An Easy Vanilla Cake with Peanut Butter Mousse and Chocolate Ganache

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Sometimes you just need to go a little over the top with things. This vanilla cake recipe is one of those “over the top” things I’m talking about. While this is a doctored cake mix recipe (yeah…sue me for using a boxed cake mix), the filling of peanut butter mousse and topping of decadent chocolate ganache says nothing of cardboard box or run of the mill cake. I think you’re gonna love this vanilla cake for it’s rich/decadent flavors and the ease of putting the whole thing together.

I know we’ve been through this discussion before about me using boxed cake mixes in recipes. But guess what? I still do it from time to time. No, I’m not crazy about all of the unpronouncable ingredients found in that magic little box. But dammit! Those boxes make a consistently good cake…so I still use them sometimes.  I rarely leave them alone though. I’m always trying to make them taste a little better or a little different and today’s vanilla cake is one of those instances.

I started with a plain ol’ white cake mix. I wanted something that was a nice blank slate for the flavors I was looking for: malt and vanilla. Yes, this cake mix recipe makes a malted vanilla cake. Just try and find that in any box or on any baker’s shelf. Not gonna happen. This kind of flavor magic can only happen in your own kitchen (without having to pay someone a ridiculous amount of money to make it for you).

Why was I making this delicious concoction? Of course you know there had to be a reason, since I don’t bake very often. A friend of ours recently became a US citizen and I wanted to make her a cake to say congratulations. I thought about some traditional American flavors for the cake and instantly thought of peanut butter and chocolate (I think apple pie is only slightly more American that pb and chocolate) and malt, as in those malted soda’s from some time waaaaaay before me.

While the cake was baking, Craig was crawling all over the kitchen. Somehow, he always manages to be in the kitchen when there’s something baking in the oven. Why doesn’t he find himself in there when the dish washer is being loaded or unloaded? Funny how that happens, isn’t it? (NO, it’s NOT!) I explained to him, okay I shouted at him, that the cake was not for us but was for our friend and he could not have any. As he was whimpering and whining I went to the other room to do some work.

The cakes came out of the oven and I made up the peanut butter mousse, that would be the filling between the malted vanilla layers, and whipped up a batch of chocolate ganache to pour over the whole thing. The next day I would put the whole thing together.

I ran to take my car in to the shop that morning and came home to find this waiting for me on the counter.

Since Rizzo won’t eat anything that’s not meat and Ballsy the squirrel (our resident fuzzy rodent who resides in our backyard) is more than happy with his selection of tangerines to eat, it pretty much only left one other culprit. When confronted with the missing chunk of cake I received no excuses, denials or admittance of guilt. No, I received suggestions of potential culprits. Frustrated, I felt I only had one recourse…I outed him on Facebook. When confronted with the damming evidence of his poaching, and the ensuing comments he received on my FB page, I finally felt vindicated.  He apologized for taking such a big piece of the cake. Of course “fill it with frosting” was his solution. Then he was informed that it would be covered in chocolate ganache and not frosting. UGH! Guys!

So that explains why these are mini cakes. I didn’t have whole cakes to use. Of course our friend thought it was hilarious that Craig did that, even though he was told that the cake was not for us.

The mini cakes work really well for this recipe because this is a really rich cake mix recipe. The malted flavor isn’t overwhelming and the addition of vanilla paste really makes this more of a vanilla cake than a malt cake. The dreamy layer of peanut butter mousse (recipe from Epicurious) combined with the rich coating of chocolate ganache makes this cake a dessert version of Reese Cups.

By the way…malted milk powder works great in baked goods. It adds a depth of flavor to cakes and quick breads.

An Easy Vanilla Cake with Peanut Butter Mouse and Chocolate Ganache

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

This decadent malted vanilla cake with peanut butter mousse and chocolate ganache is as easy to make as it is to eat.

Author: Pamela Braun

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• For The Vanilla Cake
• 1 Box White Cake Mix
• ½ Cup Malted Milk Powder
• 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Bean Paste
• For The Peanut Butter Mousse
• 9 Ounces Creamy Peanut Butter (not the natural peanut butter with oil on top)
• 8 Ounces Cream Cheese
• 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extact
• 1 Cup Chilled Whipping Cream
• For The Chocolate Ganache
• 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1½ Cups Dark Chocolate (not to exceed 72% cocoa)

Instructions

1. For The Vanilla Cake
2. Mix cake, as instructed, but also add in the malted milk powder and vanilla bean paste.
3. Bake cake according to package instructions.
4. Remove from oven and let cool completely before filling and frosting cake.
5. For The Peanut Butter Mousse
6. In a mixer, beat the peanut butter and cream cheese together just until blended.
7. Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract then blend until everything is thoroughly combined.
8. In a separate bowl, beat the whipping cream until stiff beaks form.
9. Gently fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture. Do this in batches so that everything stays light and creamy.
10. For The Chocolate Ganache
11. Chop chocolate until it is in fine pieces and dump into a bowl.
12. Heat whipping cream over medium heat just until small bubbles form around pan edges.
13. Pour half of the cream over the chocolate and let sit for 30 seconds.
14. Begin stirring and melting the chocolate.
15. Add remaining cream and stir until everything is well blended.
16. Assembling the Cake
17. Cut cake into smaller rounds, if you like, or use the cake whole.
18. Lay bottom layer flat and slice cake, if necessary, to make the layer even.
19. Spread a thick layer of peanut butter mousse on bottom layer of cake.
20. Repeat these steps for as many layers as you have.
21. When final layer has been placed on the cake, pour the warm ganache over the top of the cake.
22. Chill for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator before serving.

Notes

To make cleanup a bit easier. Set cake on raised cooling rack before pouring the ganache over top. This lets it drip off of the cake. To make things even easier, set the rack on top of a baking sheet.

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