
A couple of weeks ago the thoughtful husband of a friend reached out to me and asked me if I would bake a cake for his wife’s birthday. “I know she’d really enjoy an actual chocolate cake.” So I offered to bake this wonderful Brooklyn Blackout Cake, which had caught my attention in the Bake from Scratch Cake Collection cookbook. Layers of chocolate cake – with freshly brewed coffee to enhance its flavor – chocolate pudding filling and whipped chocolate ganache frosting. To me, that is a real tribute to chocolate.
According to Wikipedia, “Blackout cake, sometimes called Brooklyn Blackout cake was invented during World War II by a Brooklyn bakery chain named Ebinger’s in recognition of the mandatory blackouts to protect the Brooklyn Navy Yard. After the war, the name persisted for a very dark chocolate cake and became common across the American Midwest. Ebinger’s variety was very popular and became a signature offering, popular with Brooklyn residents, until the chain of more than fifty locations closed in 1972.”
My friend Rachel and her husband appreciated my gluten-free version, “This cake is delicious! My husband who is not celiac said it was the best cake he ever had.” So, in her honor, and in recognition of a friendship born in one of my baking classes, I am sharing this recipe with you.
The original recipe suggested cutting 1/4 inch off each cake layer to use them for the classic crumbs. Unfortunately my layers didn’t seem to have enough height, so I am adjusting the recipe so that you will have four layers instead of three. You will use the extra one solely for the purpose of the decorative crumbs.
ENJOY!
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