Growing up I heard various stories from my father about growing up in Brooklyn.  Ebinger’s Bakery was spoken about a lot.  While the bakery closed before I was born, it is all I have heard of, especially this cake.

Now, my father sends me recipes with indications of try to make this or make this for… This recipe came with a statement “You will make this.”  There were no opportunities to say no.  Dad  – Challenge accepted.

After I served this cake to my dad, he stated that it was just as good as he remembered.

Keep in mind – When you make this cake, it has to be eaten within 24 hours once you make it.

Ebinger’s Blackout Cake

Taken from NPR

Ingredients:

Cake

½ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 tbsp. boiling water
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
¾ cup milk 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened slightly
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, separated, room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Filling

1 tbsp plus 1¾ tsp. unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 cups boiling water
¾ cup plus ½ tsp. sugar
1 oz.  bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tbsp. cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbsp. cold water
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. unsalted butter

Frosting

12 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
12 tbsp. ( 1½ sticks) unsalted butter
½ cup hot water
1 tbsp. light corn syrup
1 tbsp. vanilla extract

Make the cake:  Preheat the oven to 375F.   Butter and lightly flour two 9-inch cake pans. In a small bowl, place the cocoa and whisk in the boiling water to form a paste, set aside.  In a saucepan, combine the chopped chocolate and milk over medium heat.  Keep stirring until the chocolate melts, approximately three minutes.   Remove from the heat.  Take a small bit of the chocolate milk combination into the cocoa paste.  Put the rest of the cocoa paste mixture into the milk mixture.  Return to the pan and stir for one minute on medium heat.  Set mixture aside until cool.

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together.  Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, along with the vanilla.  Stir in the chocolate mixture slowly.  In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Slowly add the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture.  Fold until just mixed.  In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form.  Fold the egg whites in the batter, until no streaks remain.   Divide the batter into the prepared pans and bake for about thirty minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Make the filling:  Combine the cocoa and boiling water in a small saucepan over low heat.  Stir in sugar and chocolate.  Add cornstarch paste and salt to the pan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  You don’t want lumps in your filling.  Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla and butter.  Place mixture into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until cool

Make the frosting:  In a double boiler, melt the chocolate until smooth.  Remove the top part of the double boiler and whisk in the butter, one tbsp. at a time.  If necessary, return to the top of the heat to melt the butter. Whisk in the hot water all at once and whisk until smooth.  Add corn syrup and vanilla.  Cover and refrigerate for up to 15 minutes before using.

Assemble the cake:  Slice each cake layer in half to form four layers.  Set the worst layer aside.  Place one layer on a cake board.  Put ½ of the filling on top.  Cover with a second layer, followed by the other half of the filling.  Place the third layer on.  Put a thin layer of frosting on the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate until firm – approximately 15 minutes.  Crumble up the fourth layer.  Apply the rest of the frosting to the cake.  Quickly add the cake crumbs.  Refrigerate the cake for at least one hour before serving.