Baking this cake is a labor of love, with each step echoing the traditions that Mama Lou instilled in us. Here’s how to bring this cake to life:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease two 9-inch round cake pans.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, beat the sugar and butter until creamy and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
5. Alternately add the dry ingredients and milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined.
6. Slowly add the hot coffee, mixing until the batter is smooth. The batter will be thin.
7. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Once baked, let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Once cooled, slice each cake horizontally to create four layers in total.
10. Spread a layer of chocolate pudding between each cake layer, stacking them carefully. Finish with a generous layer of pudding on top.
11. For an authentic touch, crumble some leftover cake trimmings over the top of the cake for decoration.

Remember, patience is key. As Mama Lou would say, “A cake made with love takes its own sweet time.”