I've been using LorienSkye's Divine Dark Chocolate recipe which I love but I'm kind of fed up with how little it rises :-\ The taste is amazing however I often have to double the recipe to have enough in each layer which is no longer cost effective. So before I switch to another recipe I'd love to give this one another fighting chance because it's so darn easy and delicious! I thought of messaging LorienSkye herself but in the end figure I could get some additional helpful input asking on the forums 

Here's what I'm doing:

-I live at 9,000 ft (crazy I know) which means I should be decreasing sugar, leavening and increasing liquid. I decrease sugar, increase liquid slightly since the batter is so runny as is (I've had sunken center issues in the past) and I used to decrease leavening. Now I use as much leavening as the recipe calls for in hopes it will rise better but I hardly see much difference. 

-I can't get any buttermilk here so I add 2 tsp of lime juice per 1/2 cup

-I'm using local Ecuadorian cocoa as Hershey's is crazy expensive. It's not dutch processed but the chocolate is incredible here however :-P

Can't thinking of anything else relevant I should mention. Here's the recipe for reference:

1 3/4 c All purpose flour 
3/4 c white sugar                            
1 c packed light brown sugar little less   
3/4 c dutch process cocoa powder   
1 1/2 tsp baking powder 
1 1/2 tsp baking soda pinch
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 c buttermilk   
2 large eggs
1/4 c vegetable oil   
2 tsp vanilla
3/4 c hot strong black coffee  

here's my thought for you -- the flavors in this cake are 100% transferable -- you can take them with you -- try a viable recipe -- i know nothing about high altitude -- there are so many thousands of great recipes -- 

here's what you do -- go looking for recipes like this -- with this same mixing method and print out the ingredients and then harmonize them -- smoosh them all together and see what you get --

in fact i got you started --

try 'texas sheet cake' and get toba garrett's choc cake recipe too

https://www.google.com/search?q=texas+sheet+cake+recipes&rlz=1C1CHMY_enUS311US311&oq=texas+sheet+cake+recipes&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.7560j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/chocolate-fudge-cake-109712

life is too short for a sad recipe -- just say no to a blah recipe

So the cocoa powder you're using now isn't dutch process? I think that might be part of the problem. The lack of acid doesn't activate the leavening in the baking soda. If you can't get it where you live, try ordering online.

the lime is acid -- 

K8memphis so basically you mean like start over? I'll check out the links, thank you!!

Chocolate0, but the lime juice should in the buttermilk substitute, shouldn't it? Unfortunately dutch process cocoa even bought online isn't viable. The cost of newly raised import taxes would blow my prices through the roof. It's just not worth it 

no it's not starting over because you got your flavor you like so keep that -- find your texture in a viable recipe -- you're halfway there --