This is quite a mouthful of a dessert, let me tell you.  Is it a cake or a pie?  Don’t know.  All I know is that it is layer upon lucious layer of peanut butter chocolate brownie creamy peanut butter mousse goodness.  It’s hard to come up with a good name.  I went with the descriptive one above but almost just called it the “You have to make this cake!” Cake.

As I mentioned in my Peanut Butter Brownie post, I will never be done with brownies.  Even though I have made the best brownies ever. (see the Quinoa Fudgey Brownies)

This takes your favorite brownie recipe and kicks it up 5 thousand notches. Let me tell you – it is amazing.

With each bite you get a creamy hit of smooth peanut butter mousse, combined with the chocolately goodness of the brownie and the crunchy chocolatey goodness of the chocolate crunch-bar like middle layer.

Once in a while you have to splurge and make something like this.  Definitely not every day.  Or every week.  But once in a while.  You have to.

Pick a time when you have to bring a dessert to a friend’s house for dinner or for a work potluck.  You will be the hit of the party, let me tell you.

I seem to be “let me tell”ing you alot in this post.

It’s just that good.

‘Nuff said.

Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Mousse Cake

Source: The Spiffy Cookie

Note: If you don’t have a springform pan, this cake could probably could be made in a regular 10 inch cake pan, but getting it out could be a royal pain.

Brownie Layer

• Your favorite packaged brownie mix or your favorite scratch brownie recipe – I made my Quinoa Fudgey Brownies
• 3/4 cup salted peanuts
• 8 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups or 50 mini Reese’s Cups (not quite the whole package), chopped

Chocolate Crunch Layer

• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal

Mousse Layer

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream (you could sub Cool Whip here)

• whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles or more chopped peanut butter cups, for garnish

Spray or grease a 10 inch springform pan and set aside.  Preheat oven according to the brownie directions.

Prepare your brownie mix or recipe and pour into the prepared pan.  Bake the brownies for 5 minutes less than indicated in the recipe.

While the brownies are baking, start on the Chocolate Crunch Layer.  In a medium sized saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter, stirring constantly until smooth.  Stir in the crispy rice cereal and stir until the cereal is completely covered.  Set aside until brownies are baked.

At the almost baked time, remove the brownie pan from the oven and sprinkle the top of the almost baked brownie with the peanuts and chopped peanut butter cups.  Return the pan to the oven and bake the remaining 5 minutes.  Then remove again and spread the Chocolate Crunch Layer over the just baked brownie and peanuts and peanut butter cups.  Allow to cool completely.  I put mine in the freezer for about 45 minutes.

While the brownie is cooling, you can make the Mousse Layer.  In your stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and peanut butter until creamy and fluffy.  Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and salt and mix again until well incorporated.

We now have to whip the whipping cream so if you only have a stand mixer you will have to transfer the peanut butter mixture to another bowl and wash the bowl in order to whip the whipping cream.  Or use a hand mixer for this step.

Beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form, approximately 3-4 minutes.  Fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter cream cheese mixture and mix until mousse-like.  I had to return to my stand mixer and whip it until it was creamy looking.  If you use Cool Whip instead of whipping cream for this step your mousse layer might even be higher and fluffier than mine turned out.

Spread the Mousse Layer on top of the now-set Chocolate Crunch layer.  Cover and put back in the fridge for at least 3 hours.  I put mine in overnight.  Garnish before serving and store any leftovers in the fridge.