Chocolate Cake with Kahlua Whipped Cream Frosting and Strawberries

from : http://chewoutloud.com/2012/08/07/double-chocolate-cake-with-kahlua-whipped-cream-and-strawberries/

For the Cake:
3 oz good quality semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups fresh, hot coffee (OR 1 cup coffee plus 1/2 cup dark rum)
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 cups white sugar
2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs, room temp
3/4 cups vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Sliced strawberries for garnish (optional)

chocolate curls for garnish (optional)

For Stabilized Whipped Cream Frosting:
16 tsp water
4 tsp agar agar powder (not flakes)
4 cups very cold heavy whipping cream
4 tsp vanilla extract
8 Tbsp powder sugar
2 T Kahlua


DIRECTIONS:

For the cake (can be made 1 day ahead):
Preheat oven to 300F.  Grease two 9×2 round cake pans.  Line bottoms of pans with rounds of wax paper, and grease the paper.

Combine finely chopped chocolate with hot coffee, and stir occasionally until chocolate is completely melted.  Set aside at room temp. Stir in rum, if using.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In a second large bowl, beat eggs until thickened and lemony yellow – about 3 min with standing mixer or 5 min with hand-held mixer.  Gradually add in oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture.  Continue beating until well combined.  Add flour mixture and beat on medium until just combined well.  Divide batter evenly between the cake pans (fill about 2/3 of the way. you may have a small amount of batter left. I used it to make 12 mini cupcakes which baked for 15 min).  Bake in middle rack until toothpick comes out clean or almost-clean.  About 50 minutes.

Cool cake completely in pans on racks.  Can cool overnight at room temp, wrapped well.  When cool, slowly run a thin knife around edges and invert layers.  Carefully remove wax paper.

For the frosting:
In large mixing bowl, stir in heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, powder sugar, and Kahlua.  Put this bowl, along with  beaters, in fridge to keep cold.

Take out the bowl with whipped cream ingredients.  Beat on medium until ribbons form (not to soft peaks yet.)  Add the agar agar powder.  Beat to stiff peaks.  Keep in fridge until ready to use.

Spread 1 1/2 cups whipped cream between the layers then frost the rest. Garnish with strawberry slices and shaved chocolate, if desired.  Cake keeps very well in fridge as long as it is covered.