Tag Archives: Mousse

Almond Joy Cake

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I’m a little delayed on this post… This was actually a cake on made for Easter this year. It was also my first attempt at making buttercream flowers, and I only managed to snap one picture take from an iphone.

Almond Joy Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Needless to say, this wasn’t the most optimum recipe and cake for a post, but I just HAD to share this recipe with y’all!

This cake was requested by my mom this year that I believe was partly to celebrate her birthday in addition to the Easter festivities.  Anyways her request was [the best ever] chocolate cake with coconut whipped cream filling and frosted with chocolate mousse. So basically an Almond Joy in cake form (minus the almond part…does that make it more of a Mounds cake?)

This was was super delicious, even my coconut-hating uncle enjoyed it! It’s a very decadent cake that is perfect for the spring/summer time with the refreshing coconut. Maybe not awesome for bikini season, but cake wins over bikini body in my book ;)

Almond Joy Cake

(Makes one 2-layer, 6-inch round cake)

FOR CAKE:
1 prepared & baked chocolate cake recipe, I of course used my favorite chocolate cake recipe!
FOR FILLING:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup shaved coconut
2-3 Tablespoons powdered sugar
2 teaspoons coconut extract
TO FROST OUTSIDE OF CAKE:
1 prepared batch of my super easy 2-ingredient chocolate mousse

  1. Prepare chocolate cake according to recipe and let cool. Once cool, slice in half lengthwise into two equal rounds.
  2. Prepare coconut whipped cream filling by whipping heavy whipped cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Beat cream with powdered sugar and whip until heavy peaks are formed, whip in coconut extract. Whip cream until it takes on the thick appearance of whipped cream you would buy from the store. Fold in shaved coconut.
  3. Place bottom cake layer on plate that you plan on using to frost the cake. Spread coconut filling on bottom cake layer, evenly.  Let sit in fridge to set up slightly for about 30 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, prepare chocolate mousse that you will use for frosting the outsides.
  5. After 30 minutes, take bottom cake layer that has been spread with coconut filling out and place top cake layer on top of the filling.  Frost cake as desired with prepared chocolate mousse. If desired, pipe whipped cream in small rosettes on top of cake or spread chocolate chips, shavings, or coconut on cake for garnish. I took my first stab at buttercream flowers! Mine turned out a little flat. I think I will need thicker frosting for my next attempt, but practice makes perfect! I also did a little border with some leftover yellow buttercream I had from the buttercream roses.

Random Fact of the Day: The Chinese ideogram for ‘trouble’ depicts two women living under one roof.

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Black Bottom Peanut Butter Mousse Pie

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Hello hello hello

Sorry I’ve been M.I.A. I was on a super top secret mission last week that forced me to like not have any time to make any yummy things.

Sorts of… you know loads and loads of homework and soccer and random allergic reactions count as secret missions, right? I like to call those secret missions from fate.

Anywho, I was able to squeeze in an uber tasty recipe before I left to visit my sister at college this past weekend. I have been meaning to make peanut butter pie since practically the beginning of time, so I finally got all the right ingredients and got to work! And by work, I mean consuming insane amounts of delicious pie that will make your taste buds give you a million hugs and kisses (it’s true).

Black Bottom Peanut Butter Mousse Pie

FOR CRUST:

7 sheets graham crackers

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 Tablespoons white sugar

FOR BLACK BOTTOM:

about 8-9 oz. chocolate, chopped (1 1/3 cups)

2/3 cup plus 1 3/4 cups chilled whipping cream, divided

2 Tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons vanilla, divided

FOR PEANUT BUTTER MOUSSE:

6 oz. (1 cup) peanut butter chips

2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray pie pan with cooking spray.  Process graham crackers, melted butter, and sugar in food processor. Press crumb mixture into prepared pie pan, evenly. Bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, combine chocolate, 2/3 cups cream, honey, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in microwave safe bowl. Microwave about 3 minutes until chocolate softens. Whisk till smooth. Spread over bottom of crust and freeze for 10 minutes.
  3. Melt peanut butter chips and 3/4 cups cream in large microwave-safe bowl on medium heat for about 25 seconds, following with 15 second intervals, stirring after each heating. Whisk in creamy peanut butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat remaining 1 cup and 2 Tablespoons white sugar until just before peaks are formed and the cream is very thick. Fold into peanut butter mixture in 3 additions. Spoon mousse over chocolate layer. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

Random Fact of the Day: Wal-Mart Stores bought $18 billion of goods from China in 2004 making it China’s eight-largest trading partner (ahead of Australia, Canada and Russia)

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Double Chocolate Mousse Cupcakes

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I’m in a pickle, guys.

I have no idea what to make lately.

It’s not exactly that I don’t have recipes, seriously, I’ve got recipes to last me for the rest of my life, my future daughter’s life, my future granddaughter’s life, and probably my great-granddaughter’s life.

It’s more of that I don’t even know what I want to eat. Like everything looks great and sounds great, but it is kind of starting to feel like lots of things are tasting a bit the same.

Anyways, if y’all could help me out, throw me a line, and give me some good suggestions that would just be super.

Until then I guess I’ll just have to force myself to eat these incredible double chocolate mousse cupcakes, yep…I sure have it rough over here ;) But forreals guys, I can’t get enough of this cupcake recipe, it comes out perfect every time and the mousse…I just have no words for it. Ah-mazing.

Double Chocolate Mousse Cupcakes

(Makes 8 cupcakes)

DARK CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

1/4 cup cocoa powder (I used dark cocoa)

1/2 cup boiling water

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon white sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup plus 2 1/2 Tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon All-Purpose flour (yeah, I know it’s complicated, but it is a halved recipe. If you want to double it, it would be 1 1/3 cups flour)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of salt

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or line regular cupcake tins.
  2. In a small bowl, pour boiling water over cocoa powder, and whisk until smooth. Let mixture cool. Into a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  3. Cream butter and sugar together with a mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Stir in vanilla. Add the flour mixture. Add the cocoa mixture. Pour batter into prepared cupcake tins.
  4. Bake in preheated oven 15-18 minutes. Allow to cool in tins, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. When thoroughly cooled, fill cupcakes and frost with mousse recipe (below).

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

  1. Melt chocolate in double boiler or microwave until smooth and thoroughly melted. Let cool slightly.
  2. whip heavy cream until stiff peak form and it takes on the whipped cream look (you know what it looks like!). Fold in melted chocolate until thoroughly combined. Place mousse in piping bags and pipe into cupcakes and frost as desired on top. Keep finished cupcakes in fridge.

Random Fact of the Day: You can’t hum while holding your nose closed. Go ahead, try it!

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Week in Review (2/20-2/24)

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Let’s see here, another week in the life of Beautiful Disasters!

Monday I shared with you guys some delicious chocolate mousse stuffed yellow cupcakes topped with dark chocolate buttercream. Yummy, yummy, yummy little guys right here! I visited U of I last weekend as you may have read in my last week in review post and I brought some for her boyfriend, his room mates, and one her bestest friends, Lizzy (who is incredibly nice by the way!). Turns out they loved them, so these would have been perfect for “Fat Tuesday” if any of you gave up treats for Lent, if you don’t happen to do Lent then by all means-make these bad boys!!

Tuesday was “Fat Tuesday”!!!! HOLLA! Night before Lent starts. In my house, that is code for ice cream dinner. Yum, yum, yum.

Wednesday I showed you guys the scrumptious Almond Joy/Mounds inspired ice cream pie I made for my Dad’s birthday! It was also the first day of Lent…40 days until I will be able to have treats again :( But hey, spring break is right smack dab in the middle so at least my family and I will have some nice beach bods!

Thursday I had a pretty average day..honestly nothing too exciting. We did have our pre-season meeting for soccer, where we discussed that next week we are still currently planning on trying out outside. In 30 degree weather. There is currently about 5 inches of snow on the ground.

Friday I shared with you guys some healthy baked chicken tenders. Hopefully I will continue going outside of my comfort zone by posting more savory recipes, my ratio of dessert recipes to “real food” recipes is insane…somewhat like 1092380 to 2. But hey now it’s more like 1092380 to 3! Making progress ;)

Random Fact of the Day: If you keep a goldfish in a dark room, it will eventually turn white.

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