To celebrate my 27th, Dave suggested we create a home cooking show. So, the camera rolled while I whipped up my cake: a chocolate mousse layer cake with vanilla buttercream frosting…Mmmmmm.
The video is a two-part series, about 8 minutes each. In Part 1 we bake the cake, make the mousse and layer them (with the assistance of a Medium Flat Rate Postal Box!) In Part 2 we make frosting and ganache, frost and decorate.
The recipes follow…and enjoy the flicks!
PART ONE: BAKING AND LAYERING
PART TWO: FROSTING AND DECORATING
Chocolate Cake*
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cup cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cocoa
2 1/4 cups buttermilk
Chocolate Mousse from recipe below
Preheat to 350
Cream butter and sugar, then add vanilla, almond and eggs. Beat until fluffy.
Mix dry ingredients in a second bowl. Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk to batter until all is well incorporated, then mix one minute more. Spread on two buttered and floured sheet pans. Bake 30 minutes or until done. Cut each cake in 1/2 to form four rectangle layers. Lay one layer on a piece of saran wrap and lower into postal box. Spread 1/3 of the chocolate mousse over the layer. Repeat with remaining layers. Close box and place in freezer.
Chocolate Mousse
2 cups heavy cream
5 ounces bittersweet bakers chocolate
Melt chocolate over Bain Marie and let cool. Whip cream until stiff then gently fold in melted chocolate. Set in fridge.
Vanilla Buttercream
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 pound powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2-1 cup heavy cream
Cream butter and sugar. Add cream a little at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Add vanilla.
Chocolate Ganache
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted in Bain Marie.
To Decorate:
Remove layered cake from box and remove saran wrap. Place on overturned postal box. Spread a thin layer of buttercream over the entire cake to seal in loose crumbs. Allow to harden for a couple minutes. Spread a second layer, taking care to avoid crumbs. Spread evenly over entire cake.
Draw desired cake top design onto parchment and flip design side down onto cookie sheet. Form pastry bag with parchment and fill with chocolate ganache. Carefully fill in design with ganache. Set aside to harden.
When hard, carefully flip design chocolate onto frosted cake.
Oooh and Ahhh.
Take photos.
Make wish.
Enjoy.
