• Prep: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease two 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to prevent lumps.
• Wet Ingredients: Whisk in the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until just combined.
• Bloom: Pour the hot coffee directly into the batter. Whisk gently until smooth. Note: The batter will be very thin and liquid.
• Bake: Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Bake for 30–35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely.
• Make the Ganache: Place chopped chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan until it simmers, then pour it over the chocolate. Let sit for 5 minutes, then whisk from the center outward until smooth and glossy.
• Divide the Ganache: Separate the batch into three portions. Filling: Leave at room temperature until it reaches a spreadable, peanut-butter consistency. Frosting: Chill in the fridge, stirring every 10 minutes, until cold and firm.Drip: Cover and keep at room temperature for the final assembly step.
• Whip: Beat the chilled frosting portion with an electric hand mixer on medium speed for 1–2 minutes until lightened in color with stiff peaks. Do not over-whip.

Assembly

• Place the first leveled cake layer on a turntable. Pipe a thick border of whipped ganache around the top edge to create a secure dam.
• Fill the center of the dam with your thick room-temperature filling ganache, smoothing it with an offset spatula.
• Top with the second cake layer. Spread a thin crumb coat of whipped ganache over the top and sides, then chill the cake for 20 minutes.
• Frost the cake smoothly with the remaining whipped ganache using a bench scraper for clean edges.
• Ensure your drip ganache is lukewarm (around 30°C / 86°F). Pour it over the edges of the chilled cake. The cold surface will catch the drips cleanly.