Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Cake

This is by far one of my favorite chocolate cake recipes and a great way to dress up a box cake. The peanut butter mousse in the center is so light and airy, it is just a dream. After several repeated cakes, the only thing I have found, is to take your time between each step and let your cake completely cook. If you rush the cooling of the cakes and don't let the mousse chill as well, the mousse will just squeeze out the sides. Although the taste will be all the same, presentation will be the compromise.

Ingredients

1 (18.25-ounce) package devil's food cake mix without pudding

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

Preparation

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.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.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.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.Pour glaze over cake; garnish, if desired. Serve warm, or chill and serve at room temperature.Chocolate-Peanut Butter Mousse Parfaits: Cut cooled cake layers into cubes. Layer 8 Parfait glasses evnly with two-thirds peanut butter mixture, cake cubes, and half of cocolate mixture. Top with remaining peanut butter mixture and chocolate mixture; sprinkle each parfait with chopped peanuts, if desired.

Southern Living, MARCH 1998

White Chocolate Cookies 'n' Cream Fudge

Prep: 7 min.; Cook: 13 min.; Other: 2 hr.

Yield: 4 lb.

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup butter

1 (5-oz.) can evaporated milk

2 (12-oz.) packages white chocolate morsels

1 (7-oz.) jar marshmallow cream

3 cups coarsely crushed cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies (about 25 cookies), divided

Pinch of salt

Preparation

Line a greased 9" square pan with aluminum foil; set aside.Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add white chocolate morsels, marshmallow cream, 2 cups crushed cookies, and salt. Stir until morsels melt.Pour fudge into prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cookies over fudge, gently pressing cookies into fudge. Cover and chill until firm (about 1 to 2 hours).Lift uncut fudge in aluminum foil from pan; remove foil, and cut fudge into squares.

Christmas with Southern Living 2008