| I'll share one of my favorite desserts.
This tastes bests if it's sat overnight in the fridge so I would start making it 2 days before you want to serve it. You'll be making an easy chocolate mint mousse and using it to frost the cake. When I make this I double or triple the amounts for the mousse and those are the amounts I've listed. If you triple you will have quite a bit leftover which is fine because it's very tastey by itself. The smaller amounts are for the doubled batch and the larger amounts are for the tripled batch.
Chocolate Mint Mouse Cake
Ingredients:
1pkg. chocolate cake - I get Pilsbury's the one that's dark and extra moist
eggs, oil etc to make cake according to pkg. directions
4 or 6TBL. baking cocoa
4 or 6 TBL. milk
2 or 3C. Junior Mints (candy) - this amount equals 16 or 24oz. I've weighed 1C.
4 or 6 TBL. butter or margarine
2 or 3 8oz. tubs of Cool Whip - I use extra creamy thawed and divided 2 or 3C. and rest
1 or 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Two days before serving: Make mousse and bake cake
Directions for mousse:
Make sure the Cool Whip is completely thawed before starting to make the mousse.
In a saucepan combine cocoa and milk and stir untill smooth. Then add mints and butter and cook over low heat untill the butter and mints have melted and mixture is smooth. (I use a silcone rubber spatula to stir it untill the butter and mints are melted and then use a whisk to stir until it's smooth.) Once it's smooth remove from heat and let cool for 15 minutes. (I transfer it to a large bowl at this point) Stir in 2 or 3C. Cool Whips and the vanilla then fold in the remaining Cool Whip. Cover and put in the fridge overnight to firm up. It will be easier to work with the next day if you put the mousse back in to the Cool Whip containers with the lids on although you end up with some left in the bowl.
Cake - follow the directions on the package for making 2 8"/9" round cakes
The day before serving - assemble cake
Gather the following euipment:
long serrated knife or cake leveler
large spoon
icing spatula/knife -whatever you use to frost a cake
wax or parchment paper
the plate or cake stand you'll be serving the cake on
2 baking sheets
a lazy susan - if you have one will make this easier to do
Assembling the cake:
Remove the cakes from their pans and place them in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes. If you didn't make them the day before be absolutely positive that they are completely cooled. Using a long serrated knife or 1 of those cake levelers level the tops of both cakes and then slice both cakes in half horizontally so you have 4 cake layers, place the layers on the baking sheets and brush the crumbs off the tops. Place the plate or cake stand on the counter or on top of the lazy susan if you're using one. Take the mousse or just 1 of the containers out of the fridge and put a bit in the center of the plate or cakestand this will anchor the cake. Tear 3 or 4 strips of wax or parchment paper to slip under and around the cake to keep the plate/stand clean while your frosting. Take 1 layer of cake and center it on the plate/stand then slip the strips of wax/parchment paper around and slightly under the cake so they cover the plate/stand. Spread a small amount of the mousse on top of layer and top with the second layer. Repeat this process untill you have all 4 layers stacked up with some mousse between each layer. At this point I put the mousse and the cake back in the fridge for several hours so the mousse can firm up again. After several hours remove the cake and the mousse and finish frosting the cake. Brush an crumbs that may be on the cake off and apply a thin coat of mousse to seal the top of the cake before applying more mousse to the top and sides. When the cake is completely frosted with the mousse place it back in fridge overnight. After a couple of hours remove the wax/parchment paper strips. Take the cake out of the fridge about 10-15 minutes before serving and let stand on the counter to take a bit of the chill off. Slice and enjoy. It's rich so I'd cut slices on the small side. Make sure to place the cake back in the fridge after serving if it gets too warm it turns in to the leaning tower of cake or a splattered cake on the floor because the mousse loses the ability to hold it together.
__________________  |