Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Mint Mousse

Directions

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease two 8-inch cake pans, dust with cocoa. In a small saucepan over medium heat combine cream and espresso. Cook, stirring occasionally, till espresso dissolves. Cold slightly; stir in vanilla and chocolate extracts.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk bake mix, cocoa, pecans, baking pwdr, and salt. In a large bowl, with an electric beater on medium, beat butter till fluffy, about 5 min. Add in egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add in dry mix one third at a time, beating just till combined. Beat in espresso cream mix.
3. In a clean bowl, beat egg whites till almost stiff; add in sugar substitute. Whip till stiff. In three additions, fold egg whites into chocolate mix, till thoroughly combined. Divide batter in prepared pans; smooth tops. Bake 20 min or possibly till cake spring backs when lightly touched in the middle. Cold in pans on racks 5 min; invert onto racks to cold completely.
4. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with 1/2 mousse filling, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with remaining cake layer and mousse. Garnish with raspberries and mint leaves.
5. This recipe yields 8 servings.
6. Description: "This recipe looks lengthy, but is not hard. You may bake and freeze the cake layers up to five days ahead, and assemble cake just before serving."