Blackout Cake

Here's one for the chocolate lovers. It's adapted from the famous blackout cake from the old Ebinger's Bakery in Brooklyn, NY. As a matter of fact, for years I thought this was their recipe, but when I looked it up to post, I discovered it's similar, but not exactly the same. And I've had it for so long, I can't remember where I got it. So if it was from you, please let me know and I'll give you full credit. You wise asses out there, don't even try it. I have a very acute bullshit meter, so I'll know if you're lying. There's not much more to say really. You've got chocolate cake filled with chocolate pudding, topped with chocolate frosting and chocolate cake crumbs. And if you don't like chocolate, I suggest you go out and buy some chocolate and try it again, because you're wrong.

BLACKOUT CAKE

Serves 10

chocolate pudding filling:

1 1/2 cups milk

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons cocoa

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 large egg + 1 yolk, beaten well

4 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, soft

cake layers:

1 1/2 cups + 1 1/2 tablespoons flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup brewed coffee, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

frosting:

8 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped

2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup hot brewed coffee

2 teaspoons corn syrup (or light agave syrup)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

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Make chocolate pudding filling:

1.      In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup milk to a boil.

2.      Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, salt, cocoa and cornstarch. Whisk in remaining 1/2 cup cold milk.  Gradually whisk the hot milk into the cocoa mixture.

3.      Return entire mixture to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until mixture boils. Whisk 1/2 cup of hot milk mixture into beaten egg and yolk, then scrape back into saucepan. Stir custard for 30 seconds, while eggs cook through.  Remove from heat. Add chopped chocolate and butter; whisk until smooth.  Strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Let cool, cover, and chill at least 3 hours.

Prepare cake layers:

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Butter two 8-inch cake pans, line with parchment and butter parchment; dust with cocoa, tap out excess, and set aside.

1.      Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt; reserve.

2.      In a mixer with a whip attachment, beat sugar and eggs at high speed until thick but still grainy (about 4 minutes). Reduce speed to medium and beat in vegetable oil. At low speed, alternately add dry ingredients and buttermilk, then incorporate coffee and vanilla.

3.      Divide batter evenly between cake pans.

4.      Bake for 40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let layers cool in pans for 15 minutes, then invert onto cooling racks. Peel off paper, and let cool completely.

Assemble layers and filling:

1.      Split each layer in half horizontally with a serrated knife. Crumble one layer; spread crumbs on a baking sheet, and dry in low oven for 15 minutes, stirring twice. Let cool, then crumble again to make fine crumbs; set aside.

2.      Place one layer on a cake plate. Spread with half the pudding. Place second layer on top, and spread with remaining pudding. Top with third layer, and refrigerate while making frosting.

Make and apply frosting:

1.      In the top of a double boiler, melt chocolate and butter. Remove from heat, whisk in the coffee, corn syrup and vanilla.

2.      Transfer double-boiler top to an ice bath and allow mixture to chill, whisking often until thick, but spreadable. 

3.      Using a long, flat spatula, ice cake completely. Press cake crumbs onto top and sides. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bring to room temperature before serving.

adapted from Ebinger’s Bakery

sugar, salt, cocoa and cornstarch

adding the hot milk

bringing to a boil

mixing warm chocolate mixture into eggs

eggs added and thickening

adding chocolate and butter

I used callebaut chocolate chips instead of chopping.

thickened

Only it turns out I should have let it go a little longer,
because my pudding was a little thin (you'll see).

sifting the dry ingredients for the cake

sugar and eggs

adding the oil

adding the dry ingredients

adding buttermilk

adding coffee & vanilla

batter in pans

I only had 9-inch pans, so my cake is slightly shorter and wider.

baked cake layers

peeling off the parchment

slicing a layer in half

spreading the pudding filling

Here's where you can see really see the filling is a little thin.
But I assure you, this is a solid recipe...I've made it before
and it works. I just didn't cook it long enough. That being said, feel
free to go ahead use your favorite chocolate pudding recipe instead.

making the crumbs

I also made these crumbs a little large. They would look
a little nicer on the outside of the cake if they were finer.

baked crumbs

melting the chocolate and butter for the frosting

whisking in the coffee, vanilla and agave
syrup (I used that, instead of corn syrup).

frosting

frosting the cake

The beauty of this cake is that you don't have to
make the frosting look good. It just has to cover
everything so the crumbs will stick.

applying the crumbs

blackout cake

a delicious chocolate avalanche about to happen

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