Chocolate Devil’s Food Kahlúa Cake

Recipe courtesy of Stan Shafer of the Christmas Farm Inn

Two layers filled with mousse and topped with ganache. A recipe from the Christmas Farm Inn in Jackson, NH.

Cake Mix
2 1/4 cups sugar
3 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 cup cocoa powder, sifted

Chocolate Krunch Mousse
2 cups heavy cream
1 cups chocolate chips, semi-sweet
4 tablespoons Heath Bar bits, finely chopped

Coffee Flavored Syrup
1 1/2 cups cool water
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup Kahlúa

Ganache
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, semi-sweet
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup butter, unsalted
1/4 cup sugar, granulated
3/4 cup Heath Bar bits

Cake
Coat two 8-inch pans with a light film of fat and line them with parchment paper (or dust with a combination of flour and cocoa).

Combine the sugar, flour, baking soda and baking powder.

Blend in the eggs, adding them in three additions, using the paddle attachment on medium speed. Mix until fully incorporated after each addition and scrape down the bowl.

Add the butter and mix until evenly blended. Add the water and vanilla and mix, scraping down the bowl periodically, until smooth batter forms. Add the cocoa powder and mix until evenly blended.

Pour batter into each prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees until a skewer inserted near the center of the cakes comes out clean.

Cool the cakes in the pans for a few minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

Chocolate Krunch Mousse
Melt chocolate over double boiler. Remove from heat. Whip cream on high speed with whip attachment until stiff peaks form. Add chocolate to whipped cream and mix on low speed until incorporated. Fold 1/2 cup of Heath pieces into mousse using a rubber spatula.

Coffee Flavored Syrup
Place sugar and water in a medium size sauce pan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Add Kahlúa to syrup and mix to combine.

Ganache
Heat cream, butter and sugar in a medium safe pan to boiling, stirring frequently.
Remove from heat. Add hot cream mixture to chocolate chips. Let stand five minutes. Stir mixture briskly to combine until smooth.

Assemble and finishing
Invert first layer of the two layers on to a cardboard cake round. Pour half of Kahlúa flavored syrup over layer. Spread mousse filling evenly over top of soaked layer. Invert second cake layer onto mousse filling. Pour remaining half of Kahlúa-flavored syrup over cakes. Freeze cakes for one hour. Spread ganache onto top of cake and sprinkle with remaining Heath Bar pieces.