Matilda Inspired Chocolate Cake

1: Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare 3 8-inch baking pans by greasing and lining them.

2: In a bowl, combine all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3: In a separate bowl, crack eggs, combine dark brown sugar and granulated sugar. Mix until well combined and pale in color (about 2-3 minutes).

4: Add sour cream, oil, vanilla extract, vinegar, and buttermilk. Mix until well combined.

5: In another bowl, combine cocoa powder and instant coffee. Add hot water and mix well.

6: Add half of the dry ingredients to the egg mixture. Pour in the hot coffee mixture. Mix, then add the remaining dry mixture and whisk until just combined.

7: Distribute evenly in 3 prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes (toothpick in the center comes out clean). Cool cakes completely before frosting.

8: For the chocolate ganache: In a heatproof bowl, add chopped chocolate. In a saucepan, warm up heavy whipping cream over medium heat until it begins to simmer, whisking continuously.

9: Pour hot cream onto chocolate along with honey. Cover bowl for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, whisk until smooth. Let ganache cool and thicken by refrigerating (approximately 3-4 hours) or overnight.

10: Once cooled and thickened, beat the ganache for 2-3 minutes with a stand mixer, and it’s ready to frost the cake.