Chocolate and More Chocolate

"Blackout Cake"

1 1/2 c. AP flour

1 c. Natural cocoa powder, not Dutch processed

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 c. granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1 c. buttermilk

1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, melted

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. hot brewed coffee

Place oven rack in middle of oven.  Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease the bottom and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans. Dust the pans with flour. Shake off any excess flour.

Sift together your flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the large bowl of your mixer. Add the granulated sugar. With the paddle attachment in place, mix on low speed until well blended.

In a medium bowl, whisk together your eggs, egg yolk, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla.  Keep your mixer on low speed and add the egg mixture in a slow steady stream. Scrape down the sides of your mixing bowl.  Beat at medium speed until well combine, about 1 minute.  Pour in your hot coffee and mix just until well blended.  Remove bowl from mixer. Stir your batter a little to make sure everything is combined. Divide your batter between your two pans. Smooth out the tops.

Bake your cakes for 30 to 35 minutes, until cake tester comes out clean.  Cool your cakes in the pans on wire racks for about 10 minutes.

Invert your cakes onto the racks and cool completely.

Filling:

4 large egg yolks

2 Tbsp. plus 1/2 tsp. cornstarch

1/8 tsp. salt

1 c. water

2/3 c. heavy cream

3 oz. semisweet or bittersweet good chocolate, finely chopped

Chocolate Frosting

4 oz. unsweetened good chocolate, coarsely chopped

11 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

1 2/3 c. confectioners’ sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

Make Filling:

With paddle attachment in place, beat your egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt at medium speed until it is pale, about 1 minute.

In medium heavy saucepan, mix together the water and cream.  Bring this mixture to a boil over medium heat.  Remove the pan from the heat. Pour half of your milk mixture into your egg yolk mixture and whisk to combine.  Pour this mixture back into your saucepan and cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil, and boil for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the chocolate. Whisk until chocolate is completely melted.

Pass the filling though a fine sieve and into a bowl.  Stir in the vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.

Make Frosting:

Place your chocolate into a metal mixing bowl and put the bowl over a pot of simmering water.  Heat until chocolate is completely melted. Stir your chocolate often while it is melting to prevent burning.  Add the confectioners’ sugar.  Beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract and melted chocolate. Beat until well blended and creamy, about 1 minute.

Assemble:

Cut each cake in half using a serrated knife. You now have four layers. Put one layer aside. Place a cake layer, cut side down, onto your cake plate. Whisk the chilled filling until it is smooth. Spread half of the filling over the cake. Smooth with an offset spatula. Top with second cake layer and spread remaining filling on top. Top with the third cake layer, smooth side up.

Break half of the reserved cake layer into large pieces and place them in the bowl of your food processor. (The other half of the cake layer is for the cook to eat!) Place one Process until you have fine crumbs. Set aside.

Frost the sides and top of your cake. Pat a generous amount of cake crumbs all around the sides of your cake. Press them lightly into the frosting.  Sprinkle the remaining cake crumbs over the top of the cake.

 For this cake be sure that you don't use Dutch processed cocoa powder.

The chocolate I used was Scharffen Berger. Sometimes I use Valrhona. Just use a really good chocolate.