These Dessert Bowls are a decadent masterpiece, blending creamy textures with rich, indulgent flavors in every bite. Perfectly balanced with a mix of sweet and velvety elements, they’re a treat that feels as luxurious as it tastes. With just 1 hour of prep and 20 minutes of cooking, you’ll create a dessert that’s as stunning as it is satisfying.
Each bowl is a symphony of flavors, from the smooth richness of the base to the delightful crunch of toppings. Whether served in 4 large bowls or 8 smaller portions, they’re ideal for sharing or savoring solo. The combination of creamy, sweet, and slightly tangy notes makes this dessert an unforgettable experience for any occasion.
Ingredients for Dessert Bowls
- Vanilla Cake:
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (120 ml) canola or vegetable oil
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature preferred
- 1 Tablespoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 3 cups (390 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups (300 ml) buttermilk, room temperature preferred
- Powdered sugar, for topping
- Chocolate Mousse:
- 1 cup (175 g) dark or semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 cups (474 ml) heavy cream, divided
- 8 oz (227 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (150 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
- Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream:
- 1 ½ cups (355 ml) cold heavy cream
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Bean Paste
- Additional Toppings:
- 3 cups (400 g) assorted berries
- Chocolate shavings (use a vegetable peeler on a chocolate bar)
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the Vanilla Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a jelly roll pan (12x17x1”) or cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a stand mixer or large bowl, cream together butter, oil, and sugar until well combined.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
- Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 18-22 minutes. The cake is done when the surface springs back and a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean.
- Let the cake cool completely, then cut into squares or shapes. Lightly dust with powdered sugar and set aside.
- Make the Chocolate Mousse:
- In a small saucepan, combine chocolate chips and ½ cup (118.5 ml) heavy cream over medium-low heat. Stir until melted and smooth.
- Remove from heat, pour into a heatproof bowl, and stir in vanilla extract. Let cool completely.
- In a medium bowl, beat the remaining 1 ½ cups (355.5 ml) heavy cream to stiff peaks. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer, combine cream cheese and cooled chocolate mixture. Gradually add powdered sugar, then fold in the whipped cream until combined. Refrigerate if not using immediately.
- Prepare the Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream:
- Chill a medium-sized bowl in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.
- Add heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla bean paste to the chilled bowl. Beat on low, gradually increasing to high, until stiff peaks form.
- Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large closed-star tip.
- Assemble the Dessert Bowls:
- Divide the chocolate mousse into serving bowls, spreading it to form a “nest” at the bottom and sides.
- Pipe the whipped cream into the “nest” until filled.
- Arrange the powdered sugared cake cut-outs around the bowl.
- Top with assorted berries and chocolate shavings. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Creative Topping Ideas to Elevate Your Dessert Bowls
While the recipe suggests assorted berries and chocolate shavings, feel free to get creative with your toppings! Try adding caramel drizzle, crushed nuts, or even mini marshmallows for extra texture and flavor. For a festive touch, sprinkle on edible glitter or gold leaf to make your dessert bowls truly Instagram-worthy.
Perfect Pairings: Serving Suggestions
These dessert bowls are a showstopper on their own, but they pair beautifully with a cup of hot coffee or earl grey tea for a cozy treat. For a more indulgent experience, serve alongside a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a drizzle of chocolate ganache.
Time-Saving Tips for Busy Bakers
Short on time? Use a store-bought vanilla cake or pre-made chocolate mousse to cut down on prep. You can also prepare the chocolate mousse and whipped cream a day ahead and store them in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble. This way, you can focus on the fun part—decorating!
Storage and Reheating Tips
If you have leftovers (though they’re hard to resist!), store the dessert bowls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Keep the cake cut-outs separate to maintain their texture. For best results, enjoy them chilled—no reheating needed!
Equipment Guidance for Seamless Prep
To make this recipe a breeze, ensure you have a stand mixer or electric hand mixer for the cake and mousse. A piping bag with a star tip is essential for the whipped cream, and a jelly roll pan ensures the cake bakes evenly. Don’t forget a vegetable peeler for those chocolate shavings!
Dessert Bowls
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake (adapted from my Vanilla Cake)
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ½ cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1 ½ cup sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 Tablespoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cup buttermilk room temperature preferred
- Powdered sugar for topping
Chocolate Mousse
- 1 cup dark or semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 cups heavy cream divided
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream (adapted from my Homemade Whipped Cream)
- 1 ½ cups cold heavy cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Bean Paste
Additional Toppings:
- 3 cups assorted berries
- Chocolate shavings I simply used a vegetable peeler on a chocolate bar for my chocolate shavings
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and prepare a jelly roll pan (12x17x1”) or cookie sheet by lining the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl using an electric mixer) cream together the butter, oil and sugar, until well-combined.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Stir in Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract.
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Using a spatula and gently hand-mixing, alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with flour mixture and mixing until just combined after each addition. The batter should be smooth and completely combined, but avoid over-mixing.
- Spread batter evenly into prepared jelly roll pan and bake on 350F (175C) for 18-22 minutes. When the cake is finished, the surface should spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out mostly clean with few moist crumbs (no wet batter).
- Allow cakes to cool in the pan completely.
- Once cake has completely cooled, either cut into squares or use star or heart or preferred cookie cutter to cut into shapes and lightly dust with powdered sugar. Set aside until ready to serve dessert bowls.
- In a small saucepan, combine chocolate chips and ½ cup (118.5 ml) of the heavy cream over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until chocolate chips are completely melted and mixture is smooth.
- Remove from heat and pour into a heatproof bowl. Stir in Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract.
- Allow mixture to cool completely before continuing.
- In a clean, medium-sized bowl, use an electric mixer to beat remaining 1 ½ cups (355.5 ml) heavy cream to stiff peaks. Set aside.
- In bowl of stand mixer, combine cream cheese and (cooled) chocolate mixture, stirring until completely combined.
- Gradually add powdered sugar until completely combined. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
- Fold in prepared whipped cream until completely combined (don’t over-mix).
- Set aside until you are ready to assemble dessert bowls (keep refrigerated in an airtight container if not assembling immediately)
- Place a medium-sized bowl (preferably metal) in the freezer for at least 10 minutes to chill.
- Once bowl has chilled, remove from freezer and add heavy cream, powdered sugar, and Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Bean Paste.
- Using an electric mixer, beat ingredients on low speed, gradually increasing speed to high, and beat on high until stiff peaks form.
- Transfer whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a large closed-star tip.
- Set out the bowls that you are using for serving and evenly divide the Chocolate Mousse into each bowl, using a spoon to spread it around the bottom and up the sides to form a “nest” that covers the entire bottom of each bowl.
- Pipe your whipped cream inside the “nest” until it is completely filled
- Place powdered sugared cake cut-outs around the bowl.
- Strategically place berries around the cake cut-outs and top with chocolate shavings, if desired.
- Serve immediately. Make sure to share a pic to Instagram and tag me @sugarspun_sam so I can see what you’ve created!