Brooklyn Blackout Cake

This cake keeps for up to 1 week. Store at room temperature so the frosting stays nice and creamy.

Makes 16 servings

Total time: 21/ hours + chilling

FOR THE CAKE, WHISK:

11/ 4 1/2 2

WHISK:

2 11/ 2 1/2 1/2

BEAT:

2 1 4 2

FOR THE PUDDING, COMBINE:

1

3 1

WHISK:

2 1

1/2

2

1/8 cups water cup Dutch cocoa powder oz. unsweetened bar chocolate, finely chopped cups all-purpose flour tsp. baking powder tsp. baking soda tsp. table salt

cups sugar cup vegetable oil eggs tsp. pure vanilla extract oz. unsweetened bar chocolate, finely chopped Tbsp. unsalted butter, diced tsp. pure vanilla extract cups water cup sugar cup cornstarch

Tbsp. Dutch cocoa powder tsp. table salt Preheat oven to 350°. Coat two 8-inchround cake pans with nonstick spray, line with parchment, then coat again.

For the cake, whisk together water and cocoa in a saucepan over medium heat to a simmer. Off heat, whisk in chocolate until melted and combined.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.

Beat sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a third bowl with a mixer until mixture slightly thickens, lightens in color, and nearly doubles in volume, 5 minutes.

Alternately add flour and chocolate mixtures to sugar mixture, starting and ending with flour mixture, beating each addition just until combined. Divide batter between prepared pans and bake cakes until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 45–50 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn onto a rack to cool completely.

For the pudding, combine chocolate, butter, and vanilla in a bowl. Set a fine-mesh sieve over the bowl.

Whisk together water, sugar, cornstarch, cocoa, and salt in a saucepan set over medium heat until smooth, it begins to simmer, and thickens, 8–9 minutes; immediately pour through sieve into bowl and whisk until smooth. Cover surface of pudding with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 4 hours, or overnight.