Heavenly Chocolate Mousse Cake

Five ingredients melted together in a saucepan, eight beaten eggs stirred in, poured into a pan, baked. That’s it. And somehow this produces one of the most intensely chocolate cakes you’ll ever eat. No flour, no leavening, no frosting needed.

A full pound of butter, 12 ounces of bittersweet chocolate, 4 ounces of unsweetened chocolate, sugar, and strong coffee melt together over low heat into a dark, glossy pool. The coffee doesn’t make it taste like mocha; it deepens the chocolate flavor the way salt sharpens everything else. The eggs are the only structure, giving this cake its mousse-like density.

Serve at room temperature, not chilled. Cold firms up the butter and chocolate and mutes the flavor. At room temperature, each slice is rich and fudgy with an almost truffle-like center.

Pro Tips

• Melt everything over low heat and stir constantly; scorched chocolate tastes bitter and gritty
• Beat the eggs in a separate bowl before adding to the chocolate; dumping them in hot can scramble them
• The cake will look underdone in the center when you pull it from the oven; it sets as it cools
• A thin slice goes a long way; this is incredibly rich

Variations

• Add 2 tablespoons of bourbon or Grand Marnier to the melted chocolate for a boozy version
• Dust with cocoa powder and serve with fresh raspberries
• Top each slice with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream to cut the richness