Saturday, May 1, 2010

Chocolate Reese's Mousse Cake

I know ya'll will hate me for this, but this decadent cake is worth EVERY calorie!!
Peanut butter and chocolate is our favorite dessert combination. Aaron only has 2 birthday wishes each year and one of them is a gourmet dessert. Last year for his 23rd birthday I made him a GIANT Peanut Butter Cup that was heavenly!
I'm thinking Reese's will be a long-standing tradition for his birthday cake(which happens to fall on the week after my birthday, Reese's coincidentally being my favorite candy EVER!) So what better excuse to make a cake as gorgeous as the chocolate mousse with bits of toffee cake from Our Best Bites? Thank goodness, I couldn't think of one either.
I've also been dying to try the grooms cake I had our Aunt Mitzi make for our wedding. She's a baker--a fabulous one I might add-- not a decorator! My wedding cake was a 5-tiered beauty. Until it sunk in and toppled over itself a few minutes before the reception. It was THAT heavy and rich : ) Ask anyone there, it was the best cake they had ever tasted! We took home a bunch of leftover the grooms chocolate cake with a divine cream cheese peanut butter filling. This little heaven on earth became our midnight snack for the first few months of our newlywed life. Jealous? You should be. As long as you're not a chocolate hater you'll love this knock-out cake!
Chocolate Reese's Mousse Cake
1 package Devils Food cake mix
1 large pkg miniture Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

1/2 pkg cream cheese (4 oz. No fat free substitutions here!)
1 C. smooth peanut butter
2 C. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla
2 T. milk

1 1/2 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 C. heavy cream
3 T. peanut butter
1 t. vanilla
1/3 C. light karo syrup


Let's bake!
Start off with pouring the cake batter in 2 8" or 9" round cake pans. Bake and then cool to room temperature.

While the cake's are cooling you can begin working on this easy mousse. Well, it's not really a mousse. This is a heavier filling. It compliments the moist and light cake very nicely. Next time I give this a go or the next good excuse I can reason up to I plan on using William's Sonoma's Classic Chocolate Cake recipe. It is a bit more time-consuming to make, but it is guaranteed to be a pleaser. I'll let you know how it compares.

Cream together the softened cream cheese and peanut butter. Stir in the vanilla and milk. Slowly incorporate the powdered sugar until smooth. You can double the recipe if you want to make a 4 layered torte instead of a 2 layered cake. Slice the each cake once horizontally with a cake leveler or serrated knife and this will use more filling a ganache. It may be too thick and fall over but you may be more adventurous then I am and give it a try.

Heat heavy cream just until boiling. Remove from heat. Add semi-sweet chocolate chips and peanut butter and allow to sit for a couple minutes. Stir until chocolate chips are completely melted. Add karo syrup and vanilla. It will thicken as it cools. I cooled my ganache for about an hour before pouring it on top of the cake.

You're ready to assemble your cake!
Carefully slice the dome-iest part of each cake layer off so the layers are level. Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread the entire peanut butter mousse on top of the layer. Sprinkle with chopped Reese's. Place the second cake layer on top of the Reese's chunks. Spoon ganache over the top layer, allowing it to drip down the sides. Sprinkle with additional Reese's chunks and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Happy baking y'all!
Sincerely, Little Bakin' Blonde

35 comments:

  1. This looks amazing!! I will have to try this for Mike's birthday.

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  2. Wow, I think I gained ten pounds just reading your blog! But I'm so glad that you have one:) I'm suddenly feeling inspired to bake! So glad that you're doing well.

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  3. Hmmm...Little Bakin Blond is trying to make me a Big FAT MoMMA!

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  4. That looks soooo amazing! I will definitely be trying this!!! Yum Yum! :)

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  5. question- do you bake the cake with the instructions on the back of the box?
    Thanks :)

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  6. Anderson-I married Aaron. The End

    Mom- Just you wait until I move home!! Yee-ha! Saddle up those thighs : ) And hush your mouth, you look fabulous!

    Steph-Yes ma'am, this recipe couldn't get any easier. Good luck and feel free to call us if you need some samplers....we're good taste testers ;-) I also added chunks of Carbury chocolate into the batter before I poured it into the round pans. Heck, why not? Heaven..

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  7. That looks sooo good! I'll have to try it!

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  8. That looks AMAZING! You go girl! :)

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  9. I don't know you but now I love you.....Thank you so much for this delicious recipe......

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  10. can we have the recipe for last years too?

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    Replies
    1. Hi Johanna! Are you referring to the large Reese's chocolate from 2009?

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  11. Replies
    1. I hope that you'll enjoy it as much as I did! Let me know how it turns out!

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  12. Replies
    1. The only way I could think to make the cake bigger would be to double the recipes and stack the cakes. Obviously, you'll want to double the mousse filling. Don't worry about making more of the ganache...but who am I to hold you back? Ganache freezes great!

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  13. I WILL be making this for Thanksgiving AND Christmas!!

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    Replies
    1. It'll be a hit!I wish that I could tag along to your holiday parties ;-)

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  14. The cake and its recipe seem to be just delicious . I will try to bake it for christmas .too. But I will have to improvise : devils food cake mix is not available in germany and what are peanut butter cups ?

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    1. Thanks Susan! You can definitely substitute the Devil's mix with your own favorite rich chocolate cake recipe. I'm so sorry that you aren't familiar with Reese's cups... there is no substitute for those. They have a sugary peanut butter filling surrounded by a milk chocolate shell. Delicious! Good luck!

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  15. oh yum, yes, definitely my favorite dessert combination, chocolate and peanut butter, no doubt.....i will definitely be trying this one real soon.

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  16. They wont even notice the Turkey on Thanksgiving after they see this.

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    Replies
    1. Haha. It can be a showstopper, huh? Thank you

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  17. Made this today! Ganache was a little runny even though I let it sit, but it looks delish! Can't wait to try it!!

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  18. Hi Crossley's,
    Thanks a million for the recipe. I love Reese's, and I can't wait to try this recipe. Hopefully my wife will make it for my next birthday! Looks like you guys have blue blood! I'm sure BYU will beat Idaho State for the Homecoming game! GO COUGARS!
    Thanks,
    The Nunley's

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  19. Hi Nunley's! If all else fails, throw on the apron and hop into that kitchen. I sure hope that you love the cake! It's our favorite. Isn't the game going great?! GO Cougs!!!!

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  20. Taking this to my parents for thanksgiving on thursday! I hope it turns out! looks amazing!

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  21. THIS CAKE LOOKS SO GOOD THINKING ABOUT MAKING ONE FOR CHRISTMAS..N IT LOOKS SO YUMMY.

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  22. MADE THIS FOR THANKSGIVING I DIDNT GET ANY BY THE TIME I GOT TO IT IT WAS GONE BUT EVERYONE LOVED IT NOW I HAVE TO MAKE IT FOR ALL OUR FAMILY GET TOGETHERS BUT IM OK WITH THAT THANKS FOR THE RECIPE :)

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    Replies
    1. SORRY IT DIDNT PUT MY NAME LOL MY NAME IS JACKIE

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  23. made this cake for the first time three years ago for my son's birthday - everyone devoured it and raved about it!!! he and i are huge reeses fans! everyone loved it so much that i made it for work, but instead of a cake i made cupcakes and layered them in clear cups - devoured and rave reviews again. i have made this every year for my sons birthdays, including today again! cant wait to have some later!! you have made many people happy over here!! HEAVENLY!!!!! Thank you!!

    Val

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