I was lucky enough to be born in Brooklyn, too, and early enough so that I got to indulge in the real Ebinger's blackout cake for most of my childhood. Entenmann's made an excellent one also, but I don't think they shipped it around the country, so it was only available in NY. I compare all chocolate cakes in my life to Blackout Cake.

I've spent a lot of time trying to find a recipe that tasted authentic, and I've baked maybe half a dozen versions. I'm surprised to see that there's no sour cream in yours, but I'm guessing the buttermilk works as a substitute? I'll definitely give it a try. The finished product looks very nice. (Our next-door neighbor was a baker, and he used to bring home his bakery's version of Blackout Cake on a regular basis. His family's nickname for it was Gorilla Cake--it's easy to see why!)

Thanks for posting this!

That's one stunning, yummy-looking chocolate cake (as I sit here munching a Kashi mocha almond granola bar!). I have a strong chocolate craving today for some reason.

Thanks for the photos and for sharing the recipe. Your wife is a very lucky lady. My birthday is next month. Not much chance anyone will bake that for me!!

seagrass

I first heard of Ebinger's Blackout Cake in Molly O' Neill's New York Cookbook. She devoted seven pages to it. I would imagine Suzanne was delighted with that great looking version.

That looks AMAZING!!!!!! I am definitely going to give it a try in the near future

Alexa

That is simply scrumptious looking!

and you Michael are a treasure!!

Michael, that's just beautiful.

It must have been some cake that so many people remember it. Over the years, I recall at least three other threads about this cake. You probably just made a lot of people very happy.

*thud*

Freeze some for me will ya?

Yes, Ebinger's is the benchmark.

Your cake looks great; however, the cake crumbs were very fine & sprinkled only on top. And, believe me, the frosting was NOT pudding.

Not only did I have the pleasure of tasting the original version of the Ebinger's Blackout Cake, but I went to high school near their bakery and often smelled their breads and other goodies.

I agree with leel that the frosting was NOT pudding - it was a very smooth and soft frosting, sprinkled heavily on the top with cake crumbs and just lightly on the sides.

Helene

Blubird and Leel,

Welcome to the legion of internet posters that disagree what the original cake was all about. This is a hot debate, as mythical topics often are. Some swear to a cherry on top, others sliced almonds. They were Brooklynites too... go figure. My wife grew up in Boro Park a few blocks from the Ebingers on 13th Av, and she thinks this recipe was on the money- even the thick crumbs on the sides. I dunno- I never had the stuff.

In their glory, Ebingers had 54 stores before folding under the pricing of wholesale bakeries. It wouldn't be so remarkable if differnt stores had slightly different takes on the finished style. That might explain the the vast variety of differences in eye witness accounts. I was a commercial baker for a few years and remember the differences in items prepared by different bakers in the same shop. Expand that to a different manager in a different part of town, be it Flatbush,13th Av, or Queens.

As far as pudding goes, I personally wouldn't call this stuff pudding but I did use the terminology used in the recipe. It looked like pudding from pan to cooling bowl but there the similarity ended. Once cooled, nobody would call this stuff pudding. It was very similar in texture to a good chocolate frosting.

I will continue to keep a watchful eye out for photos of birthday parties from bygone days. I find this whole Ebinger's phenomenon fascinating.

Do you remember Mrs. Stahl's Knishes in Brighton Beach? Ahhh. speaking of mythical food...

michaelp

I'm pretty sure David (lakeguy) made this a few years ago. It looks wondeful! I've got to try this. Thanks for explaining about the pudding-the thought of icing a cake with pudding didn't sound great but now that I know what it's like I'm going to have to give this a try.

Tracey

I think dishesdone once posted a recipe for blackout cake, maybe Lakeguy made it too, or maybe I was thinking of some other "famous" cake from New York City, LOL.

At any rate, it looks delicious to me. I've never been to New York, or tasted the Blackout Cake, but I sure wouldn't turn a piece of that down.

Happy birthday to Suzanne!

Annie

Here's the recipe I copied from CF in May, 2005, which includes an interesting note at the end.

Ebingers All-Chocolate Blackout Cake

Cake
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 tablespoons boiling water
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup milk
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened slightly
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, separated
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Filling
1 tablespoon plus 1 3/4 teaspoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 cups boiling water
3/4 cup plus 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 [to 4] tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water [see note]
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Frosting
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 cup hot water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter and lightly flour two (8-inch) round cake pans.
2. Make the cake: Place cocoa in a small bowl and whisk in boiling water to form a paste.
3. Combine the chocolate and milk in saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently until the chocolate melts, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Whisk a small amount of the hot chocolate milk into the cocoa paste to warm it. Whisk the cocoa mixture into the milk mixture. Return the pan to medium heat and stir for one minute. Remove and set aside to cool until tepid.
4. In the bowl of a mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, and the vanilla. Slowly stir in the chocolate mixture.
5. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using a spatula or a wooden spoon, slowly add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture. Fold in until just mixed.
6. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Using a spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the batter. Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pans on rack for 15 minutes. Gently remove the cakes from the pans and continue to cool.
7. While the cake is baking, make the filling: Combine the cocoa and boiling water in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in the sugar and chocolate. Add the dissolved cornstarch paste and salt to the pan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for one minute. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla and butter. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until cool.
8. Make the frosting: Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over hot, not simmering, water, stirring until smooth. Remove the top of the double boiler from the heat and whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Return the top to the heat, if necessary, to melt the butter.
9. Whisk in the hot water all at once and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the corn syrup and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate for up to 15 minutes prior
to using.
10. Assemble the cake: Use a sharp serrated knife to slice each cake layer horizontally in half to form 4 layers. Set 1 layer aside. Place 1 layer on a cake round or plate. Generously swath the layer with one-third of the filling. Add the second layer and repeat. Set the third layer on top. Quickly apply a layer of frosting to the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
11. Meanwhile, crumble the remaining cake layer. Apply the remaining frosting to the cake. Sprinkle it liberally with the cake crumbs. Serve the cake within 24 hours. Store in a cool place.

Note: Please note that these ingredients make a very runny filling that pleased the 12 devout Ebingerists who taste-tested different versions of this cake. Those who desire a less syrupy consistency can stir in an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch. [The now-defunct McKenzieÂs Bakery of New Orleans baked a dearly-beloved version of the Blackout Cake. We understand from local aficionados that the filling in the McKenzie version was firm and pudding-like, therefore requiring 4 tablespoons of cornstarch

I loved this cake when I made many years ago like Tracey mentioned. Yes, I did get the recipe from Didhesdone...she knows I love chocolate cake and has shared and passed on some wonderful recipe over the years. The chocolate peanut butter crunch cake from the Waldorf is another favorite that you might be thinking about Annie.

Michael, mine had the crumbs on the sides too. I just checked my pic. I can't find the recipe on this computer or the old one in the guest bedroom to compare it to yours. I'm thinking it was way back when I was printing all of my recipes out. I'll try to find it and post the version that Carol posted. I can say I/we loved it. Time to make it again!

David

I grew up in Borough Park, too, but I also had the Blackout cake in Flatbush as well....both were the same with a candied cherry on top, as far as I can recall - never almonds.

Mrs. Stahl's knishes were 'to die for' as well. Don't get us Brooklynites started on the best pizza places, though ;-).

Helene

Helene,

oh baby... pizza

Lennys is still good in Benson Hurst and in 1977, Da Vinci's on 18th Ave and about 67th was our favorite.

Do you remember that big pizza/falafal place on 13th avenue and, I think, 49th? I loved that place! They had the pickeled turnips on the counter, free with your food. I miss that place more than any other in NY. It was my first adventure with Suzanne, not yet my wife, and my first entry into her Jewish roots. What a time.

michaelp

michaelp,

The pizza/falafel place on 13th Ave. appeared after I left. When I lived there, there was no such thing as pizza in that neighborhood, and falafel had yet to make an appearance. I grew up on 46th street between 13th and 14th ave and the place I remember the most, foodwise, was the Famous restaurant where you could get 'Lungen Stew" (ah....the memories of grey-brown lung meat :->). For a while the meat was banned by the FDA, but I believe it's now allowed again - they don't have to worry about me eating it again, however!

Pizza places exist at about every 50 paces in Brooklyn. Some memorable ones were and still are on Avenue J and Original Pizza in Canarsie.

Helene

Found this thread after seeing the Cook's Country episode on this cake. I was just curious to know more about it and see other versions of the recipe.

Wow....just......wow! I think after partaking of such a rich, fabulously decadent birthday cake it might take me another year to recover! Making this for a dear one is a wonderful expression of sweeeeet love.

And while searching for blackout cake recipes online I came across this website that sells the pre-baked cakes. They make it sound as though they are working off the original recipe but I found that hard to believe. Especially since these are commercially available and so surely have been altered for a longer shelf life. Anybody familiar with this company or ever ordered this Blackout Cake?

BTW, according to this article in The Week (February 21, 2008), the original recipes did not survive. How is it possible Ebingers didn't save their recipes?

The article is here with yet another recipe that the author thinks comes very close to the original: