Easy Chocolate Mousse (Mock Mousse)
This easy chocolate mousse filling is light, fluffy, and can be whipped up in minutes.
We have used it in several of our cakes, including our Easy Chocolate Mousse Cake! If you are looking for a quick, easy, and delicious chocolate cream filling, this is the one.
Table of Contents
How to Make Easy Chocolate Mousse Filling with Pudding and Cream
We often refer to this delicious chocolate cream filling as a mock mousse because unlike a traditional mousse, this filling is made with just two ingredients: instant chocolate pudding & heavy cream.
Nobody would ever guess how quick and easy this recipe is. It comes together in minutes (but that will be our little secret!)
- To make this recipe, you simply need a box of Instant Chocolate Pudding and heavy cream. Rather than making instant pudding the usual way with milk, the heavy cream makes it much thicker, creamier, spreadable and even pipeable (you can see an example of this in our Butterscotch Cake).
- The resulting chocolate cream has the consistency of mousse rather than pudding, and the best part is that it all comes together in minutes.
We like to use a hand mixer to mix it up for convenience.
What if the Mousse Filling is too thick?
After mixing together the pudding and cream in your mock mousse filling, you may find that the consistency is slightly thicker than expected. If this happens, simply add a little more heavy cream and mix a little longer until you are happy with the consistency.
This luscious chocolate cream filling has wonderful chocolate flavor without being overly rich. (In other words, I could EASILY get carried away and eat the whole bowl myself!)
We love this as a light filling in our chocolate cakes or injected into chocolate cupcakes.
Do you need to Sift Instant Pudding Mix?
While you do not need to sift instant pudding mix before using, I find that it results in a smoother consistency. Have you ever had a bite of pudding and noticed a little hardened piece of sugar that didn't dissolve? Ugh!
The fix for this is sifting. You'll notice when you sift pudding mix that often several little hardened granules will remain in the sifter. Just toss them in the sink- we don't want them in our pudding ;0)
I sift my cake mixes as well!
Other Variations of this easy mousse filling
We have used this Mock Mousse technique in several of our FAVORITE cake recipes. For example, our Orange Dreamsicle Cake has a delicious Orange Cream Filling which is made from vanilla pudding, cream, and orange extract.
We have also used a variation of this filling to make our Pineapple Cake Recipe with an amazing Pineapple & Cream Filling, as well as our Peaches and Cream Cake recipes!! Both of these variations contained bits of fruit in the vanilla mousse filling! Yum!!
Our Scratch Butterscotch Cake Recipe is also filled and topped with a Butterscotch Cream filling and topping which is based on this recipe.
When it comes to mock mousse fillings, the options are endless. You can experiment with different flavors of pudding, add in extracts, stir in mini chocolate chips, fruit, or coconut. Have fun experimenting!
Looking for a Rich Chocolate Filling?
For a rich, decadent filling rather than a light, fluffy mousse filling?
Hop over to our Easy Ganache Drip Recipe. This ganache is not only great for drizzling, but it can be chilled and whipped into a thick and decadent filling for your cakes and cupcakes.
It's good to have options, especially when it comes to the serious business of finding your favorite chocolate filling recipes!
Thanks so much for stopping by today! Don’t miss our full collection of favorite cake and frosting recipes in our Cake Recipes section!
You'll find our favorite cake recipes from scratch, cake mix recipes, bundt cakes, and pound cakes!
Chocolate "Mock Mousse" Filling
This easy chocolate mousse filling can be whipped up in minutes! It is so light, creamy, and delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 small box instant chocolate pudding (3.9 oz)- I like to sift the pudding mix
- 2 c. heavy cream or whipping cream
Instructions
Combine the sifted pudding mix and heavy cream in a mixing bowl. I prefer to mix with a hand held mixer, but a whisk is fine too. If using a mixer, start on low speed until well combined.
Then, switch to high speed and whip the pudding until thick and fluffy. If mousse is too thick, mix in a bit more heavy cream until you reach the desired consistency.
If mixing by hand, simply whisk rapidly for a couple of minutes or until mixture is nice and thick. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
*Sifting the pudding mix is an optional step but I do find that instant pudding mixes often have a few tiny hardened granules that either do not dissolve or take longer to soften. You will see what I mean when you sift ;0) . I do this for cake mixes also!
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Hi Demi, We used Jello brand instant pudding mix ( it is not cooked pudding). You must be using a different brand since the gram weight is different from our. Our gram weight is 110g. Our recipe makes more than we need for the cake so I suggest using the directions for the amount of milk on your package of pudding. Be sure to use heavy cream instead of milk. I think you will have enough mousse even using a lower gram weight. As always, if it is too thick you can add a bit more liquid -- a tablespoon at a time. Hope all goes well.
Can you fill the cupcakes a couple days ahead as long as they are refrigerated?
Hi Teresa, I have not tried that but I think 2 days would be the limit for best results. The mousse gradually deflates over time.
I am wanting to make a black forest cake, would this be fine to use for the filling of the cake, the choc mousse recipe?
Hi Rebecca, Yes, chocolate mousse could be used as a filling for your cake. It will not be as light as a whipped cream filling that is typically used for a black forest cake, but it will be good.
The majority of my cakes, wedding cakes, and all other cake orders, have mousse fillings. I learned how to make them when I lived in northern CA, over 40 years ago. I was originally buying what the cake shop there called, quick creme and sheri rumco flavor. It was added to cool whip. When I moved to NY, I continued to buy them from the shop in Oregon.
They got tired of shipping the ingredients for the mousse, and my signature Mock Whip Frostings. I figured out that quick creme was nothing more than instant vanilla pudding and I found the flavor online. (There was no internet when I was in CA.)
I've always hated cool whip, but for cake fillings, it holds up great (does not wilt or seep) at room temp. It's also very yummy. When my employees leave I joke about checking their pockets cuz they like to take any leftover mousses home with them.
My most popular flavors are Champagne Mousse, Strawberry Daiquiri Mousse, Chocolate Mousse w/ Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
(for a devil's chocolate cake w/ Peanut Butter Mock Whip Frosting), Cheesecake Mousse, White Chocolate Mousse, Banana Cream Mousse, & Pistachio Mousse. You can make any flavor if there's an instant pudding for that flavor.
Mousse Filling for Cakes, Cupcakes, Cream Puffs, etc.
This is the mousse I use to fill many of my cakes. Using Cool Whip, instead of heavy cream, assures that it doesn’t seep, and holds up at room temp (Cool Whip is a non-dairy item). To make a Sugar-Free Mouse, use Sugar-Free Cool Whip and Sugar-Free Instant Pudding – it’s yummy.
I usually am making several batches at a time, but this is what I use to make a double batch. It will fill a 6” and an 8”, or a 10”-12” cake. I fill my cakes about 1” thick. If filling more than one cake, separate the mousse on each torted layer, and then level and stack. Work quickly as this sets up very fast.
16 oz. Cool Whip
½ c. liquid – water, champagne, Strawberry Daiquiri Mixer w/ rum, chocolate syrup, fruit juice, etc. - to match the liquid used to make the Mock Whip Frosting
*1 small package Instant Pudding – to match flavor making – Vanilla, French Vanilla, Cheesecake, Strawberry Crème, Chocolate, Pistachio, Banana Cream, etc. Any flavor instant pudding will work.
If filling 1 small cake, i.e. a birthday cake (6”-8”) make a single batch with: 8 oz. Cool Whip, ¼ c. liquid, and ½ small package instant pudding.
On low speed, combine half the Cool Whip and all the liquid in mixer bowl. Add pudding, and mix on medium speed, until the paddle leaves small soft trails in the mixture – about 1 minute. If it’s very thick, with deep trails, add a little more liquid. Scrape bowl and mix again for a couple of seconds. If it’s still very soupy, add a little more instant pudding. If you lift up the beaters, the mousse should not drip off back into the bowl.
On low, add remaining cool whip, and mix until just combined and fluffy. I scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, and finish mixing by hand so I don’t deflate it.
It sets up very quickly, so have cake layers torted and ready to go. There is no need to pipe a dam of frosting around the edge of the cake to hold a mousse filling, like you do for a soft fruit filling.
Refrigerate any leftover mousse. I add it to the next batch I make (of the same flavor) with the cool whip and liquid. (I have to check the pockets of some of my employees, when they leave, cuz they like to take it home to eat it later - LOL)
*For any flavor but chocolate, I use a small package of instant pudding. For Chocolate, 3-4 T. will be enough. (For some reason, chocolate instant pudding thickens more than other flavors.) You don’t want the mixture, after adding the pudding, to be really thick - but not soupy either.
*For Chocolate Mousse, I have used Hershey’s Syrup with a little water, in place of all water, to intensify the chocolate flavor - but I wouldn’t suggest doing this until you’re familiar with how the consistencies work – of course it wouldn’t be bad to experiment ahead of time, since this is so yummy just for snacking on. (I also use mousses to fill Cream Puffs.)
Variations:
-I use Vanilla Instant Pudding in my Champagne Mousse, made with champagne.
-I use Strawberry Crème Instant Pudding in my Strawberry Daiquiri Mousse, made with Strawberry Daiquiri Mixer (with Rum already added).
-Use any liquid, i.e. the flavor of the liquid using in the Mock Whip Frosting, to coordinate w/ the filling flavor, for each different combination of cake, filling, and Mock Whip Frosting flavors. (Check out some of the popular flavor combinations on my website.)
Hi Bunny, Your post was so interesting and helpful. I'm sure everyone who reads this will be inspired to try a mousse filling. I can't wait to try some of your flavors. Thank so much for taking the time to post this detailed information for everyone.
Do you use cold or room temperature heavy whip cream? It seems like I can’t get it smooth, there always small clumps, like it doesn’t dissolve completely.
Thank you!
Hi Tatiana, We use cold heavy cream or whipping cream. Do you mean that the pudding mix does not dissolve completely? If that is not the problem, maybe you have over whipped the mixture. Do you think that is a possibility?
Yes, pudding doesn’t dissolve completely. I use the lowest speed on my hand mixer, but may it’s still to fast. Should I just whip it by hand?
Bebe, this is how it always comes out, I’m making it like for the 4-5th time and I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong.
Hi Tatiana, Thanks for the picture, this should not be happening. It must be the pudding. Are you using instant pudding? We use JELL-O brand instant pudding and pie filling 3.4 oz
(96g). If you took the photo after it was mixed, it also does not look as thick as it should. Let me know.