Lover’s Chocolate Cake

For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350ºF.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder and espresso powder and set aside. In a separate large bowl beat together the butter, sugar, and eggs until fluffy. In a third bowl, blend together the buttermilk, cream cheese, melted chocolate, and vanilla extract.

Add the dry mixture and the milk mixture alternately into the butter mixture until all is blended well. Divide the cake batter evenly into 2 prepared (buttered and floured) round 9-inch pans and bake until a toothpick is entered into the center of a cake and comes out clean. This should take about 30 to 35 minutes.

When the cake is finished, invert it out of the pan onto a cooling rack to cool to room temperature. Then place in the refrigerator so the cake can be completely cooled. Meanwhile, begin to make the chocolate mousse and ganache.

For the mousse:
Melt the chocolate over a double boiler then remove it from the heat and allow to completely cool. This may take several minutes but it’s important for the chocolate to not be warm.

Put the whipping cream into a medium-sized bowl and beat until firm peaks form. Once the chocolate has completely cooled, fold the chocolate into the whipped cream, doing so gently. Continue to fold until the chocolate has completely been incorporated into the cream then refrigerate for about 15 minutes.

For the ganache:
Place the chocolate in a bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan and once it comes to a boil, pour it over the chocolate. Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula and slowly stir until the chocolate melts and then add the vanilla extract. Set aside and allow to cool completely as well.

To assemble the cake:
1. Take the first cake layer and cut some of the ragged edges off then put it on a platter. If you are placing the cake on a cake stand like I did, line the edges of the cake with parchment paper so it will catch some of the ganache. But it is best to do all of this on a cooling rack first and then transfer to a cake stand. I just didn’t know how.

2. Take the chilled mousse and cover the top of the first cake and add the second cake layer and repeat. Add as much of the mousse as you can while leaving a smooth surface. Place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

3. Pour the ganache over the chilled cake and allow it to run over the sides.

4. Take the crushed chocolate wafers and pat the sides and the top of the cake so it can stick. Try to get as much of the cake covered so there is no chocolate showing. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.

The cake recipe is partially adapted from Emeril Lagasse’s Brownie Cake recipe.