Brooklyn Blackout Cake

Brooklyn Blackout Cake

Our Brooklyn Blackout Cake is a pudding-filled take that gets an aromatic boost from freshly brewed coffee in the batter and espresso in the fudgy Whipped Chocolate Frosting. Otherwise, it’s a true-blue tribute to the dark, crumb-covered original that launched a thousand other sweet reproductions.

5.0 from 1 reviews
Brooklyn Blackout Cake
 
Makes 1 (8-inch) cake
Ingredients
  • ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup (64 grams) Dutch process cocoa powder
  • 1¾ cups (385 grams) firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup (240 grams) hot brewed coffee
  • ¾ cup (180 grams) whole buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs (100 grams), lightly beaten
  • 2 teaspoons (8 grams) vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups (188 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt
  • Chocolate Pudding (recipe follows)
  • Whipped Chocolate Frosting (recipe follows)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325°F (170°C). Spray 3 (8-inch) cake pans with baking spray with flour.
  2. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in cocoa, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, and whisk in brown sugar, coffee, and buttermilk until sugar is dissolved. Whisk in eggs and vanilla.
  3. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add flour mixture to cocoa mixture, whisking just until combined. Divide batter among pans.
  4. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely in pans. Remove from pans, and cut top ¼ inch of each cake; reserve cake tops for garnish.
  5. Place 1 cake layer on a serving platter. Whisk Chocolate Pudding until smooth; spread half of pudding onto cake layer. Top with second cake layer, and spread remaining pudding on top. Place remaining cake layer on top of pudding. Spread Whipped Chocolate Frosting on top and sides of cake. Crumble reserved cake tops, and press into sides of cake. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

5.0 from 1 reviews
Chocolate Pudding
 
Ingredients
  • ⅔ cup (133 grams) granulated sugar
  • 2½ tablespoons (20 grams) cornstarch
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup (240 grams) heavy whipping cream
  • ½ cup (120 grams) whole milk
  • 3 ounces (86 grams) 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. In a medium saucepan, stir together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk in cream and milk. Whisk in chocolate. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla. Transfer to a medium glass bowl, and cover with plastic wrap, pressing wrap directly onto surface of pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until completely chilled, 2 to 3 hours.

5.0 from 1 reviews
Whipped Chocolate Frosting
 
Ingredients
  • 1¾ cups (298 grams) finely chopped 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate
  • 1¼ cups (300 grams) heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon (21 grams) light corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon (2 grams) espresso powder
  • 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, place chocolate.
  2. In a small saucepan, whisk together cream, corn syrup, and espresso powder. Cook over medium-low heat just until bubbles form around edges of pan. (Do not boil.) Pour cream mixture over chocolate, and let stand for 2 minutes. Starting in center of bowl, slowly stir mixture with a rubber spatula until well combined. Add butter and vanilla, and stir until well combined. Place bowl in an ice bath, stir occasionally, until firm.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat ganache at medium speed until it starts to lighten in color. Use immediately.

 

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4 COMMENTS

  1. Hi, I’m very excited to try this recipe but I want to know how much coffee powder to put in the 1 cup of coffee, for the cake?

    • Hi Ambika!

      We are excited that you are trying this recipe. It is WONDERFUL! The cup of coffee that you put in the cake does not need additional coffee powder. We recommend using a strong brewed coffee for the cake. When making coffee from coffee powder however, individual brands will vary so you would need to consult the package directions for optimal results.

  2. I made this today and loved making this interesting recipe. I learned a few new tricks and extremely happy with the outcome.

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