Preheat oven to 350° F. Get your three 8” cake pans ready by spraying with non-stick cooking spray (check ingredients for allergens), or brushing with neutral oil, lining with parchment paper, and dusting with a couple of teaspoons of your gluten free flour mix. Set aside.

To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the dry ingredients: gluten free flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix on medium speed until blended.

Add the milk, oil, and eggs, and mix until blended.

Add the boiling water and mix until just blended, then add the vanilla and mix until just blended.

Divide the batter among the three prepared cake pans. Thump the pans gently to remove any air bubbles if necessary.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake *just* comes out clean with just a few crumbs sticking to it.

Cool for about an hour, then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to decorate. You can make the cake layers the day before if desired.

Measure the chocolate chips into a heat-proof bowl and set aside.

Shake the can of coconut milk before opening to distribute the fat, then measure out 8 oz into a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until just barely starting to simmer, but not boiling.

Pour hot milk carefully over chocolate chips, and leave undisturbed for 2-3 minutes before stirring with a spatula until completely smooth. Set aside to cool while you make the frosting.

Add softened butter to the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the vanilla and mix at medium-high speed, until vanilla is fully incorporated into the butter, about 1 minute.

Add icing sugar and cocoa, and mix until fully incorporated.

Add coconut milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you get a consistency you like to spread onto the cake.

Onto a cake board or plate, add a small spoonful of icing to act as “glue” to hold down the first cake layer. Add the cake layer onto that.

Spread about ½ cup of frosting on top of the layer, spreading to the edges using a spatula.

Repeat with the next layer of cake, spreading the top with frosting to the edges.

For the final layer of cake, place it on top of the second layer *upside down* so the bottom of the cake faces up, giving you a flatter surface. Spread the remaining frosting on the top and sides of the cake. No need to be super precise, as you will be covering with ganache.

Using a spoon, drip the ganache on the edge of the cake, so that it drips over. You can go slowly, and use the spoon to push the ganache if necessary. Repeat around the whole cake. To finish, add a big spoonful or two of ganache to the top of the cake and spread evenly with the back of the spoon. It will level out slightly.

Refrigerate cake in a cakebox or carrier until ready to serve. The cake tastes the best if you let it come to room temperature before serving.