Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Cake

As you all already know, I'm a bit obsessed with pumpkin.

If it were up to me I would talk about nothing but pumpkin all year long. But it's not always up to me.

Sometimes I have to put aside my one track mind and think of others. Especially when it's for a group thing. LOL!

This chocolate peanut butter mousse cake was the top voted cake for September for the Cake Slice Bakers.

Yes, I said September. I'm just slightly late.

See...my older sister's most favoritest flavor combo is peanut butter and chocolate. If you ask her, she will say she has a lot of flavor combinations that she loves but this is one I truly associate with her.

On October 4th was the second anniversary of her 35th birthday and I knew this was just the cake for her celebration. And I wasn't wrong! This cake was perfect for her! I mean...I think she liked it...she looks happy with it right??

When I first read through the recipe, I was genuinely shocked that this isn't your typical "cake." Especially for a group called the Cake Slice Bakers. You don't actually bake this cake.

The cake is light, fluffy, and melt in your mouth good. It is a rich cake for sure.

The recipe looks a little intimidating. Yes, there are several parts to this cake. But each part is pretty straight forward and fairly easy. And what's better than a cake that can be thrown together without ever having to turn on the oven.

I made this cake in an afternoon and let it set overnight. My sister was very happy with it. :-)

And speaking of the Cake Slice Bakers, we are currently open for new members! Since I am so late with this, there are only a few more days to get into the group. If you are interested, please email Paloma at love.for.coffee@gmail.com and title the email NEW CAKE SLICE MEMBER. I hope to see some of you there! And don't forget to check out the other Cake Slice Members for this cake as well.

Until then, let's bake refrigerate!!

Mix together the cookie crumbs and melted butter until well coated.

Press the mixture into the bottom of a springform pan. Place in the refrigerator while you make the peanut butter mousse.

Cream together the cream cheese and butter then mix in the powdered sugar.

Add in the peanut butter and salt and mix until well combined.

In a separate clean mixer bowl, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form.

Fold 1 cup of the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture until almost blended.

The gently fold another 1 1/2 cup whipped cream into the mixture until well blended. Place the remaining whipped cream in the fridge.

Spread the peanut butter mousse evenly over the crust. Place back in the fridge while you make the chocolate mousse.

Place both types of chocolate into the bowl of a food processor and process until finely ground. Leave the chocolate in the processor.

In a small saucepan, heat the sugar and half and half.

While the processor is running, pour the hot mixture into the feed tube and process until the chocolate is completely melted.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl then add the vanilla. Process until combined.

Scrape chocolate mixture into a large bowl. Gently fold 1/3 of the reserved whipped cream into the chocolate.

Then add the remaining whipped cream and fold until well combined.

Evenly spread the chocolate mousse in a layer over the peanut butter mousse layer. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and freeze for about an hour.

Make your glaze. Place finely chopped chocolate into a bowl. Bring your cream to a boil, pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it stand 30 to 60 seconds. Whisk until smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Place plastic wrap on the top of the glaze and let it sit for 10 minutes.

Pour the glaze into the center of the cake and spread almost to the edges. Place in the fridge overnight.

Garnish the top of the cake with peanuts.

Slice, serve, and enjoy!!


Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Cake
Adapted from The Cake Book

Ingredients:

For the Crust

• 1 1/2 cups Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafer cookie crumbs (I used about 22 Oreos, processed to crumbs)
• 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the Peanut Butter Mousse

• 5 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups heavy cream

For the Chocolate Mousse

• 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 3 1/2 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup half and half
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Glaze

• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

For the Crust

1. Lightly grease or spray a 9 inch springform pan.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the cookie crumbs and melted butter until well combined and crumbs are completely coated.
3. Press the crumb mixture in an even layer into the bottom of the prepared springform pan.
4. Place the crust in the refrigerator while you make the peanut butter mousse.

For the Peanut Butter Mousse

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, on medium low speed, cream together the cream cheese and butter, about 1 minute.
2. Add the powdered sugar and beat until well combined.
3. Add the peanut butter and salt, beat until well mixed, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. 
4. Remove bowl from mixer and set aside.
5. In a separate, clean, metal mixing bowl, using the whisk attachment, on high speed, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form.
6. Gently fold 1 cup of the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture until almost combined.
7. Fold in another 1 1/2 cups of the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture until well blended (cover and refrigerate remaining whipped cream).
8. Scrape the mousse into the prepared pan, over the crust, in an even layer.
9. Place in the refrigerator while you make the chocolate mousse.

For the Chocolate Mousse

1. Place both chocolates in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely ground. Leave the chocolate in the processor.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the half and half and sugar. Over medium heat, bring to a boil, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves.
3. With the food processor running, put the hot milk through the feed tube and process until chocolate is completely melted.
4. Scrape down sides of bowl and add the vanilla. Process until blended then scrape mixture into a large mixing bowl.
5. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold 1/3 of the remaining whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. 
6. Fold the remaining whipped cream into the mousse until well blended.
7. Scrape mousse into an even layer over the peanut butter mousse layer. 
8. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and freeze for about an hour, until firm.

For the Chocolate Glaze

1. Place chocolate into a heat proof bowl.
2. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, bring the cream to a boil.
3. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate in the bowl and let sit about 30 to 60 seconds.
4. Whisk until smooth.
5. Stir in vanilla.
6. Cover the surface of the glaze with plastic wrap and let stand for about 10 minutes.
7. Pour glaze over the chocolate mousse layer and spread almost to the edges of the cake. 
8. Allow cake to sit in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight. 
9. Run a paring knife along the edges of the cake to release from the pan. Remove the sides of the springform pan.
10. Garnish with peanuts. Slice, serve, and enjoy!!