whip until well combined.
- Add the chocolate mix and continue to whip until well combined.
- Fill each mini cupcake liner with about 1 tablespoon of batter (that should be about ⅔ full).
- Bake until an inserted toothpick comes out clean (10 to 15 minutes).
- Let the cupcakes cool, then pipe on the frosting.
Notes:
*Please be sure to use a chocolate bar and not chocolate chips or chocolate morsels. Chocolate chips and morsels are usually designed to keep their shape when heated and therefore have stabilizers in them. That prevents them from melting properly.
**Make sure that the chocolate gets melted fully in this step. If there are still little pieces of undissolved chocolate, you will end up with a grainy frosting.
***The long chill time (8 hours) for the melted chocolate is necessary for the frosting to whip up properly. Please don't be tempted to cut it short.
****Just like with regular whipped cream, it's possible to overwhip the mousse frosting. Be sure to stop whipping when the mousse has reached firm peaks.
Serving and Storage: Be sure to treat the topping like you would treat whipped cream. Keep the frosted cupcakes refrigerated if you’re not serving them immediately. (You can make them up to 5 hours ahead and store in an airtight container in the fridge.)
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