Chocolate Almond Cake With White Chocolate Mousse Recipes

ALMOND LAYER CAKE WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter two 9-inch-round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper; butter the parchment and dust with flour, tapping out the excess. Pulse 2 cups flour, the baking powder, salt and almonds in a food processor until the nuts are finely ground into a powder, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk the egg whites, milk, and vanilla and almond extracts in a medium bowl until combined.
• Beat 1 stick butter and the granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour, until just combined.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool in the pans. (The cakes can be frozen, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 2 weeks. Unwrap and thaw at room temperature.)
• Make the frosting: Microwave the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second intervals, stirring, until melted; set aside. Beat the cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar and vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 4 minutes. Gently fold in the melted white chocolate with a rubber spatula. (The frosting can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 2 days. Beat with a mixer to soften just before frosting the cake.)
• Assemble the cake: Loosen the edges of the cakes with a knife, then invert 1 layer onto a platter and peel off the parchment. Spread 1 to 1 1/2 cups frosting on top. Remove the other layer from the pan, peel off the parchment and carefully place on top of the first layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with a thin layer of frosting (this is the "crumb coat"; it doesn't have to be perfect). Chill 15 minutes, then cover with the remaining frosting and decorate with nonpareils.

WHITE CHOCOLATE-ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350F and grease bottom of a 9 inch springform pan, line with wax paper.
• Melt chocolate in microwave on medium power or a bowl set over a pan of simmering water.
• (white chocolate won't melt to a smoothness of dark. once it's lost its shape it's melted enough) Beat butter in a large bowl on high speed till creamy.
• Beat in 3 T sugar then add yolks, one at a time.
• Scrape in cooled chocolate and beat till well blended.
• Add almonds and extract and beat till combined.
• Using clean beaters, beat egg whites on high speed till peaks begin to form.
• Slowly add 3 T sugar and beat till white and gloosy and firm.
• Add a big dollop to cake batter and stir well then fold in remaining whites.
• Pour into prepared pan and bake 45 to 50 minutes or till batter starts to pull away from sides of pan.
• Check after 30 minutes since you probably need to cover it loosely with foil to stop it burning.
• Some bronzing on top is okay.
• When done, a cake tester won't come out exactly clean, but no cooking batter should be clinging to it.
• Cool in pan on wire rack 20 minutes.
• Cake sinks while cooling.
• Run a knife around edge, invert cake on rack, remove paper, invert again and cool completely.
• Can serve with chopped mango and raspberries.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND CAKE WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Generously grease and lightly flour shaped (12-cup) Bundt® pan and bottom of Bundt® Tunnel Insert, or spray with baking spray with flour. Spoon almonds into bottom of pan.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour over almonds in pan. Place tunnel insert on center of Bundt pan.
• Bake 38 to 44 minutes or until toothpick inserted toward center comes out clean. Using sharp or serrated knife, immediately cut off excess cake across top of Bundt and tunnel insert pans. Carefully loosen tunnel insert; remove. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack, placing cake tunnel side down. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Make pudding mix as directed on box for pudding--except use 1 1/2 cups milk. When pudding is boiling, remove from heat. Stir in chopped white chocolate baking bars until melted. Stir in almond extract. Refrigerate about 15 minutes or until mousse is set. When cake is cool, turn cake over and spoon mousse into tunnel. Place cake filled side down on serving plate. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired. Stored covered in refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND MOUSSE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Spray 15x10x1inch baking pan with nonstick spray.
• Line bottom of pan with waxed paper and spray it also.
• Prepare cake mix as directed on package using water, oil and eggs.
• Pour batter into prepared paper-lined pan.
• Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes, or until done.
• Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes.
• Invert cake onto wire rack, remove pan and paper.
• Cool completely.
• Meanwhile melt chocolate.
• Stir in almond extract and cool completely.
• Fold cooled chocolate into whipped cream.
• Trim edges of cake.
• Cut cake lengthwise into two long layers.
• Place one layer on serving platter.
• Spread with 1/3 of mousse.
• Repeat with remaining layer and 1/3 of the mousse.
• Place remaining mousse in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip.
• Pipe border around bottom and top of cake.
• Decorate top of cake with mousse rosettes.
• Sprinkle top with toasted almonds.
• Store in refrigerator.