Chocolate Mousse Cake

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter (at room temperature)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk

Filling

• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon strawberry or other fruit-flavored liqueur
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 small box chocolate-flavored instant pudding mix
• 1 cup frozen nondairy whipped topping, thawed
• 1/2 cup seedless raspberry preserves
• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

Instructions

1. Cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans.
2. Stir flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in bowl. Beat granulated sugar and butter in second bowl with electric mixer for 30 seconds to blend. Add egg and vanilla extract; beat fir 1 minute at high speed. On low speed, beat in flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with milk, until smooth and fluffy. Divide between prepared cake pans.
3. Bake until tops spring back when lightly touched and sides begin to pull from sides of pans, 10 minutes.
4. Cool cakes in pans on rack for 10 minutes. Run knife around edges; invert onto rack and cool.
5. Filling: Combine milk, liqueur and extracts. Add pudding mix; beat at medium-low speed for 2 minutes. Fold in topping. Chill for 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Place 1 cake layer on serving plate. Spread with 1/4 cup raspberry preserves. Spread filling over top. Spread remaining preserves over second cake layer; invert over filling. Cover; chill until filling is firm, 1 hour.
7. Before serving, sift confectioners' sugar over top.