Ingredients
- peanut butter ganache
- chocolate ganache
For angel food cake:
- 2/3 c cake flour
- 1 c powdered sugar
- 1 c egg whites (about seven or eight)
- pinch salt
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 2/3 c sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp almond extract
For devils food cake:
- ½ c cocoa powder
- 1 c strong coffee
- ½ c shortening
- 1 ½ c sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ c cake flour
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
Instructions
For angel food cake:
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Cut a circle of parchment paper or wax paper to fit the bottom of a 9" cake pan. Do not grease the pan or paper.
Sift together flour and powdered sugar and set aside.
Place egg whites in the bowl of a heavy duty mixer. Beat slowly while adding salt and cream of tartar and continue beating for 1 minute or until soft peaks form. Increase speed to medium, add sugar by tablespoonfuls until all is incorporated, then beat about 1 ½ minutes longer.
When egg whites have stiff peaks, add vanilla and almond extract.
Remove bowl from mixer and sprinkle half of the powdered sugar/flour mixture and fold in, then repeat with the remaining mixture. Use the minimum number of strokes so the egg whites do not deflate.
Gently spoon the mixture into the pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until golden brown. Do not overbake or the cake will sink in the center.
For devils food cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Oil and flour a 9" cake pan.
Sift the cocoa powder into the mixing bowl, then drizzle in the coffee while whisking to make a smooth paste. Set aside.
Combine shortening, sugar, vanilla, and eggs and beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. The result might be more liquid than paste.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
Alternately add the cocoa-coffee mixture and the flour mixture to the sugar-egg mixture and continue beating until incorporated.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes or until done.
Assembly:
When both cakes have cooled, carefully slice them in half horizontally with a long serrated knife so that you now have four layers.
Place one layer of the devils food cake on a cake plate and spoon 1/3 of the peanut butter ganache on the top.
Place one layer of the angel food cake on top and spread with another 1/3 of the peanut butter ganache.
Continue layering until you have four layers of cake and three layers of mousse.
Whisk the chocolate ganache and spread with a spatula over the top and sides to frost generously.
Chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours before serving.
Serve chilled; slice with a warm, wet knife.
