Chocolate Peanut Butter Pound Cake
Submitted by cancer
Frozen chocolate peanut butter mousse cake shaped in a tilted loaf pan to form a dramatic triangular cross-section. A restaurant-style showstopper dessert.
YIELD
16 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
30 minREADY
9 hrsThis is a dessert engineered for drama. A loaf pan tilts at 45 degrees in the freezer while the peanut butter mousse sets, forming a triangular wedge down one side. The pan then sits flat and the chocolate mousse fills the rest, creating a striking diagonal cross-section once sliced.
The two-mousse construction is the technical showpiece. Peanut butter mousse is lightened with whipped egg whites, while the chocolate mousse uses pate-a-bombe technique (eggs warmed with hot espresso) folded with whipped cream. They’re entirely different textures despite both being called mousse.
The ganache glaze poured over the unmolded cake is the final theater. Inverted onto a rack, the frozen cake holds shape while the ganache flows down all sides, setting into a glossy chocolate shell. Slice cold for the cleanest reveal.
Chef Tips
- Wedge a rolled-up towel under the pan to hold the 45-degree angle stable in the freezer
- Line the pan with foil that extends over the sides for easy unmolding
- Use bittersweet chocolate for the chocolate mousse, milk chocolate is too sweet
- Don’t skip the espresso, it amplifies the chocolate without making it taste like coffee
- Freeze overnight for the cleanest slices, partially frozen mousse smears under the knife
Variations
- Substitute almond butter or Nutella for peanut butter for a different nut profile
- Add a thin layer of chocolate cookie crumbs between the mousses for textural contrast
- Garnish slices with fresh raspberries and a sprig of mint as suggested for restaurant-style plating
Ingredients
Directions
*Can use semisweet chocolate, chopped PEANUT BUTTER MOUSSE - Line 6-cup loaf pan with foil.
Mix together 1½ cups sugar, peanut butter and cream cheese in large bowl until smooth.
Mix in cream. Beat egg whites in medium bowl until soft peaks form.
Gradually add remaining ⅔ cup sugar and beat until stiff and shiny.
Fold whites into peanut butter mixture in 2 additions.
Tilt prepared pan lengthwise at 45 degree angle.
Spoon in peanut butter mousse and smooth top. (Mousse will form triangle down length of pan.)
Set pan in freezer, propping to hold angle. Freeze until mousse is firm, about 1 hour.
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE - Heat cream and sugar in heavy small pan over very low heat, stirring just until sugar dissolves.
Transfer to medium bowl and refrigerate until well chilled.
Meanwhile, melt chocolate in top of double boiler over simmer water, stirring until smooth - cool 5 min.
Dissolve expresso powder in hot water in small bowl.
Whisk in yolks. Add mixture to warm chocolate and stir until mixture is smooth and slightly thickened.
Let stand until batter is cooled to room tem, but not set.
Beat chilled cream to soft peaks.
Fold cream into chocolate mixture in 2 additions.
Set pan with frozen peanut butter mousse flat onto work surface.
Spoon chocolate mousse over frozen peanut butter mousse.
Smooth top. Cover pan. Freeze until chocolate is firm, 6 hours or overnight.
GLAZE - Heat cream and butter in medium saucepan over low heat until cream simmers and butter is melted.
Turn off heat.
Add chocolate and whisk until mixture is smooth. Let cool until thickened, but still of pouring consistency, about 1½ hours.
Invert loaf onto cake rack. Remove pan; remove foil.
Pour glaze over mousse and smooth all surfaces.
Transfer mousse to serving platter.
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