Tuxedo Cake Recipe (Made From Scratch)

I don't do store-bought cakes, but when I first came across Costco's Tuxedo Cake, I knew I had to recreate it the way I'd make it: from scratch with rich chocolate cake, silky custard-based chocolate mousse, and glossy chocolate ganache.

slice of tuxedo cake from the side, showing off all the layers.

Quick Look: Tuxedo Cake Recipe

A layered dessert with rich chocolate cake, dark chocolate mousse, white chocolate mousse, and a milk chocolate ganache.

Makes 14 slices

Prep 30

Bake 30

Total 5 30

☆ Why make THIS version? This is a from-scratch, patisserie-style Tuxedo Cake made with two rich, custard-based chocolate mousses - no instant pudding mix or cream cheese!

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Many Tuxedo Cake recipes simplify the mousse layers with instant pudding mix or cream cheese. There's nothing wrong with taking that shortcut, but it wasn't the cake I wanted to create. I wanted something more indulgent, with silky chocolate mousses that taste as luxurious as the finished cake looks.

This version takes a little more time, but both mousses are made from one cooked custard base, so the process is more manageable than it first appears. And if you're going to make a showstopper for a special occasion, I think the extra effort is worth it!

Reader Review:

"This cake is unbelievably delicious and surprisingly simple to put together!! The rich custard in the filling makes it so luxurious as compared to a standard ganache, and the CAKE!!! My god woman it's the moistest cake I've ever made, I'm obsessed. Thanks for a great recipe!"

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Leah

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Quick Look: Tuxedo Cake Recipe
Ingredient Notes
How to Make Tuxedo Cake
Storage
Tuxedo Cake FAQs
More Chocolate Desserts
Tuxedo Cake Recipe

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients to make tuxedo cake with white and dark chocolate mousse.

Eggs - Whole eggs for the cake and egg yolks for the chocolate mousse. (See recipes for using leftover egg whites.)
Oil - I use vegetable oil, but you can use any kind of flavorless oil like canola. The oil helps to keep the chocolate cake moist.
Heavy Cream - Use heavy cream, heavy whipping cream, or double cream; the fat content should be at least 36%. Any lower than this and the mousse may not set.
Chocolate - Use real chocolate, not chocolate chips or candy bars. This recipe uses dark and white chocolate for the mousses. I make the ganache topping with milk chocolate, but you can use more dark chocolate if you prefer.

See recipe card for quantities in both cups and grams (though I always recommend weighing your ingredients with a kitchen scale).

Tuxedo cake - triple chocolate mousse cake shot from the side to show all the pretty layers.

How to Make Tuxedo Cake

We'll make this cake in four stages: the chocolate cake, the chocolate mousses, the assembly, and the ganache. Don't worry if it looks like a lot - I'll guide you through each step with plenty of photos and visual cues.

If you want all of the indulgence but a lot less effort, check out my flourless chocolate torte recipe.

Before You Begin...

Plan the timing - The chocolate cake needs to be completely cool before making the mousse, and the assembled dessert needs to set for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight - so factor both of those into your timing.

Chocolate Cake Layer

Start by making the chocolate cake as it needs time to cool before making the mousse. This is my easy and foolproof chocolate cake base. I also use it for my chocolate espresso layer cake and moist chocolate cupcakes with chocolate buttercream.

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C (160° fan), and prepare an 8-inch cake pan. I like to use baking spray and parchment paper circles.

process shot of making tuxedo cake - all dry ingredients together in a bowl.

Sift all the dry ingredients, except the espresso powder, into a large bowl and stir to combine.

process shot of making tuxedo cake - mixing in the wet ingredients.

In a separate bowl, mix together all the wet ingredients, except the hot water. Then pour into the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.

pouring hot water and espresso powder into cake batter to make tuxedo cake.

Dissolve the espresso powder in the hot water, then pour into the cake batter and whisk gently until combined.

Pouring chocolate cake batter into cake pans.

Pour the chocolate cake batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer in the middle comes out clean.

Let the cakes cool in the pan for at least an hour before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cool, use a serrated knife or cake leveler to cut off any dome on top, and slice the cake in half lengthwise, so you have two thin layers of cake.

Make the Chocolate Mousse Layers

Both chocolate mousses begin with the same custard base, so to make the process more efficient, you'll prepare one large batch and divide it between the dark and white chocolate to create the two layers.

The cooked custard is similar to a classic vanilla pastry cream (crème pâtissière). It gives the mousse a thick, creamy texture that is sturdy enough to layer in the cake. This differs from the filling in my chocolate mousse pie, which is made with a lighter, meringue-based mousse.

Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together until they are pale and thick.

Meanwhile, heat the cream in a saucepan over medium heat until scalding hot. (Steam rising and tiny bubbles appearing).

drizzling warm cream into egg yolks to make chocolate mousse for tuxedo cake.

Pour the hot cream into the egg yolks very gradually, whisking as you go. It's important to do it slowly to gently raise the temperature of the eggs and stop them from scrambling.

process shot showing proper thickness for custard mixture for chocolate mousse in tuxedo cake.

Once all the cream is incorporated, pour the whole mixture back into the saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking constantly. The custard will thicken suddenly and begin to boil. Let it boil for 30-60 seconds or until it is noticeably thicker. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt.

mixing chocolate mousse mixture with dark and white chocolate in order to make tuxedo cake.

Pour half of the custard base into the white chocolate, and half into the dark chocolate. I judged it by eye, but you can weigh it and divide it in two for total accuracy.

Stir until both chocolates have completely melted.

folding whipped cream into chocolate custard to make tuxedo cake.

Let the two mixtures cool while you whip the remaining heavy cream to medium peaks.

Once they are no longer warm, but still fluid, add half of the whipped cream into the dark chocolate mixture and gently fold it in until totally incorporated.

Folding whipped cream into white chocolate mousse for tuxedo cake.

Repeat with the white chocolate mixture, and then you are ready to assemble!

Folding whipped cream into a cooked custard lightens it while retaining stability - the same basic technique used to make crème diplomate.

Technique guide

If you're unsure what medium peaks should look like, my visual guide on how to make whipped cream shows the difference between soft, medium, and stiff peaks.

Assemble the Tuxedo Cake

Make sure you have your torted chocolate cake layers ready to go before you make the mousses, as they will begin to set fairly quickly.

Line your cake ring with acetate for clean sides and easy removal.

process shot of building the layers of tuxedo cake. chocolate mousse going on top of chocolate cake layer.

Place one of the sliced cake layers at the bottom of your cake ring or pan, pour the dark chocolate mousse on top and spread it out into an even layer.

White chocolate mousse layer on a tuxedo cake.

Carefully pour the white chocolate mousse on top, then chill for 10 minutes while you make the chocolate ganache.

Mixing chocolate and cream together to make chocolate ganache for a chocolate mousse pie.

Heat the heavy cream over medium heat until scalding, then pour over the chopped chocolate.

Let sit for 1 minute, then stir until glossy and smooth.

If you want to make the silkiest ganache, see how to make chocolate ganache.

Tuxedo cake with chocolate ganache on top showing distinct layers of chocolate cake and mousse.

Place the second cake layer on top of the white chocolate mousse and press down gently to help it stick.

Pour the chocolate ganache on top and decorate.

Chill for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, before removing from the cake ring and slicing.

Storage

Once your tuxedo cake is assembled, you need to store it in the fridge in an airtight container to keep the chocolate mousse layers nice and fresh. It will be good in the fridge for up to 3 days, but I highly doubt it will last that long before being gobbled up!

If you make the chocolate cake layers ahead of time, wrap them in plastic wrap, or in an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Tuxedo Cake FAQs

If you have a question about this recipe that isn't answered here, please write it in the comments and i'll get back to you as soon as possible.

What is Tuxedo Cake made of?

Tuxedo cake is a layered chocolate mousse cake with rich chocolate cake, dark chocolate mousse, white chocolate mousse, more chocolate cake, and then a chocolate ganache topping.

Can I make mousse cake without a dessert ring?

Yes, if you don't have a cake ring, you can use a loose-bottomed cake pan lined with acetate so you can remove it easily. It is also helpful to line the bottom of the pan with a parchment paper circle.

Why is it called Tuxedo Cake?

Tuxedo cake gets its name from the contrasting layers of dark and white chocolate, representing the black and white layers of a tuxedo. That's why we have dark chocolate cake layers right next to the white chocolate filling - to make it pop and show off the pretty layers of mousse inside the cake.

Is Tuxedo Cake the same as Black Tie Mousse Cake?

They're similar layered chocolate desserts, but they aren't quite the same. Tuxedo Cake has chocolate cake layered with both dark and white chocolate mousse. Black Tie mousse cake has one cake layer topped with chocolate cheesecake and a basic white chocolate mousse, then it's covered with ganache all over.
They are both delicious!