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Black Tie Mousse Cake

Olive Garden Black Tie Mousse Cake

$9.49 750 cal DessertsCatering

Rich layers of chocolate cake, dark chocolate cheesecake and creamy custard mousse.
Olive Garden Menu View on OliveGarden.com

About This Dish

Black Tie Mousse Cake at Olive Garden is a signature dessert priced at $9.49 and featuring rich layers of chocolate cake, dark chocolate cheesecake, and creamy custard mousse in a single plated slice. The dessert delivers 750 calories with 50 grams of fat and just 290 milligrams of sodium — the lowest-sodium dessert on the menu. The name reflects the formal, layered construction of the dessert, which uses three distinct preparations stacked to create a sophisticated cross-section when sliced.

The Black Tie Mousse Cake is the most technically complex dessert at Olive Garden in terms of components, combining a baked chocolate cake base, a ganache-set dark chocolate cheesecake, and a light custard mousse top layer. The textural contrast between the dense cake, the firm cheesecake, and the airy mousse is the defining characteristic of the dish. At $9.49, it occupies the same price tier as the other premium desserts and represents the best option for guests who prefer a complex, layered dessert over a single-note chocolate experience.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving

750 Calories
50g Total Fat
290mg Sodium

* Nutritional values are approximate and may vary. Last updated March 2026.

How to Copycat Olive Garden Black Tie Mousse Cake at Home?

Prep: 90 min Cook: 45 min Total: 135 min Advanced

Black Tie Mousse Cake is the most ambitious copycat dessert from the Olive Garden menu because it requires three separate preparations that each need time to cool or set before the next layer can be applied. This is not a weeknight dessert — plan for a same-day or overnight assembly with a total active time of about 90 minutes spread across 6 to 8 hours.

The reward is a dessert that looks genuinely impressive when sliced and reveals three distinct chocolate layers. The custard mousse top layer is the technical key: it requires a soft gelatin set rather than a whipped-cream-based set, which gives it the glossy, dense-but-creamy texture that holds its shape cleanly when the cake is cut. A whipped-cream mousse would separate from the cheesecake layer during slicing.

Ingredients

10 servings

Chocolate Cake Base

Dark Chocolate Cheesecake Layer

Custard Mousse Top Layer

Instructions

0 / 5

  1. Bake chocolate cake base in a 9-inch springform pan at 350F for 20 minutes. Cool completely.

    40 min

  2. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Mix in melted cooled chocolate, sugar, eggs, and sour cream. Pour over cooled cake base. Bake at 325F for 30 minutes until set with a slight jiggle at center. Cool completely, then refrigerate 2 hours.

    45 min

    The cheesecake layer should still jiggle slightly in the center when removed from the oven. It continues setting as it cools.

  3. For the mousse: bloom gelatin in 2 tablespoons of cold water for 5 minutes. Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a bowl. Heat cream to a simmer, slowly pour over yolks while whisking. Return to heat and stir until slightly thickened. Remove from heat, stir in bloomed gelatin and vanilla. Cool to room temperature.

    20 min

  4. Pour custard mousse over the chilled cheesecake layer. Refrigerate overnight (minimum 4 hours) until fully set.

    5 min

  5. Remove springform ring. Slice with a hot, dry knife wiped clean between cuts. Serve at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

    10 min

Pro Tips

  • Every layer must be completely cool before adding the next. Rushing this step causes the layers to bleed into each other rather than setting cleanly.
  • The gelatin mousse must be poured when the custard is at room temperature. Too warm and it melts the cheesecake layer; too cold and it sets before spreading evenly.
  • Slice using a chef's knife dipped in hot water and dried between cuts. This is the only way to get the clean three-layer cross-section that makes this dessert visually impressive.

Variations

Simplified Version

Replace the custard mousse layer with a stabilized whipped cream (whipped cream with dissolved gelatin added) for a faster, less technical top layer with a similar visual result.

White Chocolate Cheesecake Layer

Replace dark chocolate in the cheesecake layer with white chocolate for a dramatic black-and-white visual contrast when sliced.

Serving Ideas

  • Let slices rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving — the mousse layer firms up significantly when cold and is better at room temperature
  • A dusting of cocoa powder or powdered sugar over each plate adds the finishing visual touch
  • Raspberry coulis drizzled alongside adds acidity that balances the rich chocolate layers
  • Pair with a double espresso or dessert wine like Brachetto d'Acqui for a complete dessert course

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Find Black Tie Mousse Cake Near You

Visit one of Olive Garden's 900+ locations to enjoy the Black Tie Mousse Cake at $9.49.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Black Tie Mousse Cake is priced at $9.49 per slice. It is available across all Olive Garden locations as part of the standard dessert menu. Prices vary slightly in New York, Alaska, and California.
A single serving contains 750 calories with 50 grams of fat and 290 milligrams of sodium. It is lower in calories than the Chocolate Lasagna but richer in fat per serving due to the dark chocolate cheesecake layer.
The dessert consists of three distinct layers: a rich chocolate cake base, a dark chocolate cheesecake center set with ganache, and a creamy custard mousse top layer. The combination creates a layered cross-section with three different textures and chocolate preparations.
Bake a thin chocolate cake base and cool completely. Make a dark chocolate cheesecake filling by beating cream cheese with melted dark chocolate, sugar, and eggs. Bake over the cake base. Cool, then top with a vanilla custard mousse made from egg yolks, sugar, cream, and gelatin. Refrigerate overnight to fully set all three layers.
Black Tie Mousse Cake is a core menu item and available at all Olive Garden locations in the United States. Availability in Canada and international locations may vary. Check the specific location's online menu to confirm current dessert offerings.