For the Dark Chocolate Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray 3 6-inch cake pans with non-stick spray, line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then set aside the dry ingredients.
  2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveld, 3/4 cup (60 g) Dutch process cocoa powder, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt
• In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and granulated sugar with an electric hand mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. (If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.)
  2 cups (400 g) granulated white sugar, 3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
• Then add in the eggs and vanilla and mix on medium then medium-high speed until smooth, pale in color and slightly fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
  3 eggs, at room temperature, 1 tsp vanilla
• Add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the butter mixture a little at a time, until all has been added, mixing on low then medium speed for each addition. Mix just until the batter is combined and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary 
  1 1/4 cups (300 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
• Add in the hot coffee and mix on low speed just until dispersed through the batter.
  1/2 cup (120 ml) hot coffee
• Evenly distribute the cake batter between the prepared cake pans. Bake the cakes for 39-44 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the centers. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to completely cool.

For the Dark Chocolate Buttercream

• To make the chocolate buttercream, add the butter to a large bowl and whip on high speed with an electric mixer until pale in color and fluffy, about 5-10 minutes. (If using a stand mixer, use the whisk attachment.)
  1 1/2 cups (336 g) unsalted butter, softened
• Then add in the melted chocolate and mix on medium-low speed until thoroughly combined, 1-2 minutes.
  6 oz. (170 g) chopped dark chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
• Sift in the cocoa powder and mix on low then medium speed until combined.
  1/2 cup cup + 2 tbsp (50 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
• Sift in the powdered sugar and add in the heavy whipping cream, a little at a time, and mix on low then medium-low speed until all is combined together. Then, mix on high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy, 1-2 more minutes.
  3 cups (390 g) powdered sugar, 4-6 tbsp (60 ml-90 ml) heavy cream

Assembling the Cake

STEP ONE Getting Perfectly Sized Cake Layers:

• Once the cakes are completely cooled, make them even by removing the domed tops. With a sharp knife, remove the domed tops from each cake layer until each are flat and can be evenly stacked.

STEP TWO Creating a Crumb Coat

• Then place a dollop of chocolate buttercream in the center of your cake turntable. Place the first cake layer over it. Then add a generous amount of chocolate buttercream on top of the cake layer and even it out with your offset spatula, turning the cake turntable as you go. Place the next layer over top and repeat the step. Then place the final layer over the top and place small dollops of frosting on the outsides and top of the cake. Even out the frosting as much as possible with your offset spatula. Then with your cake scraper, scrape the icing across the cake, turning the cake turntable as you go to make this as easy as possible. The frosting should be a thin layer for this step. It ensures the cake's final layer will be free of crumbs. Chill the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes

STEP THREE Final Layer of Frosting

• Once the cake has chilled in the fridge, remove it and apply the final coating of frosting. You may need to rewhip the frosting at this point. Apply generous dollops of frosting on the sides of the cake and the top of the cake and smooth them out with your offset spatula. Then with your cake scraper even out the frosting, turning the cake turntable as you go, to give you a smooth finish of chocolate buttercream on the entire cake. Then return the cake to the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.

STEP FOUR Making the Chocolate Ganache Drip

• When the cake has about 15 minutes left to chill, make the chocolate ganache. Add the chopped chocolate to bowl and set aside. Add the cream to a small sauce pan and heat it over medium heat just until its steaming. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it stand for 1-2 minutes. Then stir until the chocolate and cream are combined. Let the ganache cool slightly, about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a piping bag. (You can also use a squeeze bottle if you prefer.) Once the cake has finished chilling, squeeze chocolate ganache around the top edges of the cake. I always like to do a test drip on the back side of the cake to make sure the ganache is the perfect temperature. You'll want it to be the right consistency so that the drips don't go all the way to the bottom. You'll know it's right when they stop about half way down the cake. If they're hitting the bottom, simply wait a few minutes until the ganache has cooled a little bit more. Having a cold cake also helps to control the drips so that they don't go all the way to the bottom of the cake, so don't skip chilling it! Then squeeze ganache on the top of the cake and smooth it out with an offset spatula or a back of the spoon. (I like to give it a swirl pattern by turning the cake turntable as I go.) Once the ganache drips are on the cake, pop it back in the fridge to chill for about 15 minutes, or until the ganache has set.
  3 oz (85 g) dark chocolate, chopped, 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream

STEP FIVE Decorating the Cake

• Transfer the remaining chocolate buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip. Once the ganache has chilled on the cake, pipe decorative swirls of frosting on top of the cake. Decorate with chocolate pieces and shavings if you wish, then serve the cake!