Chocolate Mousse Crunch Cake

WARNING: This cake is ridiculous.

Rich, velvety mousse sandwiched between two giant slabs of chocolate cake smothered in toffee chunks and dripping with chocolate ganache. 

It's practically screaming for its premier at your next dinner party. It's an awesome celebration cake. Friends will go berserk. Love interests will propose marriage. 

They'll never ever know that it uses a (gasp) cake mix! And you won't have to spend all day slaving over a hot stove.

Let's make it, shall we?

Chocolate Mousse Crunch Cake

Adapted from Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

Cake

• 1 package Duncan Hines Devil’s Food Cake (+ eggs and oil required for mix)

• 1 bag of Heath bits

 

Chocolate Ganache

• 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (you can use chocolate chips)

• 8 ounces heavy whipping cream

Mousse (you'll only use about half)

• 1 tsp. unflavored gelatin

• 1 Tbsp. cold water

• 2 Tbsp. boiling water (just heat it in your microwave)

• 1/2 c. sugar

• 1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 c. whipping cream

• 1 tsp. Vanilla

Bake cake according to cake mix instructions in (2) 8″ round pans. 

TIP: To ensure a stress free removal of my cakes, I always cut out two circles of wax paper, and place them in the bottom of the pans. Then I grease my pans well (with butter or cooking spray), then dust it with cocoa powder. (if it's chocolate) This method has never failed me! 

Allow to cool and set aside. 

I sometimes make this mousse and other times just whip up a boxed mousse from the store. They taste pretty much the same to me so no worries if you don't have the time or patience for it.

If you're making your own...

In a small bowl, combine gelatin and cold water and allow to stand for about 1 minute. While gelatin is softening, bring 2 Tbsp. water to a boil in the microwave. Whisk into the softened gelatin and allow to cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, combine sugar, cocoa powder, whipping cream, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer until medium-stiff peaks form. Mix in gelatin mixture and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Now on to the ganache. Do not be intimidated! This is the easiest, most delicious ganache in existence. I'm sure of it!

Prepare it by combining equal parts semi-sweet chocolate and heavy whipping cream. I mix 8 ounces of chocolate with 8 ounces of heavy cream. You can use chocolate chips if you want. Then heat it up in the microwave for two minutes. 

Whisk it up. It will be ugly. You may wonder if something went terribly wrong. But have no fear! Stick it back in the microwave for another 30 seconds and whisk again. It should start looking prettier. Repeat until chocolate is smooth.

You may want to let it sit for a few minutes to thicken up a bit for pouring. You can always reheat if it gets too thick.

Invert one of your cakes onto a pretty cake plate. If you used my greasing and dusting method, your cakes should slide right out! If not, go around the corners a little with a butter knife. With a serrated knife, level off your cakes a little. I don't worry too much about making it perfect because I kinda like the domey look! 

Being really careful, place one layer on the serving plate and spread about 1/2 of the chocolate mousse over the cake. Or if you're feeling fancy, pipe it through a star tip. 

Sprinkle with Heath bits. Invert the second cake on top of heath bits and stabilize.

Spoon ganache over the top layer, smoothing it with a knife or spatula, and allowing it to drip down the sides. Sometimes I let it pool in the bottom of the cake plate, like so. Too much? I think not!

Sprinkle with additional Heath bits and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Serve with extra ganache for pouring over the top. Oh, and ice cream wouldn't hurt either!