- Place rack in middle of oven. Preheat oven to 180 °C (350 °F).
- Place chocolate in a bowl, then add hot coffee. Let sit approximately 1 minute. Mix using a whisk until chocolate has completely melted. Continue to mix, adding oil gradually until well blended.
- Set aside. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, using a hand-held mixer, beat eggs and brown sugar on high speed until the colour is lighter and the mixture is frothy. Add yogurt and mix on low speed.
- Stir in chocolate mixture and dry ingredients, alternately. Pour mixture into two oiled spring-form pans (23 cm [9 in.] in diameter, 5 cm [2 in.] deep). Bake in oven approximately 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let cool, unmold, and continue cooling on a rack.
Icing: In a bowl, using a hand-held mixer, whip cream and diluted coffee at high speed. When soft peaks form, continue
beating while adding brown sugar until stiff peaks form.
Assembly: Place one cake on cake plate. Spread one-quarter of whipped cream on cake, then place second cake on top. Ice cake with the remaining whipped cream. Decorate the top of cake with the brownies and small cookies. Decorate the sides with chocolate shavings.
Tip: If you don't have cake pans that are at least 5 cm (2 in.) deep, increase their height using parchment paper. Oil pans and place a strip of parchment paper around the inside edge to increase the pan's depth.