Southern Living's Sinful Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Cake

I love Southern Living's magazine recipes not only delicious but very easy to follow for all levels of cooks.  One of my favorite cake's of all time is Southern Livings Chocolate Peanut Butter Mouse Cake which I have perfected over the years.  I am going to share some tips with you to make this cake turn out perfect every time since that was not my first experience making this cake. Actually the first time I made this cake it tasted great but looked like a child put the cake together.  The mousse filling oozed out from the center as soon as I put the layers together.  I was so disappointed!  I've been baking for a long time so I realized the the mousse filling needed to be chilled over night before assembling the cake.  And I'll give you a little tip about frosting the cake the recipe says pour the glaze over the cake.  That just doesn't cut it.  You need to slowly spread the glaze working from the top of the cake down the sides to cover the sides.  I cut strips of wax paper and fit around the base of the cake covering the cake dish so I don't have drips of chocolate glaze on the cake dish, just on the cake. I also like to make my own chocolate cake not a box mix but if you want an easy quick delicious cake use a box mix by all means.

On the whole Southern Living recipes are pretty complete with the necessary steps for you to be able to make the recipe just as you see it on the pages of the magazine.  This cake recipe just needed a few tips for a novice baker to duplicate the cake as featured in the magazine.

• 1 (18.25-ounce) package devil's food cake mix without pudding or use your own favorite recipe
• 2 1/2 cups whipping cream, divided
• 1 (10-ounce) package peanut butter morsels
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine 
• 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
• Garnish: chopped roasted peanuts  optional

Preparation

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.
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.
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.
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.
5. Pour glaze over cake; garnish, if desired. Serve warm, or chill and serve at room temperature.

Enjoy