• Preheat the oven to 350º. Butter and flour two 8 inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• Add butter and sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed until light and creaming, about 2-3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time.
• Add coffee to a small bowl or measuring cup. Add cocoa, food coloring and vanilla and stir until smooth. Add to the butter mixture and beat on low until it is combined.
• In a separate bowl whisk the flour, baking soda and salt and add to the butter mixture alternating with buttermilk at low speed, starting and ending with the flour mixture and beating just until combined.
• Pour into the cake pans, using a kitchen scale to make sure they are even.
• Bake until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and the cake springs back when touched. A toothpick will have a few crumb. 28-30 minutes.
• Allow to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run an offset spatula around the edges and inver, then invert again and allow to cool on the rack.

Frosting:

• Break up white chocolate into pieces in a measuring cup and microwave on 50% power for 2 minutes stirring every 30 seconds until just melted. Let it cool while you prepare the frosting.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, add butter and cream cheese and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Put the mixer on low and gradually add the powdered sugar, once incorporated, add the cooled white chocolate and vanilla and increase the speed to medium-high and beat until smooth and creamy, about 2 more minutes. It will be very thick. If it is too thick to spread, add a little milk.

To assemble:

• Place 1 layer on a cake plate and even the top with a serrated knife. Pipe a ridge of frosting around the outside of the top and then fill in with more frosting. Even out the second cake layer with a serrated knife and flip it so that the bottom of the cake layer is facing up. Place most of the frosting on top and use an offset spatula to spread it down the sides. Once the sides are covered, spread it evenly across the top.
• Sprinkle the crushed peppermint around the edges of the cake if desired.