HEAVEN AND HELL CAKE

HEAVEN AND HELL CAKE image

Yield 10 - 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 28

Ingredients

FOR THE GANACHE:
2 lbs. milk chocolate, like Valrhona, chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
FOR THE ANGEL FOOD CAKE:
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup cake flour
1 1/2 cups egg whites
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract
FOR THE DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE:
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, plus more for pan
1 1/2 cups cake flour, plus more for pan
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 cup coffee
1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
FOR THE PEANUT BUTTER MOUSSE:
1 1/2 lbs. cream cheese, at room temperature
4 cups smooth peanut butter, at room temperature
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Steps:

1.Ganache: Place chocolate in med bowl. Bring cream to boil in 2-qt. pan; pour cream over chocolate; melt for 5 min. Stir chocolate and cream. Cover; rest for 4 hours. 2. Angel cake: Heat oven to 325°. Line a 10" cake pan with ungreased parchment paper. In med bowl, sift together 10x sugar & flour; set aside. In large bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, & salt on low until frothy. Increase speed to med, sprinkle in sugar, vanilla, & almond extract; beat until stiff peaks form. Sprinkle half of flour mixture over egg whites; fold until just combined. Repeat with remaining flour mixture. Pour into prepped cake pan. Bake until cake springs back when touched, 45-50 minutes. Cool. 3. Devil's cake: Heat oven to 350°. Grease 10" cake pan w/shortening; dust w/ flour to coat shaking out excess. In med bowl, whisk together cake flour, soda, salt, and baking powder; set aside. In another med bowl, whisk coffee & cocoa until smooth; set mixture aside. In large bowl, beat shortening, sugar, vanilla, and eggs on med until pale & fluffy, 2 min. Alternately add flour mixture & coffee mixture to the bowl in 3 stages, beating to combine after each addition. Pour batter into cake pan & bake until a pick comes out clean, 30-35 minutes; cool. 4. Mousse: In large bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, & 10x sugar on medium until smooth and fluffy, about 3 min. Put cream into a large bowl & beat on high until stiff peaks form. Fold cream into peanut butter mixture; refrigerate. 5. Assemble: Using serrated knife, slice each cake horizontally into 2 layers. Place 1 layer of the devil's food cake on a cake stand & spread 1/3 of the peanut butter mousse over top w/ a butter knife. Top mousse with a layer of angel food cake & spread w/half of the remaining mousse. Repeat w/remaining devil's food, mousse, & angel food. Wrap in plastic wrap; freeze for 2 hours. Stir ganache until smooth; spread over the top & sides of the cake w/butter knife. Refrigerate for 2 hours before slicing.