Kahlua Chocolate Cake with Kahlua Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 boxes of triple chocolate cake mix
- 6 large eggs
- 2-½ cups whole milk
- 1 cup unsalted sweet cream butter, softened
- 3 9-inch round cake pans
- 1 10-inch round cake board
For the Frosting:
- 3 cups unsalted sweet cream butter, softened
- 6 cups confectioners' sugar
- 3 tbsp. Kahlua
- 3 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 tsp. espresso powder
- 3 – 5 tbsp. heavy whipping cream
- 1 large piping bag fitted with a star tip
- 1 container of chocolate cake sprinkles, optional
For the Chocolate Ganache:
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 large squeeze bottle
Instructions
To prepare the cake:
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F and spray cake pans with non-stick baking spray; set aside.
- Using a stand mixer, combine all cake ingredients; mix until combined and smooth.
- Divide the batter between the three pans.
- Place in pre-heated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick, inserted in center of cakes, comes out clean.
- Remove from oven; place a cooling rack upside down on the top of the cake pan; use two hot pads to grab the sides of the cake pan and the cooling rack at the same time; in a smooth motion flip them upside down; the cake should fall onto the cooling rack.
- Cool completely on the wire racks.
To prepare the frosting:
- Using a stand mixer, beat all ingredients until combined, smooth and stiff peaks form.
- Scoop about 1-1/2 cups frosting into the piping bag; set aside.
To prepare the chocolate ganache:
- Using a small pot, heat up the heavy whipping cream until steaming.
- While heavy whipping cream is heating up, place chocolate chips into a heat-proof bowl.
- Once the heavy whipping cream is heated, pour over the chocolate chips.
- Allow to sit for 1 minute before whisking until smooth.
- Pour ganache into the squeeze bottle.
To assemble the cake:
- Using a cake leveler, cut the domes off the cake and place one cake slice onto the cake round/serving plate.
- Scoop 1 cup frosting onto the cake slice and smooth evenly.
- Place a second cake slice on top of the first slice.
- Scoop another 1 cup frosting onto the second cake slice and smooth evenly.
- Place the last layer of cake slice on top.
- Using remaining frosting, frost entire cake.
- Drizzle the chocolate ganache all down the sides of the cake.
- Pipe dollops of frosting around the top of the cake.
- Sprinkle with chocolate sprinkles, if using.
