To begin, heat up the oven to 350°F (180°C). Apply a coat of nonstick cooking spray to three cake pans that are 8 inches round. Place a piece of parchment paper at the bottom of each pan, and leave them aside for now.
Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a big mixing bowl. Blend in the granulated sugar and brown sugar until thoroughly mixed.
Include the oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract into the mixture and stir until only blended, the consistency of the batter should resemble that of thick brownie batter.
Incorporate the instant espresso powder into the cup of water that is boiling and continue stirring until completely dissolved. Transfer the mixture to the mixing bowl and blend until all the ingredients are just combined and the texture is even. The batter will appear very liquid.
Evenly distribute the batter among the three cake pans that have been prepared.
Cook the cakes in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out free of any batter and the tops bounce back when gently pressed.
Take out of the oven and move to a wire rack to cool in the baking pans for 20 to 30 minutes. Use a knife to go around the edges of each cake layer in the pan and gently take the cakes out of the pans (if necessary, remove the parchment paper) and place them on the metal stand to cool down entirely.