Black Cocoa Spider Web Cake

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and line two 6 inch cake pans with parchment paper.

Soak cake strips in ice cold water.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, expresso powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the chocolate milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk until just combined.

Lastly, whisk in the hot coffee until fully combined.

Divide the batter between the 2 cake pans.

Wrap the cake strips around the pans and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Allow the cakes to cool for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cool, wrap the cakes tightly in plastic wrap and freeze until ready to decorate. (Frozen cake layers will be much easier to frost!)

In a large saucepan, place the butter over medium heat. As the butter melts, stir it with a rubber spatula to encourage even cooking. Once the butter has fully melted, it will alternate between rapid large bubbles and gentle small foamy bubbles. The butter will be ready once it turns a dark golden color and the fat solids have darkened and settled at the bottom of the pan.

Add the chocolate, heavy cream, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla. Stir constantly until everything is melted and fully combined.

Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl. Press plastic wrap up against the surface and place in the fridge for at least one hour or overnight. (If chilled overnight, microwave in 10 second increments until soft, then use an electric mixer to beat on low speed until smooth.)

Place the first cake layer on a cake stand. Use a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop to add 3-4 scoops of frosting. Use an offset spatula to spread into an even layer.

Add the last cake layer and top with a few more scoops of frosting. Use the offset spatula to smooth out the top, and spread the excess all over the sides. Continue decorating the cake as desired.

In a small bowl, add the marshmallows and microwave for 15 seconds.

Using your hands, grab small amounts of the melted marshmallows and pull them across the cake to make spider web designs.

Finish with candy eyes, if desired.