Cranberry-Raspberry Mousse-Topped Chocolate Cake

I got the basic recipe for this cake from a Pampered Chef recipe booklet several years ago.  I tried it once and it was yummy, but then I forgot all about it.  I made it for one of our Christmas desserts {I also made Peppermint Chocolate Ice Cream Pie which I posted over at Pennies and Blessings}.  The pretty pink on top of chocolate makes it a great choice for a Valentine's Day cake too, don't you think?

The original recipe called for a Devil's Food Cake mix, but I thought I'd be "cool" and make that part from scratch.  I mixed up temps though and had all kinds of trouble with this cake part.  Just shoulda made life easy and used a mix!  Oh, and also, depending on your springform pan, you might want to wrap the bottom in foil or put it on a cookie sheet unless you enjoy big globs of smoking/burning cake batter on the bottom of your oven which may cause your company to wonder what "that smell" could be.  *ahem*

After brushing the chocolate cake with cran-raspberry juice concentrate, the lovely pink mousse topping gets spread over and smoothed out, then off to the refrigerator it goes.

Why does that slice of cake look so short?  Oh there's a story.  The cake was goopy in the middle because of all my temp goof-ups, brushing on juice, etc. so I didn't want to serve that part nor did I want to waste a bunch of topping on a hole in the middle.  I put an upside-down pyrex prep dish over the middle and pushed it all the way down - it was almost level with the cake.  Then I put the topping over everything and the glass in the middle kept the cake slicer from getting to any of the mushy center.  ~giggle~  It seems like my motto is: Above all, we *must* save the dessert!

Cranberry-Raspberry Mousse-Topped Chocolate Cake

 ~ adapted from a Pampered Chef recipe

1 9-ounce* package Devil's Food cake mix (box that makes only 1 layer cake/12 cupcakes or use 1 1/2 cups cake mix from bigger box or make your own half recipe)

1 cup thawed, frozen cran-raspberry juice concentrate, divided

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1 3.3-ounce package white chocolate instant pudding (I can't find this anymore, so I substitute cheesecake pudding)

8 ounces heavy whipping cream

Powdered sugar to taste

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Grease and flour springform pan.  In mixing bowl, prepare cake mix (or homemade cake) according to package directions.  Pour batter into pan.  Wrap bottom of pan with foil or place on cookie sheet.  Bake 25-28 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Remove from oven and cool completely in pan on wire rack.

2.  Brush cake with 1/4 cup of the juice concentrate.  In bowl, whip heavy whipping cream and add powdered sugar to sweeten to taste.  Set aside 1 cup of whipped cream for garnish.

3.  Place softened cream cheese in large bowl.  Whisk until smooth.  Gradually add remaining juice concentrate, whisking until smooth.  Add pudding mix; whisk until smooth.  Fold in remaining whipped cream.  Spoon filling over cake and spread evenly.  Refrigerate cake for at least 30 minutes.

4.  Before serving, carefully remove springform pan side (I usually run a knife around the edge first).  Garnish top with a decorative border using remaining whipped cream (or just top each slice with some whipped cream).  Slice.  Serve.  Enjoy!

* Hello - might have been nice if I had actually noticed the 9 OUNCE part in front of the cake mix in the ingredients (which I just noticed NOW as I was typing this post)!  No wonder I got everything goofed up - I only needed to make a half recipe of the cake - LOL!  I was wondering why the cake seemed so much taller than the first time I ever made this dessert.  I am soooo not perfect - now you know.  ;)

Who else thinks that pink and chocolate are just delightful together?  :)  And who else agrees with me that above all, the dessert *must* be saved - LOL?

This post linked to:

 ~ Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam

 ~ Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed With Grace

 ~ Chic & Crafty Party at The Frugal Girls

 ~ I'm Lovin' It at TidyMom

Have a fantastic day friends!!