1cupblack coffee or 2 shots of espresso with water added to make 1 cup
1teaspoonvanilla extract
½cupvegetable oil
Ganache
12ouncesdark chocolate chips
1½cupsheavy whipping cream
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and spray the bottom and sides with non-stick cooking spray.
Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a standing mixer.
Add the milk, eggs, coffee, vanilla, and oil into the bowl with the dry ingredients.
Turn the mixer on to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl halfway through mixing.
Divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans.
Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cakes comes out with just a few crumbs.
Cool the cakes for 10 to 15 minutes and then remove them from the pans to cool the rest of the way on a cooling rack.
When the cake is cooled, prepare the ganache.
Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan or a microwave-safe container until steaming. Pour the cream over the chocolate chips in a small bowl. Cover with a plate for 2 to 3 minutes to contain the heat and allow the chocolate chips to soften.
Whisk until the mixture forms a smooth, glossy ganache.
Level the tops of the cakes with a serrated knife.
Pour about ½ cup of the ganache over the top of one cake layer and spread just to the edges to form the filling. Stack the second cake layer, top-down, onto the ganache layer.
Pour the extra ganache over the top of the cake. Use an offset spatula to smooth the ganache down and around the sides. For the extra smooth ganache, allow the ganache to cool for about 15 minutes and then smooth it out with the offset spatula.