Almond Mocha Cake frosted with Mocha Mousse

This one post as you all can see is something I wanted to post since last Christmas; the decor was done based on that ; but because of some  or the other reason,this post kept on lagging. This cake is spongy, soft and coffee flavoured cake. The sponge recipe is taken from Khana Pakana.com whereas the mousse recipe is from Betty Crocker's Official website. The crunchiness of almonds and the strong flavor of coffee makes this  a delicious and rich cake.

Ingredients: 

Butter 4 oz

Eggs 2 ,separated

Caster Sugar 1 cup

Flour 1 cup

Almonds ground 1/2 cup

Sour cream 1/2 cup

Warm water 1/4 cup

Baking powder (heaped) 1 tsp

Vanilla essence 1 tsp

Coffee 1 tsp

Flaked Almonds (roasted for decor) 2 tbsp or more

Cocoa powder 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Grease an 8 inch pan well. Dissolve coffee in water and blend with cocoa powder.

2.Beat butter, caster sugar and vanilla essence till light and fluffy.

3.Add in egg yolk at a time and beat.

4. Also add in sour cream and ground almonds.

5.Sift together flour and baking powder and add to the butter and sugar mixture also mix in the coffee and cocoa mixture.

6. Beat egg white till stiff. Fold this carefully into mixture. Pour this into the greased pan.

7.Bake on 180 C for 40 mts.

8.Remove, cool completely.

9.Then spread with the filling of your choice and sprinkle with toasted almonds.

Mocha Filling:

Ingredients

3/4  cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

          1/3 cup  cold brewed coffee

          

          1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz)

2 teaspoons vanilla

• To make mousse, in 2-quart saucepan, mix 1/4 cup of the whipping cream, the granulated sugar and 1/3 cup coffee. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved and mixture simmers; remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips with whisk until chips are melted. Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Pour into large bowl; cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
• In chilled medium bowl, beat remaining 1/2 cup whipping cream on high speed just until soft peaks form. Fold whipped cream into chocolate mixture. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Trim off rounded top of one cake layer. Cut each cake layer horizontally to make 2 layers. (To cut, mark side of cake with toothpicks and cut with long, thin knife.) Place 1 layer, cut side up, on serving plate; spread with one-third of the mousse. Repeat with second and third layers. Top with fourth layer, cut side down. Spread topping over side and top of cake. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Store covered in refrigerator.