Chocolate Obsession Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 2 9-inch cake pans. Dissolve espresso in hot water; cool.

Sift together flour, 2 cups sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In mixing bowl, beat 2 eggs well. Add sour cream, oil, and 1 teaspoon vanilla, blending well. On low speed, blend in half the flour mixture and then half the coffee; repeat. Beat on medium speed two minutes. Pour into prepared pans. Bake until cake pulls away from sides of pan, about 25-30 minutes. Cool on racks ten minutes, remove cakes from pans and cool. Wash and dry mixing bowl.

Melt 3/4 cup butter over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in 9 ounces chips and unsweetened chocolate until melted; set aside.

Separate remaining eggs, placing yolks into cleaned mixing bowl and whites into a medium bowl. Beat yolks well. Gradually beat in 3/4 cup sugar. Continue beating until yolks are lemon yellow and slightly thickened. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla and chocolate mixture; set aside.

Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup sugar until whites hold stiff peaks. Gently fold into chocolate mixture.

Using just emptied bowl, beat 3/4 cup cream until almost stiff; fold into chocolate mixture. Set aside 4 cups of mousse. Refrigerate remaining mousse.

Slice one cake in half horizontally to make 2 layers. Place halves on separate plates and spread each with 2 cups mousse. Chill untl firm, about 30 minutes. Slice remaining cake in half horizontally and place atop chilled layers; refrigerate.

Beat remaining 3/4 cup cream, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spread on one of the layered cakes. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes, then top with the other layered cake. Chill 30 minutes.

Stir remaining mousse to soften and spread over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Before removing cake from refrigerator, make glaze: Melt remaining chips and butter together over low heat. Drizzle over top and around edges of chiled cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 650 Calories; 42g Fat (54.8% calories from fat); 7g Protein; 70g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 162mg Cholesterol; 379mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 8 Fat; 3 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.