Chocolate Delight cake

This is an attempt to note down my chocolate delight cake - this is a dark moist egg less chocolate cake with a silky chocolate mousse filling; frosted with chocolate buttercream and topped with dark chocolate ganache and milk chocolate chips.

Recipe:

For the cake:
From: http://www.barbarabakes.com/2011/01/old-fashioned-chocolate-cake-with-maraschino-cherry-filling/

• Ingredients
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar*
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I usedKA Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda*
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups hot water*
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules (I substituted 1 teaspoon chocolate extract)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350º with rack in the center. Spray two 9x2 inch round cake pans with non-stick spray.
2. Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.(Don't use a mixer.)
3. Combine water, oil, vinegar, instant coffee, and vanilla in a large measuring cup. Add to the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined, a few lumps are OK. Divide batter between pans, then bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Cool cakes on a rack for 15 minutes, then invert them onto the rack.. Leave cakes upside down (this flattens domed cakes) to cool completely.
4. *I made the following high altitude adjustments: Decreased the sugar by 2 tablespoons, used 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda and 2 1/4 cup hot water.

For the chocolate mousse filling:

First make a cup of chocolate ganache:

Makes 1 cup

128 g  Baking chocolate *I used Godiva bittersweet baking chocolate. You can also use semi sweet, dark or milk chocolate.

1/2 cup or 125 ml Heavy whipping cream *For vegan version, use coconut cream concentrate

1/2  tablespoon Unsalted butter *For vegan version use a neutral tasting oil

1/2  tablespoon Liqueur or 1/4  teaspoon of flavoring like vanilla  or 1 tablespoon of espresso *This is optional. For a child friendly version, do not use liqueur

Method

Make one cup ganache with ingredients above

To make chocolate mousse

• Soften 1 cup ganache by whisking with an electric mixer. Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and mix well.
• Whip 1 cup whipping cream. Fold in whipped cream into the softened ganache. The bowl and the beater should be kept cold while whipping. Chocolate mousse is ready.
• Spoon it into serving glasses. Chill before serving and garnish with whatever you like, a cherry or raspberry.
• This mousse can be used as a filling for layered cakes.

To make chocolate buttercream:

200 g butter

400 g sugar

50 g dark chocolate, melted and cooled

Vanilla essence

Beat butter first until light in color and smooth.  Beat for 5 minutes.

Add sugar slowly and combine until soft peaks.

Add the melted dark chocolate as well as vanilla essence

Make 1/2 cup ganache for topping the cake and add 1/4 cup chocolate chips as well