Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line the bottom of two 8 or 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper, grease and flour the sides. (The parchment paper will make the cake come out much easier than just grease and flour).
2. If you prefer to bake the cakes in 4 separate pans, see the notes at the bottom.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the hot coffee and cocoa together until smooth. Let the mixture sit for 2 to 3 minutes to let the cocoa solids bloom.
4. Add the sugar and vegetable oil and stir well. Whisk in the eggs, then stir in the milk and vanilla extract.
5. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt over the chocolate mixture. Stir until well incorporated. Make sure to scrap the bottom and sides of the bowl. The batter will be thin.
6. Pour the batter into the two prepared pans and place in the center of the preheated oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes for the 9 inch pans or 33 to 37 minutes for the 8 inch pans (a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes should come out clean).
7. Let cool in the cake pans for 5 to 10 minutes then run a knife around the edge of the pans to loosen the cake from the pans. Invert the cakes onto a cooling rack and remove the parchment paper. (At this point if you re-invert the cakes onto another rack and let them cool with their tops up, they will retain more height and the tops of the cakes will not stick to the cooling rack.)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. To make the cream cheese frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl, and beat until soft and creamy.
2. Add 4-½ cups of the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat on low speed until the sugar is mixed in then beat on high speed until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add additional sugar if desired.

Assemble the cake:

If you baked in two pans:

1. Slice each layer of cake in half horizontally by using a cake leveler or by placing each layer of cake on a turntable and use a serrated knife to slice through the cake as you turn the turntable. This will give you 4 layers to fill and stack. To transfer each layer, use a thin plastic cutting board to slide under the layers.
2. Optional: Place the cake layers in the freezer for 20 minutes to firm them up and make them easier to frost.
3. Put a dab of frosting on a cake plate and place a cake layer on top of the plate. Use 3/4 to 1 cup of frosting to spread between each layer of cake then use an off-set spatula or knife to ice the top and sides of the cake.

If you baked in four pans:

1. Put a dab of frosting on a cake plate and place a cake layer on top of the plate. Use 3/4 to 1 cup of frosting to spread between each layer of cake then use an off-set spatula or knife to ice the top and sides of the cake.