Chocolate Blackout Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 stick(s) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
- 2 1/4 cup(s) cake flour
- Cake flour, for dusting
- 1/4 cup(s) solid vegetable shortening
- 2 cup(s) sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup(s) unsweetened natural cocoa powder, (See Note)
- 1 teaspoon(s) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
- 1 cup(s) milk
Filling
- 3 cup(s) water
- 2 1/2 cup(s) sugar
- 1 tablespoon(s) light corn syrup
- 1 1/2 cup(s) unsweetened natural cocoa powder, (See Note)
- 2/3 cup(s) cornstarch
- 6 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract
- 1 pinch(s) salt
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans and coat lightly with flour. Line bottoms with parchment paper. In a standing electric mixer fitted with whisk, beat 1 stick of butter with shortening until creamy. Add sugar and beat at medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between additions. Add vanilla. At lowest speed, beat in cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add 2 1/4 cups of cake flour and milk in 3 separate alternating batches, scraping down side and bottom of bowl occasionally.
- Divide cake batter between prepared pans and smooth tops. Bake in center of oven for about 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let cakes cool for 15 minutes, then invert them onto a rack and let cool completely.
- In a large saucepan, combine 2 1/2 cups of water with sugar, corn syrup, and cocoa powder and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. In a bowl, whisk cornstarch with remaining 1/2 cup of water until smooth; whisk into cocoa mixture. Cook over moderately high heat, whisking constantly, until very thick, 3 minutes. Turn off heat, whisk in butter, vanilla and salt. Scrape filling into a bowl and press a sheet of plastic wrap onto surface of filling. Let cool, then refrigerate until firm, 45 minutes.
- Using a serrated knife, halve each cake layer horizontally. Break up less attractive top cake layer and transfer to a food processor; pulse into crumbs. Reserve two cake bottoms and one smoother top.
- Set one cake bottom on a cake plate and spread with 1 1/2 cups of filling. Top with second bottom layer and another 1 1/2 cups of filling. Cover with cake top and spread remaining filling over top and side. Pat crumbs all over the cake. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.