For the chocolate cake:
2 cups granulated sugar
pound unsalted butter, soft but
still cool
4 large eggs, room temperature
5 cups cake fl our, sifted
cup unsweetened Dutchprocessed
cocoa powder, sifted
2 tablespoons baking soda
teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
For the chocolate mousse:
4 ounces semisweet chocolate
4 large pasteurized eggs, separated
cup sugar
cup heavy cream
For the chocolate ganache:
1 pint heavy cream
24 ounces semisweet chocolate
chips
4 tablespoons soft butter
Cook s note: At City Tavern, the Chocolate Mousse
Cake was served as mousse between two layers. This
recipe from the cookbook says to slice the layers in
half horizontally so there are four layers of cake and
three layers of mousse. Either way works.
To prepare the chocolate cake: Preheat oven to
350 degrees. Lightly spray two 9 or 10-inch round or
springform cake pans with vegetable cooking spray
and line bottoms with parchment paper circles. In
the bowl of an electric mixer, cream sugar and butter
on medium high to light and fl uffy, scraping the side
of bowl often.
Add eggs slowly, scraping bowl often. In a separate
bowl, sift together the fl our, cocoa powder, baking
soda, and salt. Add to the butter-sugar mixture alternating
with the milk. Divide the batter between two
prepared pans (don t overfi ll; bake any excess batter
as cupcakes or a small cake). Bake 30 to 35 minutes
until fi rm to the touch, or until a toothpick inserted
in the middle comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on
wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans
and completely cool.
To prepare the chocolate mousse: Place water
in bottom pan of a double boiler so that the top of
the water is inch below the upper pan. Place the
chocolate squares in the upper pan. Then place the
double boiler over the low heat. Stir the chocolate
constantly until it is melted. The water in the bottom
of the double boiler should not come to boiling while
the chocolate is melting. Remove melted chocolate
from heat. Add pasteurized egg yolks and beat well.
Set aside to cool.
In a chilled bowl of an electric mixer with chilled
beaters, beat the cup of heavy cream on low to medium
until soft peaks form. Cover with plastic wrap
and refrigerate until chilled. In a separate clean and
dry bowl of an electric mixer, whip the egg whites
until they begin to foam, slowly add the cup sugar,
and whip to medium stiff peaks. Gently fold the
chilled whipped cream into the chocolate mixture
until the cream is just combined into the mixture.
Do not overfold. Gently fold the reserved whites into
the chocolate until just combined. Cover the mixture
with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour
before using.
To make the ganache: In a heavy 1-quart saucepan,
bring 2 cups heavy cream and soft butter just
to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove saucepan from
heat. In a large bowl, place chocolate chips. Pour hot
cream over chocolate and let set 1 minute. Whisk to
thoroughly combine ingredients and allow to cool.
When mixture is room temperature, cover with plastic
and refrigerate until 1 hour before ready to use.
To assemble the cake: When the cake has cooled
completely, using a serrated knife, carefully cut each
cake in half horizontally to make a total of 4 layers, 2
per cake. To assemble, place fi rst cake layer on large
serving plate. Alternate cake layers and mousse fi lling,
spreading mousse evenly onto each cake layer.
Frost the outside of the cake with Chocolate Ganache.
Refrigerate cake until ready to serve.
Yield: 10 to 12 servings
Source: City Tavern Cookbook