Chocolate Kahlua Cake with Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

Cake Ingredients:

• 3 C flour

• 3 C Sugar

• 1 1/2 C special dark chocolate cocoa powder

• 1 tbsp baking powder

• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 4 large eggs

• 1/2 C sour cream

• 1 C buttermilk

• 1 C warm water

• 1/2 cup Kahlua

• 1/2 tsp espresso powder

• 1/2 C canola oil

• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting ingredients:

• 2 C unsalted sweet cream butter, softened

• 6 C powdered sugar

• 4 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 C finely diced strawberries

• 5-7 TBSP heavy whipping cream

• Strawberries for topping

• 1 large piping bag fitted with star tip

• Large ice cream scooper

Chocolate Ganache Ingredients:

• 1 C semi sweet chocolate chips

• 1/2 C heavy whipping cream

• 1 large squeeze bottle

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, then spray three 9-inch cake pans with Pam cooking spray.

In a small bowl, whisk together espresso, kabob, and warm water.

Whisk together flour, sugar and cocoa powder in a stand mixer. Mix together the powder, baking soda, baking soda, and salt.

Gradually add eggs, sour cream, buttermilk, espresso, oil, and vanilla extract until well combined, then divide batter among 3 pans.

Place in oven for 25-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Let the cake cool for 20 minutes.

Frosting Directions:

Using a stand mixer, beat together butter, vanilla extract, powdered sugar, diced strawberries, and heavy cream until creamy and stiff with peaks.

Place 1 C of glaze in a piping bag.

Instructions for assembling the cake. Place 1 layer of cake on a cake board.

Scoop out 4-6 scoops of frosting with an ice cream scoop and scoop

Spread evenly over cake layers.

Top with another layer of cake and sprinkle with more frosting.

Place the final layer on top and cover the rest of the cake with the remaining glaze.

Chocolate Ganache Instructions:

In a small saucepan, heat heavy cream until steaming.

While heavy cream is heating, place chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl.

Once the heavy whipping cream is heated, pour over the chocolate chips. Let stand for 1 minute, then blend until smooth.

Pour the ganache into a squeeze bottle. Spray the top of the cake with a little ganache.

Spray a little frosting onto the top of the cake. Put the strawberries in the frosting ball.