Kahlua Fudge Cake
Ingredients
- Chocolate Cake
- 1 ½ cups hot brewed espresso or strong coffee
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk, well shaken
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup Kahlúa or any coffee liqueur for brushing over cake
- Coffee Whipped Cream Filling
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Chocolate Fudge Frosting
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 2/3 cups high quality semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Make chocolate cake
- Preheat oven to 300° Fahrenheit.
- Place hot coffee in a medium heatproof bowl. Add chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted.
- Spray 2 10-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line each pan with a parchment cake circle. Spray again and sprinkle 1 teaspoon flour in each pan. Rotate pan to distribute flour and discard any extra. Set pans aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer using the paddle attachment, combine eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla extract on low speed.
- Add melted chocolate and coffee mixture into the liquid ingredients and blend on low speed.
- On low speed, add the dry ingredients into the liquid ingredients and mix until just combined and smooth. Batter will be thin.
- Divide batter evenly between the two prepared pans.
- Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean.
- Allow cakes to cool until they feel lukewarm.
- Remove cakes onto cardboard cake circles and set aside.
- Make Coffee Whipped Cream Filling
- In the bowl of an electric mixer using the whip attachment, beat the cream, espresso powder, brown sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Cover bowl and refrigerate until needed.
- Make Chocolate Fudge Frosting
- In a large saucepan using a whisk, heat cream, corn syrup and butter over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a simmer.
- Remove pan from heat and whisk in chocolate. Whisk until chocolate melts completely and the mixture becomes smooth. Pour fudge frosting into a large bowl and allow it to cool at room temperature.
- Assemble the Cake
- Place 1 layer of the cake, keeping it on the cake circle, onto a turntable or large platter.
- Using a pastry brush, gently brush the Kahlúa evenly over cake layer.
- Using an offset spatula, evenly spread Coffee Whipped Cream Filling over cake.
- Gently place remaining cake layer over cream. Brush second layer with more Kahlua. You will have a small amount of Kahlua left. Press cake down gently to adhere. Do not allow the filling to come out.
- Fill a large bowl with ice water.
- Set the bowl of fudge frosting over the ice water and whisk until mixture thickens to a spreadable consistency. This will take several minutes Do not over whisk or mixture will thicken too much and will not be spreadable.
- Gently spread frosting over top and sides of cake making swirls all over.
- Carefully, transfer cake from turntable onto serving platter. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Makes 1 10-inch diameter cake