Peanut Butter Mousse Cake
This Peanut Butter Mousse Cake has multiple cake layers of chocolate and sponge cakes with a peanut butter filling, and then topped with ganache! Decadent dessert for any special occasion!
This is the text my son sent me when I asked him what kind of cake he wanted me to make for his birthday! I think he tries to challenge me to see if I can pull it off!
Well, I took one look at the multiple layers in this cake and after a few seconds of feeling intimidated I thought, ok, game on, I can do this!
Surprisingly, this wasn’t as difficult to bake as it might seem. I used the sponge cake from my Boston Cream Pie and the chocolate cake from my Homemade Ice Cream Cake.
The peanut butter mousse filling is the only new recipe that took a couple of tries before getting the consistency I liked.
This is probably one of the most delicious cakes that every passed my lips!! I mean, peanut butter mousse?! Oh, man is this ever decadent!
The chocolate/peanut butter combo is now plastered on my butt, which may be why this cake is titled in the text Heaven and Hell – lol!
There are some things in life that are worth skipping the skinny jeans and putting in a few more hours of exercise sweat for!
Put this recipe in your must try list! The chocolate cake has a hint of cinnamon that adds a lovely depth of flavor when paired with chocolate, and the milk chocolate ganache is a creamy and simple topping that pools to the bottom as it drips down the layers.
Heavenly, just heavenly!
Peanut Butter Mousse Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Layer
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup water hot
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon ground
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
Sponge Cake Layer
- 6 large eggs at room temperature and separated
- 1 cup granulated sugar divided
- 1 cup cake flour
Peanut Butter Mousse
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups creamy peanut butter
- 2 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
Ganache
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon butter unsalted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat with non-stick baking spray a jelly pan or baking sheet with a 1 inch lip (about 17″ X 11″). Place parchment paper on top and spray again. Set aside.
- Chocolate Layer
- Whisk together in a large bowl, flour, sugar, and cocoa. Add oil, eggs and milk. Mix all ingredients well. Add 1 cup of hot water, combining all ingredients. The batter will appear to be too watery. Don’t be tempted to adjust. It will cook perfectly.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Cook for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick placed in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes and invert onto a work surface. Remove parchment paper and cool on baking racks. Trim edges if necessary for even layers. Cut in half (horizontal) and set aside (you can wrap in plastic wrap and freeze if you are preparing in advance).
- Sponge Cake Layer
- Using two mixer bowls (one large, one small), separate the eggs by putting the egg whiles in the large bowl and the yolks in the small bowl.
- Add ½ cup of sugar to the egg whites and beat until very stiff and set aside.
- Add ½ cup of sugar to yolks and beat until very light yellow in color and thick. Fold egg yolks into egg whites. Two tablespoons at a time add flour and gently and quickly fold into mixture (don’t over mix or beat). Pour into prepared jelly roll. Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out dry.
- Cool for 5 minutes and invert onto a work surface. Remove parchment paper and cool on baking racks. Trim edges if necessary for even layers. Cut in half (horizontal) and set aside (you can wrap in plastic wrap and freeze if you are preparing in advance).
- Peanut Butter Mousse
- In a medium bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups heavy cream until still and set aside. In a large bowl, beat peanut butter and cream cheese together until well combined. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Fold in whipped cream and refrigerate for 2 hours before assembling cake.
- Ganache
- In a medium bowl break apart chocolate into small pieces and set aside.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat bring heavy whipping cream and butter to a boil. Pour over chocolate and mix until melted and smooth.
- Assemble Cake
- Place one chocolate layer on a cake stand or a piece of cardboard covered in aluminum foil. Add a layer of peanut butter mousse. Top with a layer of sponge cake. Repeat layers ending with sponge cake. Pour ganache over the cake. Refrigerate for an hour to set. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Please note that the nutritional information provided are guidelines and may vary based on the brand of products used. For your specific nutritional goals use My Fitness Pal or Verywell Fit recipe calculators. All content within this site is not intended as medical diagnosis or treatment and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical expertise.
Now this is my kind of birthday cake! 🙂 Love the peanut butter and chocolate combo!
You can’t go wrong with peanut butter and chocolate! So darn good together!
How do you feel about a 40 something kid? heehee I’m thinking you should adopt me?! I like how you celebrate birthdays haha This sounds AH-MAZING!!
LOL – I have lots of 30 and 40 year old kids that I feed birthday cake to. Welcome to the family, Marion 🙂
This cake sounds and looks so heavenly! I would love to have a slice! Happy birthday to your son!
Holy wow this looks amazing! Anything peanut butter and I’m in. And happy birthday to your son!! 21 – oh-mi-gerd I can’t imagine my kids hitting that one. And yet I know I’ll blink, and be there too 🙂 Great recipe Sandra! I can see the love in it.
It goes by fast, Erica! Yep, both of my kids are in their 20’s!
Peanut Butter is my favorite, I think I would love it.
Oh wow…what an amazing looking cake! So many layers of goodness! Happy Birthday to your son!
Thank you Renee! You only turn 21 once, so might as well go big in the dessert request!
I only can dream about eating a cake that looks and sounds absolutely delicious–I am diabetic!!
That looks so good. I love the combination of the chocolate and peanut butter.
You can never go wrong with the duo in a cake!
I just adore he’s sending you cake requests. I want one of those too for my very merry unbirthday!
He puts in requests in for birthday dinner too, but the cake is lots of fun for me to bake!
That cake looks so GOOD. I bet it didn’t take you’s love to gobble it all up. Make sure to tell him I said Happy Birthday!
I may have had some for breakfast a couple of times just to finish it off – haha!
This looks amazing! I love peanut butter!
Peanut Butter is the best 🙂
Happy Birthday to your son. What a gorgeous cake to celebrate with.
Thank you, Christie! It was a fun cake to make!