1. Prepare the Cake:

• Preheat the Oven: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper to ensure your cake comes out easily.

• Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This ensures that there are no lumps and that the dry ingredients are evenly distributed.

• Mix the Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and fully combined.

• Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing gently until just combined. The batter will be thin, which is expected.

• Add Coffee: Pour in the cooled brewed coffee and stir to combine until smooth. The coffee will give the cake its rich flavor and moist texture.

• Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into your prepared cake pan. Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Once baked, let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.

2. Prepare the Mocha Mousse:

• Heat the Cream: In a small saucepan, heat 1 1/2 cups heavy cream over medium heat until it begins to steam (but do not let it boil). Stir in the sugar and instant espresso powder until both are fully dissolved.

• Melt the Chocolate: Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the chopped semisweet chocolate. Stir until the chocolate melts completely and the mixture becomes smooth and glossy.

• Cool and Fold in Vanilla: Let the mixture cool slightly before adding the vanilla extract and stirring until fully incorporated.

• Whip the Remaining Cream: In a separate bowl, whip the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream until soft peaks form.

• Fold the Whipped Cream into Chocolate: Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled chocolate mixture. This will create a light, airy mousse. Set the mousse aside in the fridge to firm up for at least 30 minutes.

3. Prepare the Ganache:

• Heat the Cream: In a small saucepan, heat the 1/2 cup of heavy cream over medium heat until it just starts to simmer.

• Make Ganache: Remove the cream from heat and add the chopped semisweet chocolate. Stir until smooth and shiny. Allow it to cool slightly before pouring over the cake.

4. Assemble the Cake:

• Slice the Cake: Once the cake has completely cooled, slice it in half horizontally to create two layers. Place the bottom layer on a serving plate.

• Spread the Mousse: Spread the mocha mousse evenly over the bottom layer of the cake.

• Layer the Cake: Place the second layer of cake on top of the mousse and gently press down to secure the layers.

• Pour the Ganache: Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, spreading it out evenly with a spatula to cover the entire surface.

• Refrigerate: Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour to allow the ganache to set and for the flavors to meld together.

5. Serve:

Once the cake has chilled and the ganache has set, it’s time to serve. Slice the Mocha Mousse Cake into wedges and enjoy the rich, creamy layers of chocolate and coffee. For an extra touch, garnish with shaved chocolate or a dusting of cocoa powder.