Ingredients

• 3/4 cup vegetable oil plus more for greasing pans
• 3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process) plus more for dusting pans
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup well-stirred canned unsweetened coconut milk
• 3 large eggs, warmed in shell in warm water 5 minutes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups well-stirred canned unsweetened coconut milk
• 24 ounces (4 cups) semisweet chocolate chips (see Cooks' Notes)
• 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Special equipment: 2 (9-inch) round cake pans (2 inches deep); parchment paper

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Oil pans and line bottoms with rounds of parchment, then dust sides only with cocoa powder, knocking out excess.
2. Whisk together water, coconut milk, 3/4 cup oil, eggs, and vanilla in a bowl until well blended and smooth.
3. Sift together flour, sugar, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, baking powder and soda, and salt into a large bowl. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture and whisk until smooth.
4. Divide batter between pans, and bake until a tester comes out clean and layers just begin to pull away from side of pans, 25 to 30 minutes.
5. Cool cake layers in pans on a rack 30 minutes, then run a thin knife around edge of pans and invert cakes onto rack. Remove parchment and cool completely.
6. Make frosting: Combine coconut milk, chocolate chips, and espresso powder in a heat-proof bowl. Set bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, and heat, whisking occasionally, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from pan and whisk in corn syrup and vanilla. Chill frosting, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and spreadable, about 2 hours. (To quick-chill, place bowl in the freezer and stir occasionally until chocolate mixture is thickened and spreadable, 20 to 30 minutes.)
7. Combine coconut milk, chocolate chips, and espresso powder in a heat-proof bowl. Set bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, and heat, whisking occasionally, until chocolate is melted and smooth.
8. Remove bowl from pan and whisk in corn syrup and vanilla.
9. Chill frosting, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and spreadable, about 2 hours. (To quick-chill, place bowl in the freezer and stir occasionally until chocolate mixture is thickened and spreadable, 20 to 30 minutes.)
10. Assemble cake: Spread frosting generously between cake layers and over top and sides.
11. Spread frosting generously between cake layers and over top and sides.