PUDDING:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups whole milk
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
CAKE:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed
3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup strong brewed coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
FROSTING:
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed
1/3 cup hot water
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1. In a small heavy saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch and salt. Whisk in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to
low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Stir in chocolate until melted. Transfer to a bowl; stir in vanilla. Cool slightly, stirring occasionally. Press plastic
wrap onto surface of pudding. Refrigerate, covered, 2 hours or until cold.
2. Preheat oven to 325°. Line bottoms of two greased 8-in. round baking pans with parchment paper; grease paper. In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking
powder, baking soda and salt. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add cocoa; cook and stir until blended. Stir in sugars. Remove from heat;
stir in buttermilk, coffee and vanilla. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, until blended. Stir in flour mixture just until combined.
3. Transfer batter to prepared pans. Bake 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing
to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely.
4. For frosting, in the top of a double boiler or a metal bowl over hot water, melt chocolate and butter; stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in
hot water, all at once. Whisk in corn syrup and vanilla. Refrigerate 25-30 minutes or just until spreadable.
5. Using a long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half. Place a cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with half of the pudding. Repeat layers.
Top with a third cake layer. Spread frosting over top and sides of cake.
6. Crumble remaining cake layer; sprinkle over top and sides of cake, pressing lightly to adhere. Refrigerate leftovers.
TOTAL TIME: Prep: 1-1/4 hours + chilling Bake: 35 min. + cooling YIELD: 12 servings.
“According to a 1969
article, the cake’s name was solidified during World War II when blackout drills were performed in homes around the borough to avoid silhouetting battleships
leaving from the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Blackout, black cake—it was a no-brainer.”
But despite its fame, Ebinger’s closed in 1972 due to bankruptcy. While they were still baking everything locally (the blackout cakes were handmade for
a 24-hour shelf life), companies like Entenmann’s had taken to mass production and Ebinger’s couldn’t compete. The family has never revealed the original
recipe, but there are plenty of super tasty versions out there today. Some of the most sought-after are at
Ovenly
in Greenpoint,
Lady Bird Bakery
in Park Slope, and
Two Little Red Hens
on the Upper East Side.
* Editor’s Note: This story was originally published on July 20, 2015.