Chocolate Mousse Wedding Cake

By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

126 people added this to their Recipe Box

Photo by Michael Mahovlich

This recipe makes 72 servings

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Impressive. Showstopping. As perfect as the wedding itself. The outside -- all buttercream, white chocolate curls and pink roses -- is just a promise of the wonderful dark chocolate mousse inside. This is a cake that lives up to the glory of the occasion -- and the future1

Ingredients

One-Third of Bottom Cake Tier:
2 oz unsweetened chocolate , chopped2 2oz ozunsweetened chocolate, chopped
6 eggs , separated6 6eggeggs, separated
1 cup granulated sugar 1 1cup cupgranulated sugar
2 tsp instant coffee granules 2 2tsp tspinstant coffee granules
1 tsp vanilla 1 1tsp tspvanilla
2/3 cup sifted cake and pastry flour 2/3 2/3cup cupsifted cake and pastry flour
1/3 1/3cup cupsifted unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp cream of tartar 1/4 1/4tsp tspcream of tartar
Chocolate Mousse (Bottom Tier):
3 lb bittersweet chocolate , chopped3 3lb lbbittersweet chocolate or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1-1/2 1-1/2cups cupsunsalted butter, cut_in small pieces
6 cups whipping cream 6 6cups cupswhipping cream
2 tbsp instant coffee granules 2 2tbsp tbspinstant coffee granules
Buttercream for Bottom Tier:
5 egg whites 5 5egg whiteegg whites
1 cup granulated sugar 1 1cup cupgranulated sugar
2 cups unsalted butter , softened2 2cups cupsunsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla 1 1tsp tspvanilla
White Chocolate Curls:
1 1lb lbwhite chocolate, coarsely chopped (Callebaut, Lindt or Tobler)

Preparation

View step-by-step instructions for making this Chocolate Mousse Wedding Cake.

Final Step:
White chocolate curls: in bowl over hot (not boiling) water, melt white chocolate without stirring. Place 4 baking sheets upside down on counter. Dividing evenly, scrape chocolate onto sheets; spread thinly and evenly with palette knife or pie lifter. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until pliable but not sticky.

Working with 1 baking sheet at a time, brace pan against body. Holding palette knife with 2 hands and at 45 degree angle away from yourself, pull through chocolate to scrape into curls, refrigerating pan if chocolate begins to soften. Immediately place curls on chilled waxed paper?lined tray. Refrigerate until chilled or for up to 2 days. Arrange curls over cake. Tuck edible flowers among curls (see below).

Flower Flourishes:
Delicate blossoms add a finishing touch to a special-occasion cake. Make sure the flowers you pick are nontoxic. If in doubt, check with your local horticultural society.

Whenever possible, pick fresh unsprayed flowers from your own garden. Avoid flowers from a florist's shop, since these blooms have probably been sprayed with a pesticide.
Pick flowers early in the day. Rinse blossoms and leaves in cold water, then dry and refrigerate in vase of water.
Decorate cake with grouped or individual blossoms, buds or petals. These flowers are safe to use for garnishing: tulips, nasturtiums, pansies, roses, violas, cornflowers, marigolds, carnations and geraniums.

Additional information :

Test Kitchen Tips:

When sifted flour is called for in a recipe, it should be measured after sifting.
Use leftover cake for rum balls, ice-cream sandwiches or in a trifle.