SPECIAL DARK GANACHE CAKE

FOR THE CAKE:
2 boxes (18.25 ounces each) devil's food cake mix
FOR THE GANACHE:
16 Hershey's Special Dark bars (1.45 ounces each), coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon freeze-dried coffee
3 tablespoons butter
1 pint whipping cream
FOR THE CHOCOLATE-DIPPED STRAWBERRIES:
12 large ripe strawberries, rinsed, drained and dried
1/2 cup chocolate ganache (reserved from above)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter and flour four 9-inch cake pans, and line with parchment paper.

Bake both boxes of cake mix (for a total of 4 cake layers) as directed on box. Cool cakes in the pans for 10 minutes. Invert onto cooling racks and cool completely. Wrap each layer in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

In a double boiler over medium heat, melt the candy bars with the freeze-dried coffee and butter. Stir often. Remove from heat and separate the double boiler.

Pour one-third of the cream on top of the chocolate. Stir until smooth. Add the remaining cream and stir until smooth. Set aside, reserving 1/2 cup for the strawberries.

Place 2 clean, 9-inch round cake pans on a flat surface. Center a 20-inch piece of plastic wrap over each pan and set aside. Place 3 of the baked, cooled cake layers in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer on low, coarsely crumble the cakes. Pour 1 1/2 cups of the chocolate ganache over the crumbled cake, blending for 1 minute on low, until combined.

Divide the ganache cake mixture into 2 equal parts. Place half in each plastic-lined cake pan. Pack the mixture evenly into each pan. Each round will be about 1 inch thick. Fold extra plastic wrap to cover the center of each cake. Wrap again completely with plastic wrap. Place the ganache cakes and the remaining wrapped plain devil's food cake layer in the freezer for 2 hours.

Cover and set aside the remaining ganache.

Reheat the ganache in double boiler over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until warm.

Remove the cakes from the freezer. Unwrap and place one of the ganache layers on a serving platter. Pour 1/4 cup of ganache on top of this layer.

Unwrap the devil's food layer and place on top. Pour another 1/4 cup of ganache on top of this layer.

Unwrap the second ganache cake and place on top. Pour the remaining ganache over the entire surface, letting it drip down the sides. Smooth the chocolate on the sides of the cake to match the satin coating on top.

FOR THE STRAWBERRIES:
Reheat the reserved ganache in a double boiler over low heat, stirring, until warm. Dip each strawberry in ganache and place around the edges and top of the cake.

Serves 16-18
Source: The Candy Bar Cookbook by Alison Inches and Ric McKown
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