Chocolate-Peanut Butter Mousse Cake
Photo: J. Savage Gibson; Styling: Trinda Gage
This recipe is great because you can make either a cake or 8 parfaits. The peanut butter mousse filling in the cake really makes it rich and unique.
How to Make It
Step 1
Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Pour into 2 lightly greased 8-inch round cakepans. Bake according to package directions. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely.
Step 2
Combine 2/3 cup whipping cream and peanut butter morsels in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until morsels melt and mixture is smooth; remove saucepan from heat. Stir in vanilla extract, and cool 25 minutes.
Step 3
Beat 1 1/3 cups whipping cream at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Stir one-third whipped cream into peanut butter mixture. Fold into remaining whipped cream. Spread between cake layers; cover and chill.
Step 4
Bring remaining 1/2 cup whipping cream and 1 tablespoon butter to a boil in a small saucepan. Add chocolate morsels; remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes. Stir until morsels melt and mixture is smooth.
Step 5
Pour glaze over cake; garnish, if desired. Serve warm, or chill and serve at room temperature.
Step 6
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Mousse Parfaits: Cut cooled cake layers into cubes. Layer 8 Parfait glasses evnly with two-thirds peanut butter mixture, cake cubes, and half of cocolate mixture. Top with remaining peanut butter mixture and chocolate mixture; sprinkle each parfait with chopped peanuts, if desired.
Raykei's Review
N/A
LemonsQueen41's Review
The cake base must be study---very important to use NON-PUDDING mixes. Either Duncan Hines (no pudding in mix) or other decent brand such as Trader Joes.
I don't think the size of the box is the issue 18 oz or 18.25. As long as it makes a two-layer cake. It's just a base. Level your cake layers i.e no domes or lop-sided cakes. Cakes that are not leveled properly WILL crack under the pressure of heavy fillings such as this mousse. They will also slide. You will be depressed. I always use a 'cake spatula' to move my cakes into position then I slide them onto the cake. Less handling, the better.
Mousse---cool mixture completely before folding in the other ingredients. This is a great and beautiful cake if you take your time. Be Blessed.
limitedgrace's Review
Wow! The only flaw was the choice I made for the chocolate cake mix - be sure to get something sturdy, mine started to crumble apart. I followed the directions EXACTLY and the mousse is superb! (You MUST let the mixture cool for 25 min and whip the everloving out of the whipped cream.) There is a ton of it - if I make again, I will reserve at least 1/4 of it to pipe on the top of the cake after glazing to add that extra touch. The mousse was thick and held my crumbling cake together. The glaze was crazy easy and flowed beautifully on top of the cake and down the sides. My husband said this can be his birthday cake for the next few years! (So long as we work out enough to make up for the calories! 630cal for 1/12th of the cake!!)
deanna5337's Review
yummy
seaside725's Review
I agree that the mouse was too soupy. I am thinking that it may be because you cannot buy an 18.25 oz cake mix anymore. My husband is a big chocolate peanut butter fan, so I had to try this recipe. Yes it was tasty but there was way too much mousse, and it did run down the sides of the cake. I think that when I make it again, I will not use all of the mousse and put the exta in pudding dishes with cushed chocolate cookies.
Rubevaughn's Review
The first time I made this cake it was for a fun thing to take to work. I completely messed up the mousse and so the cake turned out sloppy though it tasted great. I asked my downstairs neighbor if she wanted to try some since it was too messy to take to work, and well let's just say now that neighbor is my wife. Pretty good recipe I'd say.
DawnPB64's Review
This cake has become a favorite with my family, and it gets rave reviews from guests! The key with the mousse layer is to cool the peanut butter mixture completely before folding in the whipping cream; it makes a nice, thick, fluffy layer. I have never had a problem with it. I use mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups for garnish, chopped and whole. It is a beautiful cake; I have made it for several holidays.
CookinProgress's Review
It's absolutely delicious, but take warning from the other reviews. The PB mousse is amazing, but SUCH a pain to work with. I think it calls for too much whipping cream when you fold it into the whipped cream. It got rave reviews, but it made too much mousse and was just messy. Tasty, but doesn't look like the picture. I promise.
jessiken's Review
This cake is fantastic! It's amazing how fancy a boxed mix cake can become when you add filling and ganache. I'm in the process of making it for my husband's birthday. I made it last year and he loved it, so it was the first thing he asked for when I asked what he wanted this year. I'm topping it with mini peanut butter cups this year. This recipe is definitely a keeper, and it's a huge hit with guests.
All Time Fav!!