Blackout Cake

Happy Monday, people! Guess what? I baked you a cake. Yes, that's right — a cake. A luscious, layered chocolate cake.

At the beginning of each year I have a tendency to make big promises here on the blog … and then proceed to immediately forget and/or ignore them. In 2010, I declared it the year of cake. I had never made what I termed a "grown-up" cake and stated that I would do so in 2010. I did not.

This year, I promised I would post a recipe a week. I did kinda okay in January: Paris Mushroom Soup, Chicken Tinga Tacos, Challah Bread. I even made it into the first week of February: Butter Chicken. Then, boom: Nada. Nothing. *sigh.*

You'd think I would learn. I wanted to make it up to you with a cake. A real, tried-and-true grown-up cake. My first tried-and-true grown-up cake. This is a rich, dense chocolate cake—not for the faint of heart, which I know you are not.

Chocolate Blackout Cake
via Food & Wine

CAKE
1 stick unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pan
2 1/4 cups cake flour, plus more for dusting
1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder (See Note)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk

FILLING
3 cups water
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups unsweetened natural cocoa powder (See Note)
2/3 cup cornstarch
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

1. MAKE THE CAKE Preheat the oven to 375°. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans and coat lightly with flour. Line the bottoms with parchment paper. In a standing electric mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the 1 stick of butter with the shortening until creamy. Add the sugar and beat at medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between additions. Add the vanilla. At very low speed, beat in the cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the 2 1/4 cups of cake flour and the milk in 3 separate alternating batches, scraping down the side and bottom of the bowl occasionally.

2. Divide the cake batter between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake in the center of the oven for about 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let the cakes cool for 15 minutes, then invert them onto a rack and let cool completely.

3. MEANWHILE, MAKE THE FILLING In a large saucepan, combine 2 1/2 cups of the water with the sugar, corn syrup and cocoa powder and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. In a bowl, whisk the cornstarch with the remaining 1/2 cup of water until smooth; whisk into the cocoa mixture. Cook over moderately high heat, whisking constantly, until very thick, 3 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the butter, vanilla and salt. Scrape the filling into a bowl and press a sheet of plastic wrap onto the surface of the filling. Let cool, then refrigerate until firm, 45 minutes.

4. Using a serrated knife, halve each cake layer horizontally. Break up the less attractive top cake layer and transfer to a food processor; pulse into crumbs. Reserve the two cake bottoms and one smoother top.

5. Set one of the cake bottoms on a cake plate and spread with 1 1/2 cups of the filling. Top with the second bottom layer and another 1 1/2 cups of filling. Cover with the cake top and spread the remaining filling all over the top and side. Pat the crumbs all over the cake. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

In the kitchen: Mexican Chocolate Cookies

I'm sure I'm not alone in obsessing about cookies this time of year. I've been following along with many blogs who are counting down the holidays with cookie recipes and when Chicago-based Lottie & Doof got to number 8 — Mexican Chocolate Cookies adapted from Cooks Illustrated — I knew I had to get baking. A big old hunk of butter along with a wollop of cinnamon and cayenne pepper give them a unique kick.


Mexican Chocolate Cookies (via Lottie & Doof, adapted from Cook’s Illustrated)

• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I would use a tad more next time — love the heat!)
• 20 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 1/2 sticks), softened to cool room temperature (about 65 degrees)
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 1 cup sugar
  
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4-1/2 cup turbinado sugar (or other raw or sanding sugar)

In medium skillet set over medium heat, toast almonds, cinnamon, and cayenne until fragrant, about 3 minutes; set aside to cool. In food processor fitted with metal blade, process cooled mixture until very fine, about 15 seconds. Set aside.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and instant espresso powder; stir until mixture forms smooth paste. Set aside to cool, 15 to 20 minutes.

In standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix remaining 16 tablespoons butter, sugar, salt, and cooled cocoa mixture on high speed until well combined and fluffy, about 1 minute, scraping sides of mixing bowl once or twice with rubber spatula. Add yolks and vanilla and mix on medium speed until thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape sides of bowl. Whisk nut/spice mixture into flour. With mixer running on low, add flour mixture in three additions, waiting until each addition is incorporated before adding next and scraping bowl before next addition. Continue to mix until dough forms cohesive ball, about 5 seconds. Shape into two dough logs, 2 inches in diameter and about 6 inches long; use parchment paper or plastic wrap to roll into neat cylinder. Chill until very firm and cold, at least 1 hour. (At this point the dough can be frozen for up to a couple of weeks.)

Preheat oven to 375º F with rack set in the middle. Roll chilled log in sugar. Slice cookies 1/4 inch thick and place on parchment-lined baking sheets.

Bake until cookies show slight resistance to touch, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking time; if cookies begin to darken on edges, they have overbaked. Cool for 5 minutes, then, using spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack; cool completely.

What are you baking this weekend?