1-Preheat and Prep Pans: Heat oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans, line bottoms with parchment, and dust with flour.

2-Chocolate Mixture: Whisk cocoa powder, chopped semisweet chocolate, and espresso powder with hot water until smooth. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla extract. Set aside.

3-Dry Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and Kosher salt.

4-Cream Butter and Sugar: Beat room-temp butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.

5-Combine: Alternate adding dry ingredients and chocolate mixture to butter mix, starting and ending with dry. Mix just until combined.

6-Bake: Divide batter evenly into pans. Bake 35-40 minutes until toothpick clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then on racks.

7-Caramel Ganache: Combine semisweet chocolate and Kosher salt in a bowl. Cook sugar with water over medium-low until dissolved, then to deep amber (9 minutes). Slowly stir in heavy cream to dissolve caramel. Pour over chocolate with vanilla; stir smooth. Cool slightly.

8-Assemble Base: Pour some ganache over one cake layer in a 9-inch springform pan. Chill until set.

9-Filling: Soften gelatin in cold water; microwave to dissolve. Whip chilled heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla bean seeds to soft peaks. Add gelatin; whip to stiff peaks.

10-Layer Up: Spread filling over ganache, top with second cake layer. Chill 6+ hours or overnight.

11-Finish: Remove pan sides, tidy edges. Warm remaining ganache, pour over top and sides. Chill until set. Sprinkle flaky sea salt before serving.