Chocolate Mousse Tunnel Cake

Chocolate Mousse Tunnel Cake

Delicious and quick chocolate mousse filled tunnel cake is hardly a new idea, just an updated version of one.

It may look hard and time consuming, but tunnel cakes are actually quite easy–if you take advantage of convenience ingredients.

It only looks complicated!

I first fell in love with this concept as a child.  I loved to look through my mother’s cookbooks and I remember seeing a gorgeous angel food tube cake that contains this (then to me) mysterious and magical filling of chocolate whipped cream with almonds.  It was also iced with the same whipped cream and garnished with toasted almonds.  That was a 1951 edition of Betty Crocker cookbook.

Needless to say, THAT cake was a lot of work–because back then, no mix existed for angel food cake and there was no such thing as Cool Whip…

In this cake I had originally intended to do a vanilla filling with dried cherries in a chocolate cake.  I thought I had a chocolate cake mix, but I didn’t.  So, I used yellow.  But after the fact, I remembered I had white cake mix and I think this filling with a white cake instead of yellow, would be much better…well, to look at maybe. This tasted great with the yellow cake though.

Spectacular dessert

The cake is shown on my Temp-Tations by Tara 10 piece Old World Dessert Set. This is a long-retired set that many wish would be reissued (me too, I’d like other colors LOL).

Tomorrow (5/10/2014, 11:59 p.m. BST) is also the last day to enter my giveaway for a set of Temp-Tations Polka Dot loaf pans.  Complete details are on my Cinnamon Raisin Bread post, but you can enter using the app below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Chocolate Mousse Tunnel Cake

• 1 box (approx 11-18 oz) yellow cake mix
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup oil
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1/3 cup water
• Filling:
• 1 box (4-serving size) instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1 1/2 cups cold milk
• 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup whipped topping
• Icing:
• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 2-3 tbs cream
• 2 tbs toasted sliced almonds (for garnish)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray or grease a 8-10 cup Bundt or tube pan.


For the cake–Add cake mix, eggs, water, oil and evaporated milk and beat for 2 minutes.  I used Pillsbury’s mix but any other will do–but whatever they suggest for eggs, oil and water,  use what the box says except substitute any water with 2 parts evaporated milk to 1 part water.


Pour batter in prepared pan and bake as per box directions for “tube” or “Bundt” pan (usually around 35-40 minutes).


Let stand in pan for 10 minutes, then remove to rack to cool completely.


When cake is completely cooled, take a long, serrated-edge knife (a bread knife is good here) and cut off the top 1/3 of the cake.  Do this carefully so it doesn’t fall apart–you have to replace it once the cake is filled.


Now, with a paring knife, cut a “tunnel” in the base of the cake, leaving about a 1-inch “wall” around the sides and bottom.  Scoop out the cake within the “tunnel” with a small spoon.  You can save that for later or snacks as it is not going to be used.


Now make the instant pudding–add the pudding mix and 1 1/2 cups milk to a bowl and beat for 1 minute.  Let this stand for 5 minutes so it partially sets.  Now fold in the whipped topping and toasted almonds.


Carefully fill the hollowed-out “tunnel” with the pudding mixture.  Replace the cut off top, matching the points, curves, etc.  Chill at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.


Mix up icing ingredients and drizzle over cooled cake. Sprinkle with about 2 tbs toasted almonds to garnish.


Serves 8-10.  Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Mousse Tunnel Cake

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