DOUBLE-CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare the cake a day ahead of when you want to serve it. The cake is very dense, and takes a long time to cool, so don't start too late in the day. :).
• Place a cookie sheet on the oven rack in case the springform pan leaks. Preheat oven to 350°F Grease a 10" x 3" springform pan.
• In a 3 quart saucepan, over low heat, heat chocolate, butter or margarine, sugar, half & half cream, vanilla, and salt until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth, stirring constantly.
• In large bowl, stir eggs slightly with a fork. Do not use a mixer, as this will over beat the eggs and the cake will scorch on the edges and fall in the middle.
• Slowly stir chocolate mixture into eggs until well blended: pour into springform pan.
• Bake for 45 minutes, or until center of cake is level and not concave.
• Cool cake completely, in pan, on wire rack. When cake is cool, run a sharp knife around the side of the pan, and remove the side of the pan. Wrap cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled - minimum 6 hours, but overnight is best.
• After cake is chilled, place cake, still on pan bottom, on a cake plate. Put strips of waxed paper between the pan bottom and the cake plate, to catch the drips of glaze. (Helpful Hint: Use a clean piece of that grippy carpet underlay between pan bottom and plate to keep the cake from sliding around as you try to slice it.).
• If the top edge of the cake is higher than the center of the cake, or very uneven, you can trim it with a sharp knife if you want a prettier cake.
• Prepare Chocolate Glaze as follows.
• In 2 quart saucepan, over low heat, heat chocolate chips and butter or margarine until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove pan from heat. Beat in milk and corn syrup.
• Spread warm glaze over top and sides of cake. Discard waxed paper.
• Prepare whipped topping, beating until stiff peaks form. Pipe whipped topping around edge of cake. Refrigerate if not serving right away. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerater for a few days, or can be sliced and frozen, though the whipped topping is not as nice after freezing.