All-chocolate Blackout Cake From Ebinger's

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 1/2 cup unsweetened dutch cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons boiling water
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 cup sweet butter, slightly softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened dutch cocoa powder
• 1 3/4 teaspoons unsweetened dutch cocoa powder
• 2 cups boiling water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons sweet butter
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 12 tablespoons sweet butter
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 375 degrees f.
• 2 butter and lightly flour two 8-inch round cake pans.
• 3 make the cake: place the cocoa in a small bowl and whisk in the boiling water to form a paste.
• 4 combine the chocolate and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat.
• 5 stir frequently until the chocolate melts, about 3 minutes.
• 6 remove from heat.
• 7 whisk a small amount of the hot chocolate milk into the cocoa paste to warm it.
• 8 whisk the cocoa mixture into the milk mixture.
• 9 return the pan to medium heat an stir for 1 minute.
• 10 remove and set aside to cool until tepid.
• 11 in the bowl of a mixer, cream the butter and sugar together.
• 12 beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, and add the vanilla.
• 13 slowly stir in the chocolate mixture.
• 14 combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• 15 using a spatula or a wooden spoon, slowly add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture.
• 16 fold until just mixed.
• 17 in another bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form.
• 18 using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the batter.
• 19 divide the batter between the prepared pans.
• 20 bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cakes comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
• 21 cool the cakes in the pans on a rack for 15 minutes.
• 22 gently remove the cakes from the pans and continue to cool.
• 23 while the cake is baking, make the filling: combine the cocoa and boiling water in a small saucepan over low heat.
• 24 stir in the sugar and chocolate.
• 25 add the dissolved cornstarch paste and salt to the pan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
• 26 boil for 1 minute.
• 27 remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla and butter.
• 28 transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until cool.
• 29 make the frosting: melt the chocolate in a double boiler over hot, not simmering, water, stirring until smooth.
• 30 remove the top of the double boiler from the heat and whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time.
• 31 return the top to the hat, if necessary, to melt the butter.
• 32 whisk in the hot water all at once and whisk until smooth.
• 33 whisk in the corn syrup and vanilla.
• 34 cover and refrigerate for up to 15 minutes prior to using.
• 35 assemble the cake: use a sharp serrated knife to slice each cake layer horizontally in half to form 4 layers.
• 36 set 1 layer aside.
• 37 place 1 layer on a cake round or plate.
• 38 generously swath the layer with 1/3 of the filling.
• 39 add the second layer and repeat.
• 40 set the third layer on top.
• 41 quickly apply a layer of frosting to the top and the sides of the cake.
• 42 refrigerate for 10 minutes.
• 43 meanwhile, crumble the remaining cake layer.
• 44 apply the remaining frosting to the cake.
• 45 sprinkle it liberally with the cake crumbs.
• 46 serve the cake within 24 hours, store in a cool place.
• 47 note: the filling ingredients make for a very runny filling, which is how a real ebinger's cake should be.
• 48 for those who desire a less syrupy consistency, they can stir in an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.