Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a bowl, add your all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix dry ingredients (preferably with a whisk).

In a separate bowl or glass measuring cup, add your hot water and espresso powder and mix till completely incorporated.

In that bowl add your buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Mix till almost incorporated (doesn’t have to be completely mixed since oil won’t mix with water).

Pour the solution of buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla, hot water, and espresso powder into the bowl of dry ingredients.

Mix till fully incorporated.

Add in your 2 eggs, 1 at a time.

Lastly, add your white vinegar.

Butter your pans, this will make about 4 6” layers or 2 8” layers.

Cook for 20-35 min, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Add your room temp. salted butter and shortening into a stand mixer and mix for 5-10 minutes on medium speed, or till mixture becomes white. If butter isn’t room temp, put it in microwave on short incribels till softened.

Once butter and shortening are mixed till white, slowly add your powdered sugar in on the slowest speed. If mixture gets thick slowly add in half n half.

Once powdered sugar is added in add in your vanilla extract. If it is still to thick add in half n half till you get a soft peak (like in picture).

Once cake is cooled, you can begin to stack. Go to Cookie Monster Cookies Recipe to find full recipe for cookies that go on top.