Moist and tender vanilla cake, creamy white chocolate mousse, and lusciously tart lemon curd make this Lemon White Chocolate Mousse Torte a stunner for both the eyes and the tastebuds!
It’s been almost a week since the new year began, so I think it’s safe to say that those healthy eating resolutions have come to an end. Thank God.
Because there’s nothing more miserable than denying yourself something decadent every once in a while.
Or in my case, every single day…
Although to be fair, I do make sure to balance out my love of sweets by hitting it hard at the gym. I also try to incorporate fruits and vegetables into my meals. And if that fruit happens to be intertwined with moist cake, white chocolate mousse, and tangy lemon curd, then so be it.
Ok, so this Lemon White Chocolate Mousse Torte might no be the healthiest option out there, but hey, it contains lemon, which is technically a fruit! I made this for our family Christmas gathering, and everyone was literally lined up to grab a slice–even the kiddos! In fact, the kids were BEGGING for a bigger piece. Thank goodness I cut myself a slice before it was gone!
Why You’ll LOVE This Torte:
- It’s a showstopper of a dessert: People are bound to be impressed by the gorgeous display of this layered masterpiece.
- So many heavenly flavors and textures in one bite: Your tastebuds will absolutely swoon after the first forkful.
- A fantastic make-ahead dessert: Since the layers need time to set up, this cake is best when made the day before, which is perfect if you don’t want to rush around the day of an event.
- A kid-pleaser too: As I mentioned earlier, the kids went wild for this torte. It’s a dessert that’s pretty much guaranteed to please all of your guests, big OR small.
Tips for Torte Success:
Use the Right Cake Pan – I baked this cake in a 9-inch springform pan. However, to create those nice smooth sides, I used an adjustable cake ring (like this one) and lined it with acetate when adding the mousse on top. If you don’t have an adjustable cake ring, I would use a cake pan with tall removable sides, like a springform pan. If you don’t have acetate, you can also use parchment paper. The sides won’t be quite as smooth, but it’ll keep the layers intact. For picture instructions, check out my Lemon Strawberry Mousse Cake.
Homemade Lemon Curd is KING – I know that store-bought lemon curd is more simple and convenient, but trust me when I say that it’s just as easy to make at home. Plus it’s A LOT cheaper and tastes 100x better!!
To make the lemon curd, all you have to do is whisk seven egg yolks and one whole egg with a cup of granulated sugar. Whisk in a half cup of freshly-squeezed lemon juice, 3 Tablespoons lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Add 5 Tablespoons of butter, and cook the mixture over medium heat until it thickens into a nice pudding-like consistency. See how easy peasy it is???
How to Make the Mousse:
To help the mousse set up, gelatin is added. However, once gelatin is incorporated, you need to work quickly before it firms up. Here’s the best plan of action to prevent premature firming (is that a thing?) and what could be a mousse mishap:
- Whip the heavy cream first. Once stiff peaks form, chill the whipped cream in the refrigerator until it’s time to fold it into the mousse.
- Melt the white chocolate into the heavy cream. Heat the heavy cream until it just begins to simmer along the sides of the pan. Pour it over the white chocolate, cover with plastic wrap, and allow it to sit for 5 minutes. Remove plastic wrap, and stir until completely smooth.
- Bloom and melt the gelatin. Blooming the gelatin just means hydrating it, ensuring a smooth texture without lumps. You do this by adding a little cold water to the gelatin powder, and letting it sit for about a minute. Once the liquid is absorbed, heat the gelatin mixture in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds, or until liquid consistency.
- Whisk gelatin liquid into white chocolate mixture. Once the gelatin is completely liquified, immediately whisk it into the melted white chocolate mixture. At this point, you don’t want the mixture to sit for long, or else it will firm up, making it impossible to fold in the whipped cream.
- Fold in the whipped cream. Make sure the white chocolate mixture isn’t too warm before incorporating the whipped cream. If it’s a little warm, that’s fine. You also don’t want it to be too cool because the gelatin will set before you’re done making the mousse.
- Add a little lemon curd. To give the mousse just a little “kiss” of lemon, 1/3 cup of the lemon curd is added.
Assembling the Torte
Now that you’ve got your cake, white chocolate mousse, and lemon curd, it’s time to put this lemony smoke show together! Using a spoon or an offset spatula, spread the white chocolate mousse evenly on top of the cake. Chill in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes to firm it up before spreading the lemon curd evenly on top. Allow the torte to chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.
Lemon White Chocolate Mousse Torte
Ingredients
Cake:
- ¾ cup + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup milk
Lemon Curd:
- 7 egg yolks
- 1 whole egg
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 3 Tablespoons lemon zest
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into half-inch pieces
Lemon White Chocolate Mousse:
- 3 cups heavy cream, divided
- 12 ounces white chocolate, chips or chopped
- 4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
- 3 Tablespoons cold water
- ⅓ cup lemon curd (from recipe above)
To Decorate:
- Freshly-whipped cream
Instructions
Make the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until lightened and creamy. Beat in the egg until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat in the sour cream, vanilla, lemon juice, and zest on medium speed.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Add the milk and mix until just combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing out evenly. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan completely.
- Once completely cool, wrap a sheet of acetate (or parchment paper) about 6 inches tall around the edges of the cake to create a "wall".
Make the Lemon Curd:
- In a medium saucepan, whisk the egg yolks, whole egg, and sugar together until combined. Whisk in the lemon juice, zest, and salt. Add the butter and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened, about 4-8 minutes minutes.
- Immediately strain the curd through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium-size bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to cool completely.
Make the Mousse:
- In the chilled bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat 2 cups of the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside in the refrigerator.
- Place white chocolate into a medium bowl. Pour 1 cup of the heavy cream into a saucepan and heat until it begins to simmer. Immediately pour hot cream over the white chocolate and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for 5 minutes. Remove plastic wrap and stir until completely smooth.
- In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the water; let stand 1 minute. Heat in the microwave for 10-15 seconds until gelatin is completely dissolved and liquified. Stir gelatin liquid into white chocolate mixture; allow to cool slightly.
- Fold 1 cup of the whipped cream into the white chocolate mixture to lighten it up. Then fold in the rest of the whipped cream until just combined. Fold in the lemon curd, then spread mousse evenly over the cake. Chill in the freezer until set, about 15-20 minutes.
- Spread the lemon curd evenly over mousse layer. Refrigerate torte, covered, until set, about 4 hours.