Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of an 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper and grease the sides.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Make a well in the center and add the oil, buttermilk, egg, and vanilla. Whisk until no lumps remain (the batter will be thick). Pour in the hot coffee and whisk until smooth.
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30–35 minutes.
While the cake bakes, whisk together Nutella, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, milk, and salt until smooth. Set aside.
Once the cake has cooled slightly, use a serrated knife to trim the domed top so the cake is level. Drizzle about ⅓ of the chocolate mixture over the surface.
Stir the cornflakes into the remaining chocolate mixture until evenly coated. Spread this crunchy chocolate topping over the cake, pressing lightly so it sticks. Finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and enjoyyy
