Black Tie Mousse Cake

Instructions

Bottom Layer (Chocolate Cake):

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 9 inch cake pan.
2. Whisk the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a mixing bowl.
3. In a separate boil whisk the eggs, milk, sour cream, canola oil and vanilla together.  Then stir this into the dry ingredients.  Mix just until combined.
4. Drizzle the boiling water in while stirring.  Once the boiling water is incorporated pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.
5. Bake for 35-40 minutes.  A toothpick should come out with moist crumbs.
6. Cool cake completely and remove from the cake pan.
7. Make the top level using a serrated knife.  Place the leveled cake in the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.  Set aside.

Second Layer (Chocolate Mousse):

1. Carefully heat the cream cheese and semi-sweet chocolate chips in the microwave until the chocolate chips are melted and you can stir them into the cream cheese making a smooth mixture.  Cool for 5 minutes.
2. While that is cooling, soften the gelatin in the 1 tablespoon of cold water for a minutes.  Then stir in the 2 Tbs. of boiling water.  Stir until the gelatin is dissolved.
3. In a small mixing bowl beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form.  Add the dissolved gelatin and the 1/4 cup of powdered sugar.  Beat until stiff peaks form.
4. Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate cream cheese a bit at a time until it has all been folded in.
5. Spread the chocolate mousse evenly over the chocolate cake in the springform pan and put it in the fridge to chill while you prepare the next layer.

Third Layer (White Chocolate Mousse):

1. Chop up the white chocolate chips and put them in a mixing bowl.
2. Bring 1/2 Cup heavy cream to a boil.  While you are waiting for the cream to boil, soften the gelatin in 1 Tbs. of cold water.  Once the cream comes to a boil pour in the softened gelatin and stir until it is dissolved.  Pour the hot cream with dissolved gelatin over the chopped up white chocolate chips.
3. Stir until the chocolate is melted and blended in.
4. Beat the remaining 1 Cup of heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
5. Fold the whipped cream into the white chocolate mixture a bit at a time until is has all been folded in.
6. Spread this over the chocolate mousse layer and place the cake back in the fridge for at least at hour so the white chocolate layer can set.

Fourth Layer (Chocolate Ganache):

1. Chop up the semi-sweet chocolate chips and put them in a mixing bowl.
2. Bring the 1 1/2 cups of Heavy Cream to a boil and pour it over the chocolate.
3. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and you have a smooth bowl of chocolate ganache.
4. Cool until the ganache is still pourable but is not complete liquid.  This took mine about 15 minutes.  While this is cooling, run a sharp knife around the edges of the springform pan and then remove the outside rim.
5. Carefully transfer the cake from the bottom part of the springform pan to a cake plate.
6. Spread 1/3 of the ganache over the top layer of the mousse.  Put it back in the fridge.
7. Cool the remaining ganache until you can spread a thin layer on the sides of the side without it running off.  Press the mini chocolate chips into the ganache on the sides.  Put back in the fridge.
8. You should have about 1/3 of the ganache left.  Let it cool until it has thickened enough to pipe.  This took mine about a half hour.  You can speed this process up by putting it in the fridge and checking/stir it every couple minutes.
9. Melt the white candy melts and drizzle across the top of the cake.  Then fill a pastry bag with the remaining ganache and pipe it around the edges.
10. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
11. To slice the cake making clean cuts, run a sharp knife under very hot water for a moment, quickly but carefully make a cut for the first slice.  Run the knife under the hot water and dry it in between cuts.
12. Store in the fridge.