Swiss Chocolate Mousse Tiara Cake

Ingredients

Batter

• 1 (18.25 ounce) box Swiss chocolate cake mix*
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Mousse

• 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons water
• 8 ounces non-dairy whipped topping

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Batter

1. Grease Tiara pan (do NOT flour).
2. Add eggs, water and oil to cake mix, blending on low until moistened, then on medium for 2 minutes.
3. Place 3 1/2 cps of batter in the pan (you'll have batter left over to bake cupcakes).
4. Bake the cake for 21 to 24 minutes or until done.
5. Cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then remove from pan, inverting cake onto a wire rack. Let cake cool completely before placing on a serving platter.

Mousse

1. Melt the chocolate chips and water over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth, then remove from heat. Remove 2 tablespoons of chocolate mixture and set it aside.
2. Refrigerate remaining chocolate for 10 minutes, until thickened but still creamy.
3. Fold it into the whipped topping and spread evenly in the cooled cake.
4. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour, then drizzle the set-aside chocolate over the mousse.
5. Refrigerate for 2 more hours.

Notes

* 18.25 ounce boxes of cake mix have been replaced by 16.5 ounce and 15.25 ounce boxes. To compensate for the volume loss in a 16 ounce box, whisk 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour into the dry cake mix before proceeding with the recipe. To compensate for the volume loss in a 15.25 ounce box, add 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder.

Chocolate Amaretto Tiara Cake: Use the same recipe as above, but substitute a dark Dutch fudge cake mix. Add 1/2 teaspoon almond extract to the mousse and sprinkle 1/4 cup blanched sliced almonds on top.

Black Forest Tiara Cake: Substitute devil's food cake mix. Bake and cool cake as directed above. Add 1/2 teaspoon almond extract to 8 ounces non-dairy whipped topping, spread and chill like the mousse.

Top with 1 can cherry pie filling.