King Arthur Blackout Cake Recipes

Steps:

• To make the filling: Place the chocolate chips, salt, sugar, and espresso powder in a blender or food processor and pulse until finely ground.
• Add the egg and pulse just until the mixture is smooth.
• Heat the cream to just below a boil, with small bubbles forming around the edge of the saucepan (or microwave-safe bowl).
• Turn on the blender or processor, and slowly add the cream. Scrape down the sides of the container if necessary. Add the flavoring of your choice and pulse to blend.
• Pour the pudding into a shallow bowl, and refrigerate it until chilled and thickened, 2 hours to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F Lightly grease two 8" x 2" round cake pans. Line them with 8" parchment circles, if desired, and grease the parchment; this step will ensure your cake's crumble-free turnout from the pan.
• To make the cake: Whisk together the dry ingredients.
• Add the eggs, oil, and vanilla; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl.
• Stir in the water; the batter will be thin.
• Pour the batter into the two prepared pans.
• Bake the cakes for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Remove the cakes from the oven. Cool them for 15 minutes, then turn them out of the pans to cool completely on a rack.
• To make the icing: Combine the cream and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl or in a saucepan. Heat until the cream is steaming and showing small bubbles around the edge.
• Remove the chocolate/cream from the microwave or burner, and stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture becomes completely smooth, with no lighter areas remaining visible.
• Refrigerate the icing for 30 minutes. Beat the chilled icing briefly, until it thickens a bit and becomes spreadable.
• To assemble the cake: Cut the domed tops off both cake layers; these will become your crumb coating.
• Place one layer on a serving plate. For best presentation, lay strips of parchment around the edge of the plate before laying the cake on top; these will catch the inevitable icing drips, and can be removed once you're done icing the cake.
• Top the cake with the filling, spreading it evenly to the edges.
• Center the second layer of cake atop the filling.
• Spread the icing over the top and onto the sides of the cake.
• Crumble the reserved cake, and gently press it onto the top and sides of the assembled cake.
• Serve immediately, or within a couple of hours. For longer storage, refrigerate. This cake is best served the same day it's made, or within 24 hours. Freeze, well-wrapped, for longer storage. You may also choose to freeze individual slices - for those times when you HAVE to have a piece of chocolate cake!

Steps:

• To make the Chocolate Pudding: Combine 1 cup milk with 2 tablespoons sugar in a small saucepan and bring to just under a boil.
• In a mixing bowl, combine remaining sugar with salt, cocoa, and cornstarch. Whisk in remaining 1/2 cup unheated milk. Gradually whisk in hot milk and place entire mixture back into the saucepan. Heat, over medium heat, stirring, until mixture thickens and just starts to bubble.
• Whisk in egg and egg yolk and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and whisk in chopped chocolate and butter. When both are melted, strain pudding through a fine-mesh strainer, and cool. Cover with plastic and reserve in refrigerator.
• To make the Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter 2 (8-inch) cake pans and line with parchment. Butter the parchment and flour pans, shaking out the excess.
• Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Reserve.
• In a mixer with a whip attachment, beat eggs and sugar until thick and lemon-colored. Beat in vegetable oil. Alternately add dry ingredients with buttermilk, scraping the bowl once or twice. Add the coffee and vanilla to form a thin batter. Divide between prepared cake pans.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Invert onto cooling racks, peel off paper and cool completely.
• When cool, split each cake in half with a serrated slicing knife. Reserve 1 layer for another use. Spread bottom layer with half of the reserved Chocolate Pudding. Place second layer on top and spread with remaining pudding. Top with last cake layer.
• To make the Icing: Over a double boiler, melt chocolate with butter. Remove from heat, whisk in brewed coffee, corn syrup, and vanilla. Place icing over an ice bath and chill, whisking often until the mixture is of soft but a spreadable consistency. Working quickly, ice the sides and top of cake.
• In a food processor, pulse the cookies into crumbs. Press the crumbs onto sides and top of cake.
• Serve cake at room temperature. If holding for more than 2 hours, store in refrigerator for up to 48 hours, but bring to room temperature before serving.