Heaven And Hell Cake With Peanut Butter Ganache Food

HEAVEN AND HELL CAKE WITH PEANUT BUTTER GANACHE

Steps:

• 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 the flour and powdered sugar and set aside.
• Place the egg whites in the bowl of a heavy duty mixer.
• Beat slowly while adding the salt and cream of tartar and continue beating for 1 minute or until soft peaks form.
• Increase speed to medium, add sugar into whites by tablespoons until all is incorporated, then beat about 1-1/2 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 again, using a minimum number of strokes so the egg whites do not deflate.
• Gently spoon the mixture into the pan and bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden brown.
• Do not over bake or the cake will sink in the center.
• DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE: Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Oil and flour a round 9-inch cake pan.
• Sift the cocoa powder into the mixing bowl, then drizzle in the coffee while whisking to make a smooth paste.
• Set aside.
• (Might be more liquid than paste) Combine shortening, sugar, vanilla, and eggs and beat for 2 minutes on medium speed.
• 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.
• Test for doneness.
• PEANUT BUTTER MOUSSE: In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the cream cheese until light and creamy.
• Gradually beat in the powdered sugar, then the peanut butter.
• If mixture looks lumpy, add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream.
• Continue beating until thoroughly incorporated and fluffy.
• Transfer mixture to another bowl and set aside.
• Place heavy cream in the electric mixer bowl and whip until stiff.
• Carefully, but thoroughly, combine both mixtures; set aside.
• GANACHE (FROSTING): In a saucepan, bring the cream to a boil and stir in the chocolate.
• Remove from heat, cover pan and let the chocolate melt.
• Whisk to combine thoroughly then let cool to room temperature.
• ASSEMBLING HEAVEN AND HELL CAKE: 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 devil's food cake on a cake plate and spoon 1/3 of the peanut butter mousse on the top.
• Place a layer of the angel food on top of the mousse and spread with another 1/3 of the peanut butter.
• Continue layering until you have four layers of cake and three layers of mousse.
• Whisk the 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.
• Recipe Tip: slice thinly!
• It's rich!

HEAVEN AND HELL CAKE

Steps:

• Credit: André Baranowski
• FOR THE GANACHE:
• lbs. milk chocolate, such as Valrhona, chopped
• 1/2 cups heavy cream
• FOR THE ANGEL FOOD CAKE:
• 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• cup cake flour
• 1/2 cups egg whites
• tsp. cream of tartar
• 8 tsp. kosher salt
• cup sugar
• tsp. vanilla
• tsp. almond extract
• FOR THE DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE:
• 2 cup vegetable shortening, plus more for pan
• 1/2 cups cake flour, plus more for pan
• tsp. baking soda
• 4 tsp. kosher salt
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• cup coffee
• 2 cup cocoa powder, sifted
• 1/2 cups sugar
• tsp. vanilla
• eggs
• FOR THE PEANUT BUTTER MOUSSE:
• 1/2 lbs. cream cheese, at room temperature
• cups smooth peanut butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1/2 cups heavy cream
• Make the ganache: Place the chocolate in a medium-size bowl. Bring cream to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan; pour cream over the chocolate and let sit to melt for 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, combine the chocolate and cream. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to let rest for 4 hours.
• Make the angel food cake: Heat oven to 325°. Line bottom of a 10" round cake pan with ungreased parchment paper. In a medium bowl, sift together confectioners' sugar and flour; set flour mixture aside. In a large bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt with a handheld mixer on low speed until frothy. Increase mixer speed to medium, sprinkle in sugar, vanilla, and almond extract, and beat until stiff peaks form. Sprinkle half of the confectioners' sugar-flour mixture over egg whites; using a rubber spatula, fold until just combined. Repeat with remaining flour mixture. Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake until top of cake springs back when touched, 45-50 minutes. Transfer cake to a rack and let cool.
• Make the devil's food cake: Heat oven to 350°. Grease a 10" round cake pan with shortening and dust with flour to coat; shake out excess flour and set pan aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder; set flour mixture aside. In another medium bowl, whisk the coffee and cocoa powder until smooth; set coffee mixture aside. In a large bowl, beat the shortening, sugar, vanilla, and eggs with a handheld mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 2 minutes. Alternately add the flour mixture and the coffee mixture to the bowl in 3 stages, beating to combine after each addition. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean, 30-35 minutes; transfer to a rack and let cool completely.
• Make the peanut butter mousse: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, and confectioners' sugar with a handheld mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Put cream into a large bowl and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture; set mousse aside in the refrigerator.
• Assemble the cake: Using a serrated-blade knife, slice each cake horizontally into 2 layers. Place 1 layer of the devil's food cake on a cake stand and spread 1/3 of the peanut butter mousse over the top with a butter knife. Top mousse with a layer of the angel food cake and spread with half of the remaining mousse. Repeat with the remaining devil's food cake, mousse, and angel food cake. Wrap cake in plastic wrap and freeze for 2 hours. Stir ganache until smooth and spread evenly over the top and sides of the cake with a butter knife. Refrigerate the cake for 2 hours before slicing.
• SERVES 10 - 12