Mini Chocolate Ripple Cookie Cakes

When you first taste these Mini Chocolate Ripple Cakes, what stands out is the smooth and rich feel of the mousse. It's really creamy and has this velvety quality to it. The cookies, after spending a night in the fridge, change in texture. They're not crunchy anymore, but instead become soft and cake-like, melting easily in your mouth. This gives the mini cookie cakes a really indulgent, almost truffle-like feel.

The combination of the moist, soft cookie layers with the creamy mousse makes for a great texture in each bite. The tangy raspberry sauce served alongside adds a burst of fruity flavor, perfectly pairing with the deep chocolate taste

Why You'll Love These Mini Cookie Cakes

• Same But Different: These mini cakes are a cool new take on the classic Australian Choc Ripple Cake. if you are an Aussie like me, they will feel familiar but with a fresh spin, and the individual sizes make them extra special.
• They're super chocolatey: If you love chocolate, these cakes are a dream. They pack a big chocolate punch with both the cookies and the creamy mousse.
• Great texture: The way the cookies soften up to become cake-like is a hit. It's my favorite part of the recipe. It makes a nice contrast with the creamy mousse, so every bite is a bit different.
• Raspberry sauce adds zing: The tart raspberry sauce is a perfect match for the sweet chocolate. I think it looks pretty, too.
• Easy to make ahead: You will find these mini cookie cakes are simple to whip up and great for making in advance, which is handy for parties or busy days.
• Fancy but easy to carry: They look fancy enough for a special occasion, but they're also easy to take along to picnics or potlucks.
• You can mix it up: The recipe's easy for you to change up, like using different cookies or adding other flavors to the mousse.

Ingredients In These Mini Cookie Cakes

Chocolate Ripple Biscuits or Other Chocolate Cookies: The cookies create the layers and, when softened, mimic the texture of cake. Chocolate Ripple Biscuits are specifically used in the Australian Choc Ripple Cake, but any similar chocolate cookie will work.

Heavy Cream: This is used to make the mousse. Heavy cream whips well and provides a rich, creamy texture. It's the base that carries the chocolate flavor and adds a luxurious mouthfeel to the dessert.

Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix: When mixed with the heavy cream, this helps to thicken the mousse, adding chocolate flavor and a smooth consistency. It also helps in setting the mousse more quickly.

Icing Sugar: Also known as powdered sugar, this sweetens the mousse without the grittiness that sometimes comes with granulated sugar. It dissolves easily, giving a smooth texture.

Vanilla Extract: Vanilla adds depth and enhances the overall flavor of the dessert. It complements the chocolate and adds a subtle aromatic quality to the mousse.

Cocoa Powder: This is used for dusting the finished cakes. It adds a touch of bitterness and a deep chocolate flavor, contrasting nicely with the sweetness of the rest of the dessert.

Raspberry Sauce (for serving): This tart sauce provides a fruity contrast to the rich and sweet chocolate, balancing the flavors and adding a nice burst of color. For me, this is the hero ingredient that brings it all together.

How To Make Mini Chocolate Cookie Cakes

Prepare the Mousse: Start by making the chocolate pudding mousse. In a large mixing bowl, combine the heavy cream, instant chocolate pudding mix, icing sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix these together on medium speed. Watch out for the mousse thickening – you want it to be smooth and creamy, but not overmixed, as this can make it grainy or cause it to split.

Assemble the Mini Cakes: Begin building the mini cakes. Start by placing a small amount of mousse on a cake card or directly onto your serving plates. This acts as a base and helps to hold the first cookie in place.

Layer Cookies and Mousse: Place a chocolate cookie on top of the mousse on each plate, pressing it down slightly. Then, pipe or spoon a layer of mousse on top of the cookie. Repeat this process, adding another cookie and pressing firmly, followed by more mousse. Continue until you have about four layers of cookies.

Decorate the Cakes: Use the remaining mousse to pipe rows up the sides of each mini cake to cover them completely. You can also pipe some decorative mousse 'kisses' or swirls on the top of each cake for an elegant finish.

Refrigerate Overnight: This step is crucial. Place the mini cakes in the refrigerator and leave them overnight. During this time, the cookies absorb moisture from the mousse and soften, taking on a cake-like texture, which is key to the dessert's unique mouthfeel.

Finish with Cocoa Powder: Just before serving, lightly dust the top of each mini cake with cocoa powder. This adds an extra chocolatey flavor and a sophisticated look.

Serve with Raspberry Sauce: Accompany each mini cake with raspberry sauce, either in a food pipette for a fancy presentation or in a small bowl for guests to drizzle over their cake. The tartness of the raspberry sauce beautifully complements the rich chocolate flavor of the cakes.

My Top Tip

An important tip for this Mini Chocolate Ripple Cake recipe is to ensure you give the cakes enough time to refrigerate overnight. This step is crucial because it allows the chocolate cookies to absorb moisture from the mousse, transforming them from their original crisp texture to a soft, cake-like consistency.

If you skip this step or shorten the refrigeration time, the cookies may remain too crunchy, and you'll miss out on the unique texture that's key to this dessert. The overnight setting not only softens the cookies but also helps the flavors to meld together, resulting in a more cohesive and enjoyable taste experience.

Suggestions For Variations

Different Cookie Flavors: Instead of traditional chocolate cookies, you could use other flavored cookies like ginger snaps, vanilla wafers, or shortbread for a different base flavor.

Alternative Mousses: Experiment with different mousse flavors.

Add Fruit Layers: Introduce thin layers of fresh fruit like sliced strawberries, raspberries, or banana between the mousse and cookie layers for a fruity touch.

Mix in Nuts or Toppings: Add chopped nuts, like almonds or hazelnuts, or even mini chocolate chips into the mousse for added texture and flavor.

Different Sauces: Instead of raspberry sauce, consider other options like caramel, strawberry, or a rich chocolate ganache to drizzle over the cakes.

Liqueur-Infused Mousse: For an adult version, infuse the mousse with a splash of your favorite liqueur, such as Baileys Irish Cream, Kahlúa, or Grand Marnier.

Dairy-Free/Vegan Variations: Use dairy-free cream and vegan chocolate cookies to make a vegan-friendly version. There are also vegan chocolate pudding mixes available.

Spice It Up: Add a pinch of cinnamon or chili powder to the mousse for a subtle spicy kick.

Cheesecake Twist: Incorporate cream cheese into the mousse mixture for a cheesecake-like flavor.

Mini Cake Toppings: Top the mini cakes with whipped cream, a cherry, or a dusting of crushed cookies for extra decoration.

Video Tutorials You Might Like