Mocha Cake:

1) Grease 3 6×2 inch cake pans with baking spray and tap with flour. Add parchment circles that have been cut to the size of the pans. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

2) Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk and coffee.

3) In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together sugar and butter for 3 to 5 minutes until light and creamy. Scrape down the bowl and paddle with a spatula.

4) Add in eggs one at a time. Mix in vanilla. Scrape down bowl again.

5) Mix in 1/3 of dry ingredients and then one half of wet ingredients. Mix in another 1/3 of dry ingredients, rest of wet ingredients, and then final dry ingredients. The pattern should by dry-wet-dry-wet-dry.

6) Portion batter into cake tins, eyeballing that they are at equal heights, and tap them down onto the counter to release air-bubbles. Bake for roughly 40 minutes until springy and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.

Caramel:

7) While cake bakes, make the caramel. Stir together sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a low heat. Once heat is added, DO NOT STIR. Let heat for 7-8 minutes until light amber.

8) Pour in heavy cream and begin slowly whisking it in. Let simmer for another 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and add in butter. Let cool.

Frosting:

9) Beat softened butter in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for 3-4 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add in powdered sugar one cup at a time and continue to beat.

10) Slowly drizzle in COOLED caramel and continue to beat until fully incorporated. Depending on climate, add more powdered sugar if necessary.

Assembly:

1) If cakes are domed, slice the domes off slowly with a serrated knife. Place bottom cake layer, crumb side down, onto your cake turntable and add a heaping amount of frosting. Smooth out into an even layer allowing some to hang over the sides.

2) Place second layer of cake onto the first layer and add frosting on top of it. Once again, smooth out with an offset spatula.

3) Place third and final layer of cake crumb side down onto the second. Add a thin amount of frosting to the top and add a thin amount to the sides.

4) Use a large spatula or cake scraper to create a crumb coat by removing only a very thin amount of frosting from the sides. Let chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

5) Once cake is chilled, begin piling larger amounts of frosting onto the sides. Smooth out with offset spatula to your liking.

6) Once you feel like the cake is frosted to your liking, decorate with a chocolate drip, swirls, or anything you please!