Brooklyn Blackout Cake
User Reviews
5
52 reviews
Excellent
Brooklyn Blackout Cake
Report
The Brooklyn Blackout Cake is a rich chocolate layered cake with moist crumb and multiple layers of creamy chocolate pudding filling, topped with a smooth semisweet chocolate frosting. The batter includes coffee and Dutch-process cocoa to deepen the chocolate flavor and enhance moisture, offering a dense but tender texture. The pudding filling adds a creamy, smooth contrast, and the frosting finishes the cake with a glossy chocolate sheen.
Description
This cake begins by combining dry ingredients such as all-purpose flour, sugar, Dutch-process cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Wet ingredients including buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and hot brewed coffee are incorporated carefully to create a thin batter that encourages a moist, tender crumb.
While baking two 8-inch rounds and additional cupcakes to make crumbs, a chocolate pudding filling is prepared using cocoa powder, water or coffee, sugar, bittersweet chocolate, cornstarch, and vanilla. This pudding sets between cake layers and provides richness.
The frosting is a blend of unsalted butter, finely chopped semisweet chocolate, hot water, corn syrup, and vanilla for a shiny finish. Once the cake layers have cooled, they are assembled with pudding filling between them and covered with the frosting for a classic Brooklyn Blackout presentation.
This layered chocolate cake is a good choice for special occasions, providing varied chocolate textures and flavor depth. The recipe’s reference from The New York Cookbook roots it in local tradition.
Share:
Ingredients
dry Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups white sugar
- 3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
wet Ingredients
- 1 cup buttermilk or half and half or whole milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup coffee hot brewed
pudding filling
- 2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 cups water boiling; or hot brewed coffee
- 6 Tbsp sugar
- 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate chopped
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 2 Tbsp water cold
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 Tbsp butter
frosting
- 3/4 cup butter unsalted; that's 1 1/2 sticks
- 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chopped finely
- 1/2 cup water hot
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
Instructions
For the cake
- Preheat oven to 350F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper discs.
- Whisk all the dry ingredients together well in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients EXCEPT the coffee.
- Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing as you go. Once incorporated, add the hot coffee, and mix everything until there are no pockets of dry flour left. The batter will be thin.
- Fill 2 cupcake papers, and set the pan aside. This will be used to make the crumbs.
- Then divide the remaining batter between two 8 inch cake pans. and bake for 35 minutes until risen and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out without wet batter clinging to it. When the cake layers come out slide the cupcakes in and bake for 15 minutes, or until the top springs back and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow the cake layers to partially cool in the pans, then turn out onto a cooling rack to completely cool before frosting. The cakes (and cupcakes) can be made a day or two ahead and kept in the refrigerator before filling and frosting.
pudding filling
- While the cake is in the oven make the pudding. Whisk together the boiling water and cocoa powder in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the sugar, chocolate, and salt. Mix the cornstarch with enough water to make a thin paste and whisk that right into the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for one minute.
- Remove the pan from the heat and then whisk in the vanilla and the butter. Turn the pudding into a bowl and chill.
frosting
- Melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave, start with one minute, then stir, and add 15 second bursts, stirring in between, until everything is smooth and melted. You can also do this in a saucepan, but I start with the butter and then add the chocolate.
- Whisk in the hot water all at once, and then the corn syrup and vanilla and stir until it is smooth. Put the bowl in the refrigerator to chill for 20-30 minutes to firm up to a spreadable consistency.
cake assembly
- Make crumbs with the 2 cupcakes. i do this in my food processor. Pulse until you get fine even crumbs. Set aside.
- Make sure you peel off the parchment paper from the bottoms of your cake layers. Put one layer, flattest side facing up, on a plate.
- Top with a layer of pudding, you will not need all of it. Place the second cake layer, flat side up, on top of the pudding.
- Lightly spread more pudding along the sides of the cake and press crumbs onto the sides with your hands. This will be a bit messy.
- Generously frost the top of the cake with the frosting. Add more crumbs to the top, either all over, or just around the edges.
- Chill the cake until ready to serve. The cake should be kept in the refrigerator and will last 3-4 days.
Notes
- This recipe adapts The New York Cookbook's Brooklyn Blackout Cake, incorporating coffee and Dutch-process cocoa for flavor depth.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
480kcal
(24%)
Carbohydrates
58g
(19%)
Protein
5g
(10%)
Fat
27g
(42%)
Saturated Fat
13g
(65%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
5g
(29%)
Monounsaturated Fat
7g
(35%)
Trans Fat
0.4g
(20%)
Cholesterol
51mg
(17%)
Sodium
355mg
(15%)
Potassium
276mg
(6%)
Fiber
4g
(16%)
Sugar
40g
(80%)
Vitamin A
358IU
(7%)
Calcium
57mg
(6%)
Iron
3mg
(17%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 16servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 480 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 480kcal | 24% |
| Carbohydrates | 58g | 19% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 27g | 42% |
| Saturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 5g | 29% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Trans Fat | 0.4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 51mg | 17% |
| Sodium | 355mg | 15% |
| Potassium | 276mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 40g | 80% |
| Vitamin A | 358IU | 7% |
| Calcium | 57mg | 6% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
52 reviews
Excellent
Other Recipes
You'll Also Love
