Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse Brownie Cake
User Reviews
4.4
199 reviews
Good
Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse Brownie Cake
Report
Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse Brownie Cake consists of a dense chocolate brownie base topped with halved mini peanut butter cups, layered with smooth peanut butter mousse and chocolate mousse, and finished with a glossy chocolate ganache. The combination yields rich, creamy textures with contrasting chocolate and peanut butter flavors, perfect for an indulgent dessert.
Description
This layered cake begins with a baked brownie base made from butter, sugar, cocoa powder, eggs, and flour. Once cooled, the brownie is topped with halved mini peanut butter cups, embedding their sweetness and texture into the foundation. The cake is then layered with two mousses: a peanut butter mousse made with cream cheese, powdered sugar, peanut butter, vanilla extract, and whipped heavy cream, and a chocolate mousse consisting of semisweet chocolate, cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and whipped heavy cream.
The mousses are smooth and fluffy, offering a creamy contrast to the fudgy brownie. The cake is finished with a chocolate ganache made from semisweet chocolate chips and heavy cream, poured over the top for extra richness and shine. The dessert delivers indulgent peanut butter and chocolate flavor profiles layered in varied textures from fudgy to airy.
Thin slices are sufficient due to the cake's richness. Using heavy whipping cream with 40% milkfat is critical for stable mousse layers. Following comments on texture helps avoid issues with the mousse consistency.
Share:
Ingredients
Brownie Base:
- 10 tablespoons butter salted, 1 1/4 sticks
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder natural or Dutch-process, 2 tablespoons
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract pure
- 2 egg large
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 12 ounce bag mini Reese's peanut butter cups unwrapped and cut in half
Peanut Butter Mousse:
- ¼ cup cream cheese softened
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- ¾ cup peanut butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups heavy cream cold
Chocolate Mousse:
- 9 ounces semisweet chocolate cut into chunks (or use good-melting chocolate chips)
- ¼ cup cream cheese softened
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups heavy cream cold
Chocolate Ganache:
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the bottom and sides with nonstick cooking spray.
- For the brownies, in a medium microwave-safe bowl (or in a pan on the stovetop), melt the butter, sugar and cocoa powder at 1-minute intervals, stirring in between, until the butter is completely melted and the mixture is well-combined.
- Let the mixture cool to warm room temperature. Stir in the salt and vanilla. Add the eggs and mix until the batter is thick and smooth. Stir in the flour until combined. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes until the brownie is set around the edges and only moist crumbs come out when a toothpick is inserted in the center (not wet batter). Remove the pan from the oven and let the brownies cool completely (in the pan).
- Top the cooled brownie layer with about 20-22 of the mini Reese's peanut butter cups that have been cut in half (so about 40 halves total on top of the brownie layer).
- For the peanut butter mousse, in a large bowl with an electric handheld mixer (or in an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment), whip the cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth and lump-free. Add the peanut butter and vanilla and mix until lightly and creamy, 1-2 minutes. Add 1 cup of the heavy cream and mix, starting on low speed so it doesn't splatter everywhere, mix until well-combined. Add the remaining cup of cream and mix until the mixture is very thick, 4-5 minutes (UPDATE: according to many of your comments and depending on the type of mixer you are using, this may be too long! Stop mixing after it gets thick, even if it's only after a minute or so). Dollop large spoonfuls of the peanut butter mousse over the mini peanut butter cups and brownie layer. Spread into an even layer. Refrigerate while making the chocolate mousse.
- For the chocolate mousse, melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl at 1-minute intervals, 50% power, until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool completely.
- In a large bowl (I use the same one as the peanut butter mousse after I've quickly wiped it clean) with an electric handheld mixer (or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment), whip together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and lump-free. Add the vanilla extract and 1 cup of the heavy cream and mix, starting on slow speed so it doesn't splatter, until smooth, 1 minute or so. Add the rest of the heavy cream and mix until thick and fluffy, 4-5 minutes.
- When the chocolate is completely cool (this is critical! If it's warm at all, it will make the mixture soupy - it should still be melted but cool to the touch), fold it into the whipped cream mixture using a large spoon or rubber spatula to gently stir the mixture up and over until it is well-combined. Whisking too quickly might deflate the whipped cream mixture.
- Spread the chocolate mousse evenly over the peanut butter mousse. Cover the pan with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours (or up to overnight).
- Run a long thin knife under hot water and wipe clean. Run the knife around the edge of the brownies to loosen from the sides of the pan. Undo the springform pan and lift off the sides. You can serve the cake on the base of the springform pan or use a wide spatula in between the parchment and pan bottom to lift off the cake and place on a serving platter.
- For the ganache, combine the chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl (you can do this in a pan on the stovetop) and microwave at 1-minute intervals, stirring in between, until the mixture is glossy and smooth (it should only take a minute or so in the microwave). Let the mixture cool slightly so it isn't super hot but is still pourable - slightly warm room temperature is fine. Pour the ganache over the top of the cake; it doesn't need to cover the entire top and it's ok if it drizzles down the side. It should look a bit rustic.
- Pile any extra peanut butter cups in the middle of the ganache. Refrigerate for an hour or so (or serve right away, the ganache will be a little soft and messy, but that's ok). Use a long thin knife to cut into thin slices (running it under hot water and wiping clean can help with neat slices) for serving.
Notes
- Use heavy whipping cream with at least 40% milkfat to ensure the mousse layers achieve the right thick and fluffy consistency.
- Serving thin slices is advisable because of the cake's richness and multiple layers.
- Review user comments for tips on achieving the correct mousse texture and avoiding grainy or soupy results.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1 Serving
Calories
733kcal
(37%)
Carbohydrates
53g
(18%)
Protein
10g
(20%)
Fat
56g
(86%)
Saturated Fat
30g
(150%)
Cholesterol
141mg
(47%)
Sodium
326mg
(14%)
Fiber
5g
(20%)
Sugar
39g
(78%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 16Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 Serving | |
| Calories | 733kcal | 37% |
| Carbohydrates | 53g | 18% |
| Protein | 10g | 20% |
| Fat | 56g | 86% |
| Saturated Fat | 30g | 150% |
| Cholesterol | 141mg | 47% |
| Sodium | 326mg | 14% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 39g | 78% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.4
199 reviews
Good
Other Recipes
You'll Also Love
