Peanut Butter Mousse Cake
Submitted by mom30510
Chocolate cake layered with peanut butter chip mousse and dripping chocolate ganache glaze, topped with mini peanut butter cups. A three-component showstopper.
YIELD
1 cakePREP
45 minCOOK
45 minREADY
90 minThis chocolate cake is built in three layers of flavor: a moist cocoa cake made tender with yogurt, a silky peanut butter mousse filling, and a glossy chocolate ganache glaze that drips down the sides. Topped with halved mini peanut butter cups, it looks and tastes like something from a bakery case.
The cake itself uses yogurt instead of buttermilk, which keeps the crumb incredibly moist and adds a slight tang that balances the sweetness. The mousse is where precision matters: melt peanut butter chips into a small amount of cream, let it cool completely, then fold it into softly whipped cream. Over-whip the cream and the mousse turns grainy instead of smooth.
The ganache glaze is dead simple. Cream, butter, and sugar get heated until the sugar dissolves, then poured over chocolate chips. Five minutes of patience and a stir gives you a pourable, mirror-like glaze.
Pro Tips
- Cool the peanut butter mixture fully before folding into whipped cream. Warm PB deflates the cream instantly.
- Whip the cream to soft peaks only. If you can see stiff ridges, you’ve gone too far for mousse.
- Pour the ganache in the center of the cake and use an offset spatula to nudge it toward the edges. Let gravity handle the drips.
- Refrigerate at least 2 hours so the mousse sets and the glaze firms. Cutting too early makes a mess.
Variations
- Use dark cocoa powder instead of regular for a more intense, bittersweet cake layer.
- Add a tablespoon of instant espresso to the cake batter to deepen the chocolate flavor.
- Swap peanut butter chips for white chocolate chips in the mousse for a vanilla-peanut twist.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Lightly grease an 8 inch square baking pan.
CAKE: Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a medium size bowl.
Add yogurt, oil and eggs and whisk until well blended.
Scrape into prepared pan.
Bake 40 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes, then turn out on rack and cool completely.
MOUSSE: While cake bakes, put ⅓ cup of the cream and the peanut butter chips in a small saucepan.
Stir over low heat, until chips melt and mixture is smooth.
Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and let cool 20 to 25 minutes.
Beat remaining ⅔ cup cream in a small bowl with electric mixer just until soft mounds form when beaters are lifted.
(Don’t overbeat or mousse won’t be smooth.)
Gently stir about ⅓ of the whipped cream into peanut butter mixture until blended.
Then add peanut butter mixture to remaining whipped cream and gently stir until blended and not streaks remain.
Cut cake in 2 layers, using a long serrated knfie.
Place 1 layer on serving plate and spread with mousse.
Top with remaining cake layer.
Refrigerate while preparing glaze.
GLAZE: Stir cream, butter and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves.
Bring to a boil and add chips.
Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes, then stir until smooth.
Pour glaze over top of cake and gently spread to edges, letting glaze drip down sides.
Refrigerate at least 2 hours until set, or up to 1 day.
Before serving, garnish with halved peanut butter cups.
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