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Turn your home kitchen into a New York bakery with this rich chocolate cake, boasting a super moist texture and smooth whipped chocolate topping. This easier version of the famous blackout cake packs tons of chocolate punch without fancy techniques or weird ingredients.
I've tried countless chocolate cake recipes, and this one always gives amazing results without much work. The whipped ganache turns into a fluffy frosting that's way easier to handle than regular buttercream.
Key Components:
- Good cocoa powder - Dutch-processed gives darker color and better flavor
- Brown sugar - makes it moist with hints of caramel
- Sour cream - keeps everything soft and tender
- Real chocolate bars - don't use chips for the smoothest ganache
- Hot coffee - brings out chocolate flavors without tasting coffee-like
Step-by-Step Guide:
- Nailing Your Ganache
- Cut chocolate into small, even pieces so it melts the same
- Warm cream until it steams - don't let it bubble or boil
- Don't stir right away - let chocolate sit in hot cream first
- Let it cool on the counter, checking it now and then
- Getting The Batter Right
- Mix cocoa with hot liquid until totally smooth
- Beat wet stuff until it looks completely combined
- Mix in dry ingredients slowly and don't overdo it
- Bang pan on counter to pop air bubbles before it bakes
- Baking It Perfectly
- Put rack in the middle of your oven
- Turn pan around halfway through baking time
- Look for sides pulling away from the pan
- Stick toothpick in several spots to check it's done
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My grandma always threw in a tiny bit of espresso powder to make chocolate taste more chocolatey - I've done the same here and it works wonders.
Picking the Right Chocolate:
I've learned through tons of baking that chocolate quality makes a huge difference in your cake. I like using chocolate with 60-70% cacao for the right mix of sweetness and rich chocolate flavor.
Getting Temperatures Right:
From my time as a bakery worker, I found out chocolate is all about temperature. Your ganache should be cool enough to hold shape but still warm enough to spread nicely.
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This Brooklyn Blackout Cake has become my go-to celebration dessert. The mix of deep chocolate flavor and fluffy whipped ganache makes an amazing treat that always gets people asking for the recipe.
The Magic of Whipped Ganache
After making this tons of times, I found the trick to awesome whipped ganache is all in the timing. The mix should cool until it forms a soft peak when you lift your spoon - usually about 30 minutes sitting out. This makes frosting that goes on smoothly and sets with a nice shine.
Choosing Your Chocolate
Dark chocolate between 60-70% cacao works best. Cheap chocolate can do the job, but better brands like Ghirardelli or Guittard really make the cake stand out. I figured this out during a chocolate tasting class that changed how I bake.
Planning Ahead
This cake actually tastes better the next day as flavors mix together. You can wrap the unfrosted cake tight and freeze it up to 3 months. For parties, I often bake the cake early, freeze it, then thaw and frost on party day.
All About Cocoa Powder
Dutch-processed cocoa makes a darker cake with smoother taste, while natural cocoa has fruitier notes. Both work great in this recipe - I've tried each kind many times while perfecting this. Natural cocoa works really well with the coffee in the batter.
Fixing Common Problems
Knowing basic cake science helps avoid issues. If your cake sinks, your baking powder might be old or your oven temperature off. For heavy, dense cake, make sure ingredients aren't cold and don't mix too much. I learned these fixes from years teaching baking classes.
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Final Cook's Notes:
Check your oven with a separate thermometer
Bake in light metal pans for better results
Keep at room temp under a cake cover
This Brooklyn Blackout Cake shows off chocolate baking at its best - big flavor without big hassle. After tweaking it for years, it's now the chocolate cake everyone asks me to make, proving that sometimes the simplest approach gives the most wow-factor results.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I use chips for the ganache?
- Chocolate bars melt more smoothly. Chips often contain stabilizers that can affect texture.
- → Why include coffee in the mix?
- It makes the chocolate flavor pop but won’t leave a coffee taste. You can swap it for hot water.
- → Is this good for prepping ahead?
- Absolutely! Store at room temp for 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5.
- → What’s the reason for whipping ganache?
- Whipping makes it fluffier, easier to spread, and gives it a luxurious mousse-like finish.
- → What can I do if the ganache gets hard?
- Microwave it in short bursts of about 15 seconds, giving it a stir after each time, until it softens.