Chocolate Blackout Cake
By America's Test KitchenPublished on February 10, 2013
Yield
Serves 10 to 12
Ingredients
Pudding
1 ¼ cups (8¾ ounces/248 grams) granulated sugar ¼ cup (1 ounce/28 grams) cornstarch ½ teaspoon table salt 2 cups half-and-half 1 cup whole milk 6 ounces (170 grams) unsweetened chocolate, chopped2 teaspoons vanilla extractCake
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), plus extra for greasing pans1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting pans2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt ¾ cup (2¼ ounces/64 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder 1 cup brewed coffee 1 cup buttermilk 1 cup packed (7 ounces/198 grams) light brown sugar 1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) granulated sugar 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extractBefore You Begin
Be sure to give the pudding and the cake enough time to cool or you'll end up with runny pudding and gummy cake.
Instructions
- For the pudding: Whisk sugar, cornstarch, salt, half-and-half, and milk in large saucepan. Set pan over medium heat. Add chocolate and whisk constantly until chocolate melts and mixture begins to bubble, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla and transfer pudding to large bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours or up to 1 day.
- For the cake layers: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-inch cake pans. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in bowl.
- Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in cocoa and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Off heat, whisk in coffee, buttermilk, and sugars until dissolved. Whisk in eggs and vanilla, then slowly whisk in flour mixture.
- Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool layers in pans 15 minutes, then invert onto wire rack. Cool to room temperature, at least 1 hour.
- To assemble the cake: Cut each cake in half horizontally. Crumble one cake layer into medium crumbs and set aside. Place one cake layer on serving platter or cardboard round. Spread 1 cup pudding over cake layer and top with another layer. Repeat with 1 cup pudding and last cake layer. Spread remaining pudding evenly over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle cake crumbs evenly over top and sides of cake, pressing lightly to adhere crumbs. Serve. (Cake can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
Yield
Serves 10 to 12Ingredients
Pudding
1 ¼ cups (8¾ ounces/248 grams) granulated sugar
¼ cup (1 ounce/28 grams) cornstarch
½ teaspoon table salt
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup whole milk
6 ounces (170 grams) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cake
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), plus extra for greasing pans
1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting pans
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup (2¼ ounces/64 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 cup brewed coffee
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup packed (7 ounces/198 grams) light brown sugar
1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Pudding
1 ¼ cups (8¾ ounces/248 grams) granulated sugar
¼ cup (1 ounce/28 grams) cornstarch
½ teaspoon table salt
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup whole milk
6 ounces (170 grams) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cake
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), plus extra for greasing pans
1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting pans
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup (2¼ ounces/64 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 cup brewed coffee
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup packed (7 ounces/198 grams) light brown sugar
1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Pudding
1 ¼ cups (8¾ ounces/248 grams) granulated sugar
¼ cup (1 ounce/28 grams) cornstarch
½ teaspoon table salt
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup whole milk
6 ounces (170 grams) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cake
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), plus extra for greasing pans
1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting pans
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup (2¼ ounces/64 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 cup brewed coffee
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup packed (7 ounces/198 grams) light brown sugar
1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Chocolate Blackout Cake was first made by a bakery in Brooklyn more than 50 years ago. We wanted to create a version that could be prepared long after the shop had shut its doors. To achieve this, we used Dutch-processed cocoa for big chocolate flavor, and added cocoa powder to the butter we were already melting for the cake. This method—toasting the cocoa in the butter—produced a cake that was dark and rich. And to complement the distinctive chocolate flavor of the Chocolate Blackout Cake, we wanted the pudding component of our recipe to taste sweet and dairy-rich. We achieved this by using a combination of milk and half-and-half, which gave the pudding a velvety quality.
Before You Begin
Be sure to give the pudding and the cake enough time to cool or you'll end up with runny pudding and gummy cake.
Instructions
- For the pudding: Whisk sugar, cornstarch, salt, half-and-half, and milk in large saucepan. Set pan over medium heat. Add chocolate and whisk constantly until chocolate melts and mixture begins to bubble, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla and transfer pudding to large bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours or up to 1 day.
- For the cake layers: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-inch cake pans. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in bowl.
- Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in cocoa and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Off heat, whisk in coffee, buttermilk, and sugars until dissolved. Whisk in eggs and vanilla, then slowly whisk in flour mixture.
- Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool layers in pans 15 minutes, then invert onto wire rack. Cool to room temperature, at least 1 hour.
- To assemble the cake: Cut each cake in half horizontally. Crumble one cake layer into medium crumbs and set aside. Place one cake layer on serving platter or cardboard round. Spread 1 cup pudding over cake layer and top with another layer. Repeat with 1 cup pudding and last cake layer. Spread remaining pudding evenly over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle cake crumbs evenly over top and sides of cake, pressing lightly to adhere crumbs. Serve. (Cake can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
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