Butterscotch White Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe (2023)

A complete show-stopper of a dessert, our Butterscotch White Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe has layers of mousse, cake, butterscotch ganache, and whipped cream. Talk about a stunner!

I am beyond the moon excited to share today’s recipe with you all. This gorgeous cake is beyond words, the name of it says it all: Butterscotch White Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe is one you will want to make for special occasions.

I love serving this at a dinner party. I always get oohs and ahhs every time I bring it out to slice, you just can’t help yourself.

I know it looks super intimidating, and I get it! But, really you break it down by step and work from there; it really isn’t difficult; each step is a simple recipe when you think about it.

The butterscotch and white chocolate mousse recipe is my favorite part of this cake. I could eat these as separate mousse recipes on their own (and I have!).

But that butterscotch-soaked cake on the bottom is, *chef’s kiss* just amazing as well. Can you tell I’m totally in love with this mousse cake?!

I tend to make this for any and all occasions, but I can totally see this for a holiday spread. I think the butterscotch flavor would be lovely as a Christmas dessert, so this would work perfectly for that holiday.

If you want to add a fresh touch to this cake, I think some fresh raspberries as a garnish would look lovely. But, all-in-all, I believe our Butterscotch White Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe is one epic drool-worthy dessert!

Some of our other favorite cakes we have on our site include: Layer Turtle Cake, Chocolate Chip Cake, and Homemade Caramel Cake.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

1. It makes a large cake to feed a crowd.
2. Great for a make-ahead dessert option since it needs to set up in the fridge overnight.
3. Popular flavor combination makes this an overall pleasing dessert.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):

• Salted butter, room temperature
• Vegetable oil
• Granulated sugar
• Large eggs
• Vanilla Extract, or vanilla bean paste
• Heavy cream
• All-purpose flour
• Cornstarch
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Toffee bits
• Acetate cake collar (this is needed to assemble this cake)
• Butterscotch chips
• Water
• Gelatin powder, unflavored
• White chocolate chips, good quality

HOW TO MAKE WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE RECIPE:

For the Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare an 8” or 9” round cake pan by spraying the bottom and sides with cooking spray and lining the bottom with parchment paper, and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix the butter, sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer on medium speed. Beat until the mixture becomes lighter in color and airy in texture, 3 minutes.
3. Add the heavy cream, and mix to combine.
4. Sift the dry ingredients: flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt into the mixture and mix until combined with no dry patches.
5. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until cooked through. Test the cake by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake, if it comes out clean, the cake is done.
6. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes on the counter, then run a knife around the outer edges and gently turn the cake out onto a serving plate. (Be sure to remove the parchment paper on the bottom.)
7. Carefully use a long serrated knife to level the top of the cake by cutting off any dome or rounded top of the cake.
8. Pour ½ cup of butterscotch topping syrup over the top of the cake and use a pastry brush or spoon to spread the syrup evenly across the top.
9. Cut off the outer edge of the golden brown cake and discard. This makes for a prettier presentation.
10. Wrap the outer sides of the cake with an acetate cake collar (or similar).
11. Sprinkle the top of the cake with an even generous layer of toffee bits, approximately ½ cup.
12. Let the cake in the fridge until completely cool.

For the Butterscotch Mousse

1. Once the cake is cool, make the butterscotch mousse by combining ¼ cup of the cream, butter, 9 oz of butterscotch chips, and salt in a small saucepan. Heat slowly over medium-low heat, constantly stirring, until the chips have melted. Set aside to cool.
2. Once the butterscotch mixture has mostly cooled but is still fluid, place 2 tablespoons of cool water in a small microwave-safe dish. Sprinkle the gelatin powder over the top of the water and let rest.
3. While the gelatin rests, whip 1 ¼ cups of the heavy whipping cream in a large mixing bowl to soft peaks with an electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment.
4. Once the gelatin absorbs the water, place it in the microwave for 3-5 seconds or until it becomes liquid, but is not hot.
5. Gently stream the liquid gelatin mixture into the softly whipped cream while whipping at high speed. Continue to whip until you achieve stiff peaks.
6. Fold the cooled butterscotch mixture into the whipped cream until combined, then pour it over the top of the cake inside of the cake collar.
7. Use a spoon or spatula to smooth the top of the mousse. Set the cake back in the refrigerator while making the white chocolate mousse.

For the White Chocolate Mousse

1. Combine ¼ cup of the cream, butter, and 9 oz of white chocolate chips in a small saucepan. Heat slowly over medium low heat, constantly stirring, until the chips have melted. Set aside to cool.
2. Once the white chocolate mixture has mostly cooled but is still fluid, place 2 tablespoons of cool water in a small microwave-safe dish. Sprinkle gelatin powder over the top of the water and let rest.
3. While the gelatin rests, whip 1 ¼ cups of the heavy whipping cream to soft peaks with an electric hand mixer or in the body of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment.
4. Once the gelatin absorbs the water, place it in the microwave for 3-5 seconds or until it becomes liquid, but is not hot.
5. Gently stream the liquid gelatin into the softly whipped cream while whipping at high speed. Continue to whip until you achieve stiff peaks.
6. Fold the cooled white chocolate mixture into the whipped cream until combined, then pour it over the top of the butterscotch mousse layer inside the cake collar.
7. Use a spoon or spatula to smooth the top of the mousse, try to make it as smooth and even as possible. Cover the open top of the cake collar with plastic wrap and set the cake back into the refrigerator to set overnight.

For the Butterscotch Ganache Drip

1. After the cake has fully set, you can make the butterscotch ganache for the drip. Combine ½ cup of butterscotch chips in a microwave-safe bowl with 2 tablespoons of heavy cream.
2. Heat in the microwave stirring every 15 seconds until the chips have melted and combined with the cream.
3. Let the ganache cool until it is cool and thick yet still able to drip/pour. Transfer the ganache to a piping bag with a round open tip about the size of a pencil eraser. You can also use a zip-top bag and snip one of the bottom corners to make your own piping bag.
4. Remove the cake collar from the cake.
5. Working slowly and carefully, pipe the ganache around the very outer edge of the top of the cake, allowing the ganache to drip down the sides, alternating between long, short, and medium-length drips. Leave the center of the cake plain, no need to fill the top center with the ganache unless you wish to do so or have extra ganache.
6. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of toffee bits on the top center of the cake inside the ganache ring.

For the Whipped Cream

1. Before you are ready to serve, make the whipped cream for the final decor. In a bowl, whip 1 cup of heavy cream with 2 tablespoons of sugar until you reach stiff peaks with an electric hand mixer.
2. Transfer the whipped cream into a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip.
3. Pipe swirls of whipped cream along the top outer edge of the cake. Pipe stars of whipped cream along the bottom edge of the cake. Store in the fridge until ready to serve, then slice and serve with more whipped cream, toffee bits, or butterscotch syrup if desired.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:

IS THIS CAKE DIFFICULT TO MAKE?

While this cake has a lot of steps none of them are difficult, this is a cake anyone can make!

Just break it down step by step. Read the directions thoroughly FIRST, then start!

DO I HAVE TO USE THE ACETATE COLLAR?

If you don’t have acetate cake collars and don’t feel like buying one, you can assemble this cake in a trifle dish (or even individual cups!).

Once the vanilla cake has cooled, cut it to fit the size and shape of your trifle dish.

Continue with the layers as described in the instructions.

Instead of doing the ganache drip, use the ganache as the top layer of the cake, and decorate with whipped cream and toffee bits as described in the recipe!

These are the acetate cake collars I use:

CAN THIS BE MADE AHEAD?

This cake is best when you start it the day before you need it, it needs to set overnight.

Wait to do the ganache and decor until the day you want to serve the cake; it is best to do it close to the time you are serving.

HOW TO MAKE A PERFECT DRIP ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAKE?

The key to the drip is patience… It’s really important to wait until the ganache is cooled enough that it is nice and thick and won’t just run off the sides.

If you are concerned about whether it is ready, turn a drinking glass or bowl upside down. Try dripping a couple of drips around the glass, and see how quickly it is dripping.

If you like the look of it, then you are good to move forward with the cake.

HOW TO CLEANLY SLICE A CAKE:

For nice clean slices, dip a large knife in warm water before slicing each slice, and wipe it clean with a damp towel after each cut.

WHAT DOES THIS MOUSSE CAKE TASTE LIKE?

The mousse layers are stiffer than mousse that you would be served in a cup. This is so that the cake is structurally sound, it is softer than jello but stiffer than traditional mousse.

The Toffee bits are totally magic, but if you can’t find the heath toffee bits, you can use any other toffee candy and crush them into bits or use Heath or Skor bars crushed (I don’t think the chocolate would ruin anything).

The toffee bits in the middle of the cake sort of melt into the cake…there is still a crunchy texture, but the flavor and the way it kid of melts is incredible!

My favorite part about this cake is the butterscotch syrup-soaked cake base! Oh, man! It is very reminiscent of a “better than sex cake,” with the cake being “soaked” and having toffee bits, but having the butterscotch instead of the caramel is really buttery and special.

The cake is NOT soaked as much as a “better than sex” cake; I wanted it to retain a cake texture still.

The butterscotch flavor is prevalent in this cake and is accentuated by the vanilla cake and toffee. The white chocolate mousse gives a sweet, creamy break from all the butterscotch. Everything works together so nicely.

HOW TO STORE:

Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container or wrapped well with plastic wraps for up to 1 week. Best served and eaten cold.

Freeze for up to 3 months.

Wrap single slices of the cake in plastic wrap and then freezer-safe foil. Place the slices in a freezer-safe container or bag. To thaw, place however many slices you want in the fridge overnight.

Ready to make the butterscotch dessert of your dreams?! This Butterscotch White Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe needs to grace the table at your next gathering.

If you’ve tried this WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE RECIPE, let me know how it turned out in the comments! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!