Chocolate Almond Mousse Cake

The word mousse is French for froth or foam. Sweet mousses are cooked custard made with chocolate or fruit purees and combined with beaten egg whites and chilled. The mouse in this recipe is a easy shortcut because it is melted chocolate folded into whipped cream. This cake may seem difficult but it is easy to put together. It looks wonderful on a dessert table and serves a crowd.

Cake
1 (18.250 oz.) package devils food cake mix
1 1/3 cups water
1/2 cup oil
3 eggs

Mousse
12 ounce semisweet chocolate, cut into pieces
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups whipping cream, whipped

Topping
2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 15x10x1-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Line bottom of pan with waxed paper; spray paper with cooking spray.

Prepare cake mix as directed on package using water, oil an eggs. Pour batter into sprayed paper-lined baking pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 18 to 20 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert cake into wire rack; remove pan an paper. Cool 15 minutes or until completely cooled.

Meanwhile, melt chocolate in medium saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove foam heat. Stir in almond extract. Cool 10 minutes or until slightly cooled. Fold cooled chocolate into whipped cream.

Trim edges of cake. Cut cake length wise into 2 long layers. Place one layer on serving platter. Spread with 1/3 of the moose. Repeat with remaining cake layer and 1/3 of mousse. Place remaining 12/3 of the mousse in pastry bag fitted with star tip. Pipe border around bottom and top of cake. Decorate tip of cake with mousse rosettes. Sprinkle top with almonds. Store in refrigerator.

16 servings

Make ahead Hint:

Bake cake , cool and cut as directed and wrap into plastic an d foil. Seal in food storage plastic freezer bag and store in freeze up to three days. Prepare moose up to one day in advance. Early in day put cake together; cove and refrigerate. Rove from fridge one hour before serving.

Tip:
to toast almonds, place on cookie sheet in thin layer. Bake at 350 degrees F. for about 7 minutes or until just golden. Shake pan once or twice during baking to get even toasting.