Chocolate Mousse Cake

• servings: 15 servings
• total time: 1 hour

Ingredients

SPONGE

5 eggs

150g (1 ¼ cups) all-purpose flour

150g (3/4 cup) sugar

25g (1 tbsp) unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tbsp vegetable oil

pinch of salt

FILLING

800 ml (3 ⅓ cups) whipping cream

150g (1 ¼ cups) powdered sugar

30-40g (1 ½ oz) unsweetened cocoa

1 tbsp powdered gelatin

4-5 tbsp water

vanilla extract, a few drops

GANACHE

80g (3 oz) dark chocolate

2 tbsp oil

2 tbsp apricot jam

2 tbsp rum, brandy or whisky

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180°C/365F. Line a 30 x 25 cm (12 x 10-inch) baking tray with parchment paper and spray with nonstick vegetable spray.

Mix together flour, cocoa, and salt. In another bowl, beat the eggs with sugar until ribbon; after about 7 minutes, the mixture should be pale yellow and foamy. Add dry ingredients to the egg mixture, whisking them in carefully. Spread the sponge batter evenly on the tray. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

When the sponge is baked, let it cool and cut into two 15 x 25 cm (6 x 10-inch) pieces.

To prepare the top layer, first, mix the jam with rum and spread it over one sponge. Then, melt the chocolate with oil in a bain-marie or in the microwave. Pour the ganache over the rum-spiked sponge. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until the chocolate is set. Slice the ganache-topped sponge into 15 5 cm (2-inch) squares.

To make the filling, soak the gelatine in water for 5 minutes. Mix the powdered sugar with cocoa. Beat the whipping cream and then mix it well with the gelatine, adding the dry ingredients and vanilla extract. Mix until well incorporated.

Evenly spread the filling over the bottom sponge, and then finish the cake by assembling the ganache-glazed sponge squares on top of the filling. Refrigerate until the filling is set. Slice the cubes just before serving.