Spoon 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour into your measuring cup and level off the top, then add to your mixing bowl. Careful measuring matters in a cake like this u2014 scooping straight from the bag packs in too much flour and you will end up with a dry cake.

Add the granulated sugar, salt, and baking powder. Turn your mixer on the lowest setting and let it whisk the dry ingredients together for a few seconds.

Pour the vanilla directly into the heavy cream, then add the cream and the eggs to the dry ingredients.

Mix on low until the flour starts to work in, then turn it up a little and mix just until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the bowl and give it about 20 more turns around the bowl. Do not overmix u2014 that is what makes a cake tough.

Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter, shortening, or baking spray (the kind made for baking, not regular cooking spray), then dust flour all over the inside and shake out the excess.

Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Bake at 350u00b0F for 23 to 30 minutes, checking with a toothpick starting at 23 minutes. When it comes out clean as a whistle, they are done. You do need to know your oven.

Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely. For the best texture, wrap each cooled layer in plastic wrap and freeze at least 24 hours (up to 2 months) before frosting.

Beat the softened butter, then add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and cream cheese. That cream cheese is my secret u2014 not enough to make it a full cream cheese frosting, just enough to add a nice texture and the slightest hint of tang.

Add 1/3 cup heavy cream. Start the mixer slow, then increase the speed as the powdered sugar incorporates. Scrape down the bowl so nothing hides on the sides.

Add another splash or two of cream if it needs it, then whip 1 to 2 minutes until light and airy. You will notice the icing lightens in color. If it is still too thick, milk will thin it faster than cream.

Fold in any icing stuck to the side of the bowl by hand so the color is even throughout.

Take your layers out of the freezer a few minutes ahead u2014 still frozen but starting to thaw is the perfect time to work with them. Place the first layer upside down on your serving plate, spread a generous amount of icing over the top, and go ahead and start icing the sides of that first layer while it is easy to reach.

Set the second layer on top, also upside down, and center it. Spread the remaining icing over the top, then work it down and around the sides, overlapping what you already did.

Go around the edge and pull in the extra icing, then swirl the top however you like. Wipe any chocolate off the edge of the plate with a slightly dampened paper towel.