Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Spray two 9 x 3-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with circles of parchment paper, spray the paper and set aside.
2. Sift together dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt) and set aside.
3. Combine cold coffee, milk and vanilla extract, set aside, too.
4. In a mixing bowl at medium speed, cream butter and sugar together.  Add eggs one at a time and mix to combine.
5. Running mixer on low speed, alternately mix in dry and wet ingredients (starting and ending with the dry ingredients).
6. Divide the batter between the two cake pans, smooth the tops and bake at 325 degrees for about 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Cool cakes completely in the fridge.

To make Chocolate Filling:

1. Mix flour and sugar together and set aside.
2. Mix one cup of cold milk with the corn starch and set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, mix eggs and set aside.
4. Bring heavy cream and one cup milk to a boil.
5. Temper the eggs by slowly whisking in about half of the boiling milk and cream mixture.
6. Add the vanilla extract and then pour the tempered eggs back into the remaining milk mixture.
7. While simmering, add the sugar and flour mixture.
8. Add the cornstarch slurry, stirring constantly until thickened.
9. Add the chocolate, remove from heat, let it sit for a few minutes then stir until all the chocolate has melted.
10. With a hand mixer, beat the custard for a couple of minutes and chill in an ice bath.

Assembling the cake:

1. Cut off the tops of cakes to make flat surface and save the tops to make the crumbs for decoration.
2. Next cut each cake into six even layers.
3. Place thickest layer on the plate. Place ring from 9-inch springform pan around the cake.
4. Spread thin layer of chocolate filling, then place next cake layer. Continue with the following layers. If you have two 9-inch rings from springform pan you can assemble separately two cakes with 12 layers. Chill the cakes in the freezer for 1 hour and then stack the cakes to one another.
5. Chill the cake until filling is firm, remove the rings from springform pan and spread on the outside of cake.
6. Spread cake crumbs on custard to decorate the cake.
7. To make chocolate ganache pour boiling heavy cream over chocolate and let it sit for a few minutes, then stir until it’s smooth and silky. Spread on top of the cake.