Dessert Bowls

User Reviews

5

14 reviews
Excellent
  • Prep Time

    1 hr

  • Cook Time

    20 mins

  • Total Time

    1 hr 20 mins

  • Servings

    4 large bowls or 8 small

  • Calories

    1680 kcal

  • Course

    Dessert

  • Cuisine

    American

Dessert Bowls

Dessert Bowls layer a soft vanilla cake base with smooth chocolate mousse and vanilla bean whipped cream, topped with fresh berries and chocolate shavings. The vanilla cake provides a moist, tender foundation, while the rich mousse adds creamy depth. The whipped cream lightens the dessert, and the berries contribute bright, juicy contrast. This reconstructed dessert combines cake and mousse textures in a visually appealing and flavorful treat served individually.

Description

This dessert begins with a vanilla cake made from a mix of butter, oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, flour, baking powder, salt, and buttermilk, baked until lightly springy and golden. The cake forms a soft, moist base with a gentle vanilla aroma. The chocolate mousse is prepared by melting dark or semisweet chocolate, then folding it into whipped heavy cream blended with sweetened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract, resulting in a creamy, rich but airy mousse layer.

Vanilla bean whipped cream made separately provides a light, fragrant topping. The assembly involves layering cake pieces, chocolate mousse, and whipped cream in serving bowls, garnished with assorted fresh berries and chocolate shavings for texture and color contrast. This combination delivers a balance of soft cake, silky mousse, and fluffy cream with fresh fruity brightness and chocolate notes.

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Ingredients

Servings

Vanilla Cake (adapted from my Vanilla Cake)

  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • ½ cup avocado oil or canola oil or vegetable oil
  • 1 ½ cup sugar
  • 4 egg room temperature preferred, large
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract brand Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon pure
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ¼ cup buttermilk room temperature preferred
  • powdered sugar for topping

Chocolate Mousse

  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips or semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2 cups heavy cream divided
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract brand Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon pure

Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream (adapted from my Homemade Whipped Cream)

  • 1 ½ cups heavy cream cold
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste Nielsen-Massey Pure

Additional Toppings:

  • 3 cups berries assorted
  • chocolate I simply used a vegetable peeler on a chocolate bar for my chocolate shavings, shavings

Instructions

Vanilla Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and prepare a jelly roll pan (12x17x1”) or cookie sheet by lining the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl using an electric mixer) cream together the butter, oil and sugar, until well-combined.
  3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  4. Stir in Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract.
  5. In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
  6. Using a spatula and gently hand-mixing, alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with flour mixture and mixing until just combined after each addition. The batter should be smooth and completely combined, but avoid over-mixing.
  7. Spread batter evenly into prepared jelly roll pan and bake on 350F (175C) for 18-22 minutes. When the cake is finished, the surface should spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out mostly clean with few moist crumbs (no wet batter).
  8. Allow cakes to cool in the pan completely.
  9. Once cake has completely cooled, either cut into squares or use star or heart or preferred cookie cutter to cut into shapes and lightly dust with powdered sugar. Set aside until ready to serve dessert bowls.

Chocolate Mousse

  1. In a small saucepan, combine chocolate chips and ½ cup (118.5 ml) of the heavy cream over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until chocolate chips are completely melted and mixture is smooth.
  2. Remove from heat and pour into a heatproof bowl. Stir in Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract.
  3. Allow mixture to cool completely before continuing.
  4. In a clean, medium-sized bowl, use an electric mixer to beat remaining 1 ½ cups (355.5 ml) heavy cream to stiff peaks. Set aside.
  5. In bowl of stand mixer, combine cream cheese and (cooled) chocolate mixture, stirring until completely combined.
  6. Gradually add powdered sugar until completely combined. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.Fold in prepared whipped cream until completely combined (don't over-mix).
  7. Set aside until you are ready to assemble dessert bowls (keep refrigerated in an airtight container if not assembling immediately)

Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

  1. Place a medium-sized bowl (preferably metal) in the freezer for at least 10 minutes to chill.
  2. Once bowl has chilled, remove from freezer and add heavy cream, powdered sugar, and Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Bean Paste.
  3. Using an electric mixer, beat ingredients on low speed, gradually increasing speed to high, and beat on high until stiff peaks form.
  4. Transfer whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a large closed-star tip.

To Assemble

  1. Set out the bowls that you are using for serving and evenly divide the Chocolate Mousse into each bowl, using a spoon to spread it around the bottom and up the sides to form a “nest” that covers the entire bottom of each bowl.
  2. Pipe your whipped cream inside the “nest” until it is completely filled
  3. Place powdered sugared cake cut-outs around the bowl.
  4. Strategically place berries around the cake cut-outs and top with chocolate shavings, if desired.
  5. Serve immediately. Make sure to share a pic to Instagram and tag me @sugarspun_sam so I can see what you’ve created!

Nutrition Information

Show Details
Serving 1bowl Calories 1680kcal (84%) Carbohydrates 199g (66%) Protein 21g (42%) Fat 92g (142%) Saturated Fat 54g (270%) Cholesterol 450mg (150%) Sodium 590mg (25%) Potassium 632mg (13%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 121g (242%) Vitamin A 3457IU (69%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 308mg (31%) Iron 6mg (33%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4large bowls or 8 small

Amount Per Serving

Calories 1680 kcal

% Daily Value*

Serving 1bowl
Calories 1680kcal 84%
Carbohydrates 199g 66%
Protein 21g 42%
Fat 92g 142%
Saturated Fat 54g 270%
Cholesterol 450mg 150%
Sodium 590mg 25%
Potassium 632mg 13%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 121g 242%
Vitamin A 3457IU 69%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 308mg 31%
Iron 6mg 33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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5

14 reviews
Excellent

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