Alleycat
08-21-2008, 08:31 PM
I am planning to make this for a birthday dinner Sunday night. Has anyone made it? Is it worth all the effort :cool:? I've never made ganache; could I sub light cream or fat free half and half for the heavy cream? Also, for the mousse, can I sub a lighter cream for the heavy whipping cream?
I've never tried a cake with so many components. I know it's as far from healthy as one can go, but I rarely cook or bake so indulgently. Thought I'd give it a whirl.
I think you could easily skip the peanut butter ganache, since it's just garnish.
Lip Smackin' Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer Cake
Cooking with Paula Deen, Sept/Oct 2006
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 1/4 cups Dutch process cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache Topping
Nutty Peanut Butter Mousse
Rich Dark Chocolate Frosting
Peanut Butter Ganache
Chopped peanuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans.
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; sift 2 times.
Add sifted flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in vanilla.
Pour batter into prepared cake pans. Bake 33 to 38 minutes, or until a tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack.
Spread Chocolate Ganache evenly over each cake layer. Place 1 cake layer on a serving platter. Spread half of Smooth Peanut Butter Mousse on top of Chocolate Ganache, to within 1/2 inch of edges of cake. Top with another cake layer. Spread remaining Smooth Peanut Butter Mousse on top of Ganache to within 1/2-inch of edges of cake. Top with final cake layer. Spread Rich Dark Chocolate Frosting over top and sides of cake. Drizzle with Peanut Butter Ganache and garnish with peanuts, if desired.
Chocolate Ganache Topping
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Combine morsels and cream in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds; stir. Continue to microwave in 30-second intervals until mixture is smooth when stirred. Let cool 10 minutes.
Makes 1 cup
Nutty Peanut Butter Mousse
1/2 cup peanut butter morsels
1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
Combine morsels and 1/4 cup cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds; stir. Continue to microwave in 30-second intervals until mixture is smooth when stirred. Stir in peanut butter; let cool.
In a small bowl, beat remaining whipping cream with an electric mixer until thickened. Add confectioners’ sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into cooled peanut butter mixture.
Makes 2 1/2 cups.
Rich Dark Chocolate Frosting
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons milk
In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in cocoa and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition, until desired consistency is reached.
Makes 5 cups
Peanut Butter Ganache
1 cup peanut butter morsels
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Combine morsels and cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds; stir. Continue to microwave in 30-second intervals until mixture is smooth when stirred. Let cool slightly.
Makes 1 cup
I've never tried a cake with so many components. I know it's as far from healthy as one can go, but I rarely cook or bake so indulgently. Thought I'd give it a whirl.
I think you could easily skip the peanut butter ganache, since it's just garnish.
Lip Smackin' Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer Cake
Cooking with Paula Deen, Sept/Oct 2006
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 1/4 cups Dutch process cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache Topping
Nutty Peanut Butter Mousse
Rich Dark Chocolate Frosting
Peanut Butter Ganache
Chopped peanuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans.
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; sift 2 times.
Add sifted flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in vanilla.
Pour batter into prepared cake pans. Bake 33 to 38 minutes, or until a tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack.
Spread Chocolate Ganache evenly over each cake layer. Place 1 cake layer on a serving platter. Spread half of Smooth Peanut Butter Mousse on top of Chocolate Ganache, to within 1/2 inch of edges of cake. Top with another cake layer. Spread remaining Smooth Peanut Butter Mousse on top of Ganache to within 1/2-inch of edges of cake. Top with final cake layer. Spread Rich Dark Chocolate Frosting over top and sides of cake. Drizzle with Peanut Butter Ganache and garnish with peanuts, if desired.
Chocolate Ganache Topping
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Combine morsels and cream in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds; stir. Continue to microwave in 30-second intervals until mixture is smooth when stirred. Let cool 10 minutes.
Makes 1 cup
Nutty Peanut Butter Mousse
1/2 cup peanut butter morsels
1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
Combine morsels and 1/4 cup cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds; stir. Continue to microwave in 30-second intervals until mixture is smooth when stirred. Stir in peanut butter; let cool.
In a small bowl, beat remaining whipping cream with an electric mixer until thickened. Add confectioners’ sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into cooled peanut butter mixture.
Makes 2 1/2 cups.
Rich Dark Chocolate Frosting
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons milk
In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in cocoa and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition, until desired consistency is reached.
Makes 5 cups
Peanut Butter Ganache
1 cup peanut butter morsels
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Combine morsels and cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds; stir. Continue to microwave in 30-second intervals until mixture is smooth when stirred. Let cool slightly.
Makes 1 cup