I’m not sure when the tradition started, but making my mom a chocolate cake for her birthday has been a thing for a while. It’s not a purely unselfish system by any means; while I know that that speaks celebration to her, it also does to me. A strong affinity for all things chocolate must have been passed down by genetic code, as Benson and I most assuredly inherited the trait. It can’t truly be a party without chocolate (or even a legitimate day, as far as I’m concerned). 

And because we both also like to try new things, by default it’s always a different cake. I like to keep notes on any recipes I try, which I guess would be more helpful if I ever made the recipe again, but they’re nice to come across for nostalgia sake while paging through a cookbook. Plus it helps me not make the same one twice, since I don’t always actually remember what I’ve done in the past and some cakes are just so appealing. 

On the recipes, I also like to see how both my handwriting and the baking experience required have progressed over the past two decades. Although that’s not to say it’s always been linear — sometimes in my youth, my enthusiasm pushed me beyond what should have been my technique limits, and sometimes in my “old age,” my kitchen comfort level has caused me to be too comfortable and not precise enough. 

I’d like to give you a quick rundown of a few of the different styles and flavors in which these cakes have taken shape over the years, but honestly I don’t really remember. There are usually multiple layers, and I know she doesn’t want either the cake or the frosting to be too sweet. I like accompanying flavors, like blueberries, peanut butter, coffee, or cinnamon, but extras must never overpower the dark chocolate. Aesthetics are important, which is unequivocally not my strong point, but I like trying once a year for Mom. Last year for her momentous —th party, I made two: a dark chocolate sweet potato bundt cake and a mocha brownie cheesecake. 

Living 850 miles away can complicate making her a cake on her actual birth date, so we definitely give the timing some leeway. But I think it’s always happened eventually; even the time they visited while we were in the hospital for my husband’s surgery, I made a frozen-style cake ahead of time so we could still eat it even though I couldn’t be home to bake. But that one had spinach in it in some way, so I’m going to assume it wasn’t my best.

My mom’s birthday is this week, and fortuitous timing had my parents, brother, and nephew visiting us last weekend! And somehow in between hiking, Strataca, games, the farmers’ market and baby kitties, we found time to eat cake — mango chocolate mousse cake. I was both skeptical and captivated by the flavor combination when a friend had shared it with me, and knew it might be just the ticket for this fruit- and cream-loving mom. It was. Even though a couple of layers on their own had issues, together it all melded seamlessly into a luscious cake, worthy of being pulled out of the fridge until it all disappeared. 

I’m almost sad that on principle I can’t make it for her birthday again. Although nothing says I can’t just make it for a good celebration cake any day of the year. 

Mango Chocolate 

Mousse Cake

Since this has so many layers, I don’t have space here to give you all the recipes. But just do what I did and cobble a couple recipes together, and it should work out! My mousse was a little lax and sagged under the weight of the other layers, so either don’t unmold it until just before serving and/or be prepared for the slices not to be sturdy. But honestly, although it lost all semblance to a round cake, it might have been better the next day after we stuffed the leftovers in a container overnight anyway. 

Prep tips: give yourself plenty of time when making the cake, since it requires several rounds of chilling before adding more layers. 

• Chocolate sponge cake, baked in a springform pan

• Dark chocolate mousse

• Mango gelee layer: 2 cups mango juice mixed with ⅓ cup sugar and set with 1 T unflavored gelatin

• Lightly sweetened whipped cream

• Fresh mango slices

Bake the chocolate cake, and cool completely. Line the sides of the springform with parchment paper, and pour in the mousse; chill and allow to set fully. Next pour on the mango gelee, then chill and allow to set fully. Top with a layer of whipped cream, and garnish with mango slices. Release the springform pan, remove it and the parchment, and serve.

Amanda Miller lives with her husband, almost-two-years-old son, and whoever else God brings them through foster care on the family dairy farm in Hutchinson. She enjoys doing some catering, teaching cooking classes, and freelancing, but mostly chasing after her kid(s). Reach her at hyperpeanutbutter@gmail.com.