Preheat oven to 325°

Sift flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix.

Alternately add dry ingredients and heavy cream while slowly mixing.

Divide batter between 3 greased 8x2 inch round cake pans.

Bake on center rack for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and removed cleanly.

Remove from oven. Carefully remove cakes from pans and allow to cool on racks. (I place the cake pans flat on my counter top and vigorously shake to loosen the cake bottoms.) Using a long serrated knife, slice off the domed tops to create flat cake tops.

Using whisk attachment, whip butter for 30 seconds. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time mixing between each addition.

Mix in pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Mix on medium/high setting 3-4 minutes or until light and fluffy.

Mix powdered sugar, cocoa and spice.

Gently slice Waffeletten cookie with a serrated knife.

Place one chocolate cake on cake plate or platter. Spread a little less than a third of the buttercream on top (do not spread all the way to the edges). Dust with sugar mixture. Place second cake on top. Spread half of the remaining buttercream. Dust with sugar mixture. Place third cake on top. Spread the remaining buttercream. Dust with sugar mixture and top with sliced Waffeletten Cookies.