Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line your cake pans with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry until combined.

Dissolve the instant espresso powder into the hot water, then slowly stir it into the batter with a rubber spatula.

Divide into prepared pans and bake for 28–32 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs from the bottom of the pan.

Let the cake layers cool completely before adding chocolate frosting, coconut-pecan filling, or chocolate ganache

In a medium saucepan, combine egg yolks, butter, sugars, and evaporated milk.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a low boil and thickens — about 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, chopped pecans, and shredded coconut.

Cool slightly, then spread between cake layers and on top.