Black Tie Chocolate Mousse Cake

Base Cake

• ½ Cup baking cocoa
• 1 Cup boiling water
• ½ Cup butter, softened
• 1 Cup sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 Cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt

Chocolate Cheesecake

• ¼ Cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ Cup dark chocolate chips, melted and slightly cooled
• ½ Cup heavy whipping cream
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened

White Chocolate Mousse

• 1 Cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 3 oz cream cheese, softened
• 3 oz white baking chocolate, melted and cooled

Ganache

• 3 Cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1½ Cups heavy whipping cream

Garnish

• 2 Cups miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 Cup white baking chips, melted

Base Cake

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, combine cocoa and water; set aside to cool completely. In a large bowl, cream butter and 1 Cup sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Whisk together flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp baking powder and ¼ tsp salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with cocoa mixture, beating well after each addition.

1. 1. Pour into a greased parchment-lined 9-in. round baking pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
2. 2. Spread over chocolate cheesecake layer. Refrigerate until set and chilled, about 1 hour. 5. For ganache, place chips in a large bowl.
3. 3. Cool slightly, stirring occasionally. Reserve 1 cup for frosting; cover and refrigerate until cold.

Chocolate Cheesecake

1. 1. For chocolate cheesecake layer, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese, ¼ Cup confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Beat in dark chocolate until combined. In another bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. Fold into cream cheese mixture. Place cake layer in bottom of a 9-in. springform pan; spread cheesecake over top. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

White Chocolate Mousse

1. 1. For white chocolate mousse, in a bowl, beat the cream until it begins to thicken. Gradually add 2 Tbsp sugar, beating until stiff peaks form; set aside. In another bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add white chocolate and beat until smooth. Fold in whipped cream.

Ganache

1. 1. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; stir with a whisk until smooth.

Garnish

1. 1. Remove cake from pan; place on a wire rack. Pour remaining ganache over cake, allowing it to coat side. For garnish, press miniature chocolate chips into side of cake. Drizzle melted white chips over the top.
2. 2. Refrigerate, covered, until chilled. Beat reserved ganache until piping consistency, about 15 seconds. Pipe around top edge. Refrigerate until serving.