I spend a lot of time mulling over the following question: If [insert friend's name here] were a cake, what kind of cake would [he/she] be?

Those of us who enjoy baking celebration cakes understand the weighty significance of this question, with its myriad of factors to be weighed. Taste is an obvious one, our goal being to avoid flavors that exercise the recipient’s gag reflex and focus squarely on those that cause he or she to roll around and salivate like a dog.

I had a whole year’s notice for choosing the cake recipe for Brian’s birthday this year, but in classic style, I waffled on the decision until just two days before. I flirted with the flavors of sweet potato, dulce de leche , gingerbread, and caramel, but dismissed them all on the grounds that Brian is, if nothing, a chocolate man.

And, not surprisingly, my quest for chocolate celebration cakes led  to a book that pulls me back time and again with its georgeous photography, festive spirit, and more importantly, innovative recipes that please ever time.

When it’s a chocolate fiend’s birthday, you have to bring your A-game: rich, intense chocolate cake with a surprisingly light crumb, filled with a creamy white chocolate mousse, and slathered with a bittersweet sour cream icing that reminds you that chocolate frosting can be so triple-X sexy that it should be kept far from children.

I don’t think I have to tell you, this cake was a success. The only issue that remains is that I’ll be baking cakes for my beloved for the rest of our days, and I’m not sure how I’ll top this one next year.

Shameless Plug Alert! You may have noticed that I’m participating in a bake-off over at Bon Appetit.com. I really hope that you will take a moment to click over here and vote for my entry for my unbelievably delicious chocolate ravioli in the miscellaneous category (you get there by selecting your favorite in other categories and then clicking on vote on next batch at the bottom – the miscellaneous category is the last one). And now, without further ado…

Triple Chocolate Layer Cake
Adapted from Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes by Alisa Huntsman and Peter Wynne

A few months ago I might have been shocked by the idea of using mayonnaise as a cake ingredient, but we use things that are far more shocking in pastry school every day, so I’ve become a bit desensitized. Don’t allow the mayo to sway you, after all, it’s basically just eggs, oil, and vinegar, and it gives the cake a luxurious, soft crumb. The while chocolate mousse set up in the fridge with a firm layer on top and a more liquid layer on the bottom of the bowl – I skimmed the firm layer off the top and had plenty for the filling. You may consider using a few bamboo skewers or strawy to stabilize the cake (I wish I had), as the layers slid around a bit around the mousse when I was frosting the exterior.

Serves 10 people

butter for greasing pans
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup milk
1 1/4 cups hot, strongly brewed coffee
2 eggs
1 cup mayonnaise  (Do not substitute with light mayo.)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar

White Chocolate Mousse:

4 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1 egg white
1 tablespoon sugar

Sour Cream Chocolate Icing:

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 stick unsalted butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 cup half-and-half, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature

Heat oven to 350F. Butter bottom and sides of 3 (9-inch) cake pans. Line bottom of pans with parchment or wax paper. Butter top of linings.

For batter, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

Put chopped chocolate in heat-proof bowl. Pour milk and coffee on top and let it stand for 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Let mixture cool slightly. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat eggs, mayonnaise, and vanilla. Gradually beat in sugar. Add dry ingredients and coffee liquid alternately in 2 or 3 additions, beating until smooth (do not over beat). Divide batter among pans.Bake 25-28 minutes, or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans on wire racks 10-15 minutes. Unmold cakes. Peel off paper lining and cool completely, 1 hour.

3. For mousse, melt white chocolate with 1/4 cup cream, whisking until smooth. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Beat remaining 3/4 cup heavy cream until soft peaks form. Whip egg white with sugar until fairly stiff peaks form. Fold beaten egg white into white chocolate cream. Then fold in whipped cream.

4. For sour cream icing, melt chocolate with butter and corn syrup on very low heat. Remove from heat and whisk until smooth. Whisk in half-and-half and sour cream.

5. Place one cake layer flat-side up on cake stand. Cover top with half the mousse, leaving 1/4 -inch margin around edge. Repeat with second layer. Set third layer on top. Use enough of the icing to thinly cover top and sides. Don’t worry if cake shows through. This layer seals in crumbs. Refrigerate cake 30 minutes to set. Cover cake with remaining icing, swirling with back of spoon or offset spatula.

Recipe note: If icing becomes too soft, chill slightly. If icing becomes too stiff, microwave on high 2 or 3 seconds to soften, and then stir to mix well.