Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake

TO MAKE THE CAKE AND FUDGE LAYER:

Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare an 8 inch cake pan with parchment paper in the bottom and grease the sides.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light in color and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Do not skimp on the amount of creaming time.

Add sour cream and vanilla extract mix until well combined.

Add egg whites one at a time, mixing until well combined after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.

Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then combine milk and water in a small measuring cup.

Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until well combined. Add the milk mixture and mix until well combined. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined.

Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 19-21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few crumbs.

Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool for 3-4 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to cool completely.

One the cake is cooled, prepare the cake pan for layering. To set up your cake pan, line an 8×3 inch springform pan with parchment paper that goes about 2 inches above the top edge of the pan. A springform pan is best so that you can easily remove the cake once it’s been assembled. If you only have a regular 8×3 inch cake pan, line the cake pan with plastic wrap (which can later be used to lift your cake out of the pan once it’s assembled), then add the parchment paper. You can also place a cardboard cake circle in the bottom of the pan, on top of the clear wrap. In lou of using a cake pan to build the cake, you could also use cake collars.

Cut the dome off of the cake, then place it in your pan or cake collar.

To make the fudge layer, add the chocolate chips, corn syrup and vanilla extract to a medium heat-proof bowl.

Heat the heavy whipping cream until it just starts to boil, then pour it over the chocolate chips. Cover the bowl with clear wrap and allow to sit for 3-5 minutes, then whisk until smooth.

Pour the chocolate on top of the cake and spread into an even layer. Place the cake in the fridge while the ganache firms, about 1 hour.

TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE:

Heat beaten egg yolks and 3/4 cup sugar in top of double boiler until sugar is dissolved.

Stir in chocolate until melted; continue cooking until mixture begins to thicken.

Soften gelatin in water; add to chocolate mixture, stir until dissolved.

Remove from heat; add vanilla; place in iced water to cool.

Beat cream with 2 tbsp sugar until stiff.

Whip egg white with 1 tbsp sugar until stiff, but not dry.

When chocolate mixture begins to thicken, fold in cream and egg white, until well blended.

Once slightly cooled, spread the chocolate mousse into an even layer on top of the chocolate fudge. Refrigerate for about 2-3 hours.

TO MAKE THE WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE:

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let stand until softened.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the cream until softly whipped. Refrigerate until chilled, about 10 minutes.

In a small, microwave-safe bowl, heat the orange liqueur at high power until hot, about 45 seconds. Stir in the softened gelatin until dissolved.

In another medium bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar and salt at high speed until pale and thickened, about 5 minutes. While beating the yolks, beat in the orange-gelatin liquid; scrape the side and bottom of the bowl. Beat in the melted chocolate. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the whipped cream in 2 additions.

Once slightly cooled, spread the white chocolate mousse into an even layer on top of the chocolate mouse layer. Refrigerate for about overnight.

TO FINISH OFF THE CAKE:

Once firm, remove the cake from the pan or remove the cake collar from the sides. If needed, smooth the sides of the cake using an offset spatula, and place cake on a serving plate.

Finish off the cake with chocolate curls and a sprinkle of cocoa powder. Keep cake refrigerated until ready to serve.