My birthday cake!

This cake starts out easy with a boxed cake mix.  The mousse is wonderful, although it is a bit of work.  But totally worth it in the end.  Even Rob loved it!  This one came from myrecipes.com.  I had to alter it a bit because we only had one pint of whipping cream, but it turned out fine.  Very moist and even better the second day!

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Mousse Cake






Yield: 1 (8-inch) cake or 8 parfaits





1 (18.25-ounce) package devil's food cake mix without pudding

2 1/2 cups whipping cream, divided

1 (10-ounce) package peanut butter morsels

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

2/3 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

Garnish: chopped roasted peanuts



Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Pour into 2 lightly greased 8-inch round cakepans. Bake according to package directions. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely.



Combine 2/3 cup whipping cream and peanut butter morsels in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until morsels melt and mixture is smooth; remove saucepan from heat. Stir in vanilla extract, and cool 25 minutes.



Beat 1 1/3 cups whipping cream at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Stir one-third whipped cream into peanut butter mixture. Fold into remaining whipped cream. Spread between cake layers; cover and chill.



Bring remaining 1/2 cup whipping cream and 1 tablespoon butter to a boil in a small saucepan. Add chocolate morsels; remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes. Stir until morsels melt and mixture is smooth.



Pour glaze over cake; garnish, if desired. Serve warm, or chill and serve at room temperature.



Chocolate-Peanut Butter Mousse Parfaits: Cut cooled cake layers into cubes. Layer 8 Parfait glasses evnly with two-thirds peanut butter mixture, cake cubes, and half of cocolate mixture. Top with remaining peanut butter mixture and chocolate mixture; sprinkle each parfait with chopped peanuts, if desired.