Cindy's Chocolate Birthday Extravaganza Cake

To prepare oven, pans: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. using some melted butter, lightly coat insides of 4 (9-by-1 1/2 inch) nonstick cake pans. Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper or wax paper. Lightly coat paper with more melted butter. Set aside.

To make cake: Combine and sift together cake flour, baking powder and salt. Sift onto lg. piece of parchment paper. Set aside. In top half of double boiler or microwave, melt together 6 oz. semi. choc., 3 oz unsweet choco. and 1/2 pound chopped butter. Place eggs and sugar in bowl of electric mixer. Beat on med. high for 2 minutes. Add melted chocolate mixture. Beat 30 seconds. Using mixer on low, gradually add sifted flour mixture. Mix for 30 seconds or until combined. Scrape down sides of bow. Add sour cream and vanilla. Stir to combine.

To bake Cake: Remove from mixer, using rubber spatula, stir ingredients until thoroughly combined. Divide cake batter into prepared pans, spreading evenly. Bake on top and center racks of oven for 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (Note: Rotate pans in oven top to bottom halfway through baking) Remove from oven. Cool 10 minutes. Invert with parchment covered plates.Carefully peel paper off cakes. Refrigerate for at least 30 min. before adding ganache.

To Make ganache: Place 12 oz. semisweet chocolate and 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate in a large bowl. In small saucepan, heat heavy cream and sugar over medium-high heat. When hot, stir to dissolve sugar. Bring to a boil. Pour boiling cram over chocolate. Set aside 5 minutes. Using whisk, stir until smooth. Pour onto baking sheet with sides, spreading evenly. Set aside at room temp. until needed.

To Assemble: Using spatula, evenly spread 1 cup ganache over top and edges of 3 cake layer. Stack layers, ganache coating up, on cake serving plate. Finish with uncoated cake, bottom side up. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until ganache is firm.

To make mousse: Place heavy cream and sugar in bowl of electric mixer fitted with wire whisk. Beat for 1 1/2 minutes or until firm, not stiff, peaks form. Add 1 cup whipped cream mixture to 4 oz. melted unsweetened chocolate. Using rubber spatula, fold together until thoroughly combined. Add mixture to remaining whipped cream. fold until combined. Add 1 cup chopped cashews to mousse. Quickly fold nuts into mousse. Refrigerate until needed.

To finish assemble. Smooth off any ganache that has spilled over cake layers while refrigerated. Evenly spread chocolate cashew mousse on top and side of cake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Press mini chips into sides of cake. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until serving.