Instructions

• Several hours before baking, remove the eggs and the 1½ cups (3 sticks) butter from the refrigerator so they come to room temperature.
• When you begin, bring 1 cup water to a boil and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Prepare two 9-inch round cake pans: spray with baking spray (for baking) or butter and lightly flour them.
• In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine and whisk together: 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups sugar, ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1½ teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder. Make sure the dry ingredients are evenly mixed and any lumps are broken up.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry mix: 1 cup heavy cream, ½ cup vegetable oil, 2 room-temperature eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon almond extract, and a pinch of salt. Mix on medium speed (or with a hand mixer on medium) until everything is well combined and there are no streaks of flour.
• With the mixer running on low, carefully pour in the boiling water in a slow, steady stream until incorporated. Once all the water is added, increase the mixer speed to high and beat the batter for about 1 minute to aerate it.
• Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared 9-inch pans and smooth the tops.
• Bake on the center rack for 25–35 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).
• Remove the pans from the oven and let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. Then run a knife around the edges, invert the cakes onto wire racks, and cool completely before frosting.
• For the frosting, sift or whisk 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder in a large bowl to remove lumps.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat 1½ cups (3 sticks) room-temperature butter together with the sifted cocoa until smooth and well combined. Do not use cold butter.
• Add the 5 cups confectioner’s sugar and the ½ cup milk gradually: add about 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, then about 1 tablespoon milk, beat on high for about 1 minute; repeat this sequence (1 cup sugar + ~1 tablespoon milk; beat) until all 5 cups of sugar and the bulk of the ½ cup milk have been incorporated. Adjust the amount of milk as you go—use the ½ cup total as your limit.
• Add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon instant espresso, and a pinch of salt to the frosting and beat until fully combined. Taste and adjust texture: if the frosting is too thick, add up to the remaining milk 1 tablespoon at a time; if it is too thin, add small additional amounts of confectioner’s sugar until you reach the desired spreading consistency.
• To assemble: place one cooled cake layer on your serving plate, spread a layer of frosting over the top, set the second layer on top, and use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake.
• If needed, chill the cake briefly (15–30 minutes) to set the frosting before slicing. Store leftovers covered at room temperature for a day or refrigerated for longer storage.