Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line three, 8” baking pans with parchment paper. Grease and flour sides of pans (I use Baking PAM for this).

Use electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment to beat butter and sugar until lightened and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Next, beat in vanilla extract.

Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides as needed, until well incorporated.

In a medium sized bowl, stir together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Starting and ending with buttermilk, alternate beating flour mixture and buttermilk into butter mixture. Do this in at least 3 additions of each.

Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the tops of the three pans (this helps keep chips from all sinking to the bottom).

Bake until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out with just a few crumbs, about 24 minutes.

Let cool in pan for at least 5 minutes before transferring to rack to cool completely.

Use electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment to beat butter until lightened, about 2 minutes. Next beat in vanilla extract.

In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar and flour. Beat mixture into butter, about ½ cup at a time, scraping down sides as needed.

Beat in coffee creamer until well mixed. Stir in chocolate chips.

Use electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment to beat butter and shortening until lightened, about 2 minutes. Next beat in vanilla extract and salt.

Beat in 1 cup of powdered sugar, followed by 1 tbsp of coffee creamer, until desired consistency and sweetness is achieved.

Level cakes. Use frosting to pipe a border around the outside of two of the leveled cakes. Divide filling evenly between these two cakes. Stack the two cakes on top of each other. Place final cake layer, level sided down, on top.

Use frosting to apply a thin layer of frosting around entire cake. Place cake in refrigerator or freezer for 10-20 minutes. Remove and finish frosting sides and top of cake. Save about 1 cup of frosting to use for final décor.

Press mini chocolate chips into bottom of cake, about 1 inch high, entire circumference.

Place chocolate and corn syrup in a heat safe bowl. In a microwave safe bowl, heat whipping cream until boiling, about one minute. Pour over chocolate and corn syrup. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for 5 minutes.

Remove plastic and whisk until smooth.

Transfer mixture to a squeeze bottle and drop chocolate down sides of cake. Then spread evenly over top of cake.

Use remaining frosting to pipe 8 small mounds around top of cake (see photos). Place small cookies in each of the mounds.