chocolate orange mousse cake

you will need a deep 9 inch spring form pan or a deep cake pan with a removable bottom in which to mold the cake layers and mousse...


first make the cake:
grease the pan with butter, then flour , or grease and line with parchment paper and then grease and flour.
preheat the oven to 350F.
sift together 1 &3/4 cups self-rising flour and 1 tbsps. unsweetened cocoa. set aside.
cream together 3/4 cup butter, softened, and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. gradually add 4 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl and the beaters. add 1 tsp. Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur and 2 tsps. of grated orange zest.
beat in the flour and cocoa mixture, and fold in 1 & 3/4 ounce of melted dark chocolate.
pour into the prepared pan and level the top. bake for 40 minutes or until springy to the touch. cool the cake for 5 minutes in the pan then turn out and cool completely on a wire rack. cut the cold cake into two layers.

make the orange mousse:
beat 2 egg yolks and 4 tbsps. sugar until light, then beat in 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice. (i cheated and used some Tropicana.)
sprinkle 2 tsps. of powdered gelatin into 3 tbsps. of cold water in a heat proof bowl and allow to become spongy. set over hot water and whisk until dissolved. stir into the orange mousse.
whip 1 & 1/4 cups heavy cream until holding its shape, reserve a little for piping.
beat 2 egg whites until standing in soft peaks then fold into the mousse. chill until starting to set, stirring occasionally.

place 1 cake layer into the pan, pour in the mousse and press the second layer on top. chill until set. unmold and pipe cream rosettes on top, and arrange peeled sliced oranges on top.