This year’s Seder was definitely unique and one my family will never forget. Like the rest of 2020 events, we had a different Passover this year. We celebrated with our small family and read the Haggadah with our extended family via Zoom. One day, we will look back and share the memories of this special night with our kids and it will be a story that will be passed down generations. One of the things I would love to pass down is a festive holiday cake, like this Passover Layered Mousse Cake.

For now, my husband and I are trying to get work done in between keeping the kids busy and finishing home projects. But most importantly, we want to create memories for them that they will cherish. So, I am currently typing this blog as I sit on my floor, surrounded with various snack crumbs after watching the Little Mermaid with my kids.

Our Passover Layered Mousse Cake is currently being cooled. My family and I are taking it easy this Friday. The past two days have been stormy. So, we are taking advantage to enjoy the holiday and bundle inside with a few Disney movies. To keep things as normal as can be, I thought it would fun to make a festive cake we can all enjoy. As a parent, I love creating new traditions. This cake will definitely be one of them.

While this cake does not take a long time to make, you will need about 5 hours from start to finish if you are making it to eat on the same day. The best thing about this Passover Layered Mousse Cake is that it can be made a day or two before, and you can add the ganache just 30 minutes before serving. I also love that this cake has the option to be made dairy-free.

Layered Mousse Cake Ingredients:

This cake is absolutely delicious, but relatively simple to make. The ingredients are pretty basic and will not require a huge grocery haul. Here is everything you need for your own cake.

For the Crust:

Ground Pistachios
Cocoa Powder
Powdered Sugar
Melted Butter/Margarine

For the Chocolate Mousse:

Heavy Cream / Dairy-Free Heavy Cream
Chocolate Chips

For the Halva Mousse:

Heavy Cream / Dairy-Free Heavy Cream
Halva Spread

For the Chocolate Ganache:

Heavy Cream / Dairy-Free Heavy Cream
5 Dark Chocolate Bar Squares

This cake may look fancy, but any baker can make it, even if you are a beginner and this is your first cake. Also, you could make the mousse any flavor you like. You can swap the halva spread for white chocolate, Nutella, vanilla extract, or any other flavor you wish. I love when a recipe is versatile and allows for bakers to express and showcase their creative side.

Recipe Tips and Tricks:

Preparing The Yummy Mousse:

To begin making this recipe, get a saucepan and heat up 8 ounces of the heavy cream (half the container) until the edges are bubbly. Then, turn off the heat and add the chocolate. Make sure to mix this until all the chocolate is melted. One melted, store in the fridge for at least 4 hours.

Following this process, repeat these same steps for the halva spread. This will take a little longer to melt since it is a spread. If you need to, turn the heat on again to ensure it melts properly.

Making the Pistachio Crust:

After you start to prepare the mousse, you can move on to the crust. To get started, in a food processor, add the pistachios, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and melted butter until it becomes a crumbly dough. Or, you can do this in the mixer with the paddle attachment.

Then, place the pistachio mix in a spring pan. Make sure the bottom is all covered. Next, push the dough with your hands to make sure it is all packed in. Afterwards, place it in the freezer until the cream is ready.

Finishing the Mousse:

After four hours, take out the chocolate cream you made earlier and add the remaining heavy cream (8oz) to it. Mix this on medium-high until you have a heavy cream that keeps its shape. After this, pour the mousse over the pistachio crust and make sure it reaches all sides and try to level it. Then, freeze this for 30 minutes.

Next, repeat the same steps with the halva mousse and freeze the cake until half an hour before you serve the cake. Once you are ready to serve the cake, make the ganache by heating up the heavy cream with the chocolate. Take off the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes. In the meantime, take the cake out of the freezer and with a warm knife (run it under hot water and dry it), go around the cake pan to release the cake from the sides.

Once released, pour the ganache from the center of the cake until it begins dripping down the sides. This will give it the fancy-looking design that will look almost too cute to eat. The ganache will cool quickly. Lastly, place the cake in the refrigerator until it is ready to serve.

Now, you are officially ready to get started! Here is the official Layered Mousse Cake for Passover. You will impress your whole Seder in no time.