We’ve had a busy weekend, but not so busy that I couldn’t test this new idea. Because I liked the other one so much and wanted to be able to make it without taking the time to bake and cool an angel food cake, I decided to try making a smaller version of the Mocha Mousse Angel Foood cake using a ready-made angel food cake and a great recipe for Chocolate Whipped Cream.
Despite the initial disappointment at not being able to find chocolate flavored (not chocolate covered) graham crackers, I’d say it was a success. I ended up going with cinnamon grahams for a cappuccino theme, and they might have been an even better choice than the chocolate. For the frosting, I stuck with chocolate whipped cream, but if you’re trying to cut fat then I don’t see why a coating of nondairy lite of fat free whipped topping wouldn’t work.
I’m looking forward to trying it again this afternoon since it will have been in the refrigerator overnight. Yesterday I cut into it after about 3 hours and the graham crackers were still a little firm.
I’m also interesting in trying this with layers of ice cream or even ice cream sandwiches standing in for the mousse filling.
- 1 loaf size angel food cake (store bought)
- 1 packet instant coffee (Starbuck’s or Folger’s)
- Half of a 7 oz jar (3.5 oz) of Marshmallow Creme
- Half of an 8 oz tub (1 ¾ cups) regular or light Cool Whip
- 6 to 8 cinnamon flavored graham cracker rectangles(12 to 16 attached squares)
- Chocolate Whipped Cream OR use more Cool Whip Lite or Cool Whip Free
- Chocolate Syrup for garnish
- Cut the cake into three layers.
- Prepare mousse. Put 1 tablespoon of boiling water in a mixing bowl. Add the coffee and stir to dissolve. Add the marshmallow crème and beat with a handheld mixer smooth. Fold in the whipped topping.
- Line inside of a 9 inch loaf pan with plastic wrap and place the first layer of your angel food cake in the pan. Spread about 1/4 of the mocha mixture over the cake. Lay graham cracker rectangles sideways across the mousse, trimming them so that they are the same width as the cake. Spread a little more mousse filling (another 1/4 ) over the crackers and top with second layer of cake. Repeat, layering mocha mouse, more graham crackers, and remaining mocha mousse. Cap with top layer and put plastic wrap over the cake. Put the whole thing in the freezer and freeze for about 3 hours or until cake is solid or at least easy enough to work with.
- Remove frozen cake from freezer and lift cake from pan. Peel away plastic wrap and set frozen cake on a cake tray. Spread chocolate whipped cream (or Cool Whip) over entire cake. Chill for about 4 hours or long enough so that graham crackers soften. When ready to serve, drizzle cake with chocolate syrup and cut into 4 to 6 large slices.
Chocolate Whipped Cream
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder (or your favorite)
2 tablespoons
1/2 packet Folgers instant or Starbuck’s Via Italian roast
Pinch of cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chilled whipping cream
Whisk sugar, cocoa powder, milk, coffee powder, cream of tartar and vanilla in large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer) until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour.
If using a stand mixer, set the bowl on the mixer and with the whisk attachment, beat on medium, gradually adding the cream. Alternatively, just use a handheld mixer. Continue beating, increasing speed slightly, until stiff peaks begin to form. (adapted from Bon Appetit)
Darlene, I made that years ago for my dad and he loved it. The rest of the family doesn’t care much for bananas, so I haven’t made it since.
I remember my mother made quite a few angel food cakes with ice cream layers. The nice thing about that is…if you are terribly rushed, you can use store bought cakes. Pistachio ice cream layered has always been my favorite. But after reading this, am thinking coffee ice cream might be fun. (You can tell I’d prefer ice cream to whipped cream any day!)
As long as you’re in a Cool Whip phase, you might want to make Paula Deen’s “Not Yo’ Mama’s Banana Pudding.” It’s delicious and I’m not that fond of bananas in my dessert. You definitely need to make it ahead so that the Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies have time to soften a little.
This looks wonderfully creamy and delicious. I’d love to try an ice cream version too!
With my next muffin, perhaps I may try some powdered sugar too…it’s pretty funny how ignorance can be the mother of invention, sometimes! 😛 A Cool Whip period is very timely since the weather is slowly warming up and ‘icebox’ desserts will soon be back in style! (I even love the old-fashioned term ‘icebox’ desserts).
Thanks for answering the muffin question I left on your blog :). I’m going to try your new trick (ha!) of using powdered sugar, but may increase it a tiny bit. I think with plenty of chocolate chips, the muffins will be fine.
Thanks for the compliment. The cake actually looks much better today, as it has chilled for 12 hours. I love it! I need to get out of this Cool Whip desserts phase….
First of all re: the muffins–I’m SO embarrassed–I thought that powdered sugar and superfine sugar was the same thing! I didn’t realize that I accidentally halved the sugar! (I bet some of other commentators on the recipe on the Food Network website complaining about how the muffins weren’t sweet did the same thing, though). So no wonder my muffins were so wonderfully high! I was ‘okay’ with the lower sugar, but to more subtly increase the sweetness, using milk rather than dark chocolate chips and topping the muffins with (blush) powdered sugar might be one way to make it more palatable for kids. Or mixing some superfine sugar with some of the powdered sugar.
That angel food cake looks SO professionally ‘stacked’–I love the chocolate swirl on top of the whipped cream!