To me , the ultimate chocolate was the Blackout Cake from the closed McKenzie’ bakeries. It was all the chocolate you would want and them some. McKenzie’s closed in 2000. An attempt was made to reopen it but that failed. Fortunately, some of their recipes can be found on the internet. Since we are in the middle of Carnival season, here is another down home New Orleans dish.
CAKE
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa 2 tblsp boiling water 2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped 3/4 cup milk 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 2 cups sugar 4 large eggs, separated 2 tsp vanilla extract 2 cups all purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter and lightly flour two 8 inch round cake pans. Place cocoa in bowl and whisk in boiling water to form a paste. Combine chocolate and milk in saucepan over medium heat. Stir till chocolate melts. Whisk a little of the hot chocolate milk into the cocoa paste. Whisk the cocoa mix into the milk mixture. Return pan to medium heat for one minute and stir. Set aside till tepid In the bowl of a mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, and the vanilla. Slowly stir in the chocolate mix. Stir together the flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Using spatula, fold the flour mix into the chocolate till just mixed. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites till soft peaks form. Using spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the batter. Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake until test clean.- about 45 minutes. Cool in pans on rack for 15 minutes. Gently remove and cool cakes.
FILLING 1 tblsp plus 1 3/4 tsp cocoa 2 cups boiling water 3/4 cup + 3 1/2 tsp sugar 1 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped 4 tblsp cornstarch( dissolved in 1 tblsp cold water) 1/4 tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 tblsp unsalted butter Combine cocoa and boiling water in a small saucepan over low heat . Stir in the sugar and chocolate. Add the dissolved cornstarch paste and salt, bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for one minute. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla and butter. Transfer to a bowl, refrigerate till cool.
FROSTING AND ASSEMBLY 12 oz semi sweet chocolate bits 12 tblsp unsalted butter 1/2 cup hot water 1 tblsp light corn starch 1 tbslp vanilla extract Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over hot, not simmering , water. Stir till smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in butter, one tbslp at a time. Return to heat if necessary to melt butter. Whisk in the hot water all at once and whisk till smooth. Whisk in corn syrup and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate for up to 15 minutes. Use a sharp knife to slice each cake into two layers( 4 total) Put filling between 3 layers. Save 1 for crumbs. Quickly apply frosting. Refrigerate cake for 10 minutes. Apply remaining frosting and then cover completely with cake crumbs. Store cool- serve within 24 hours.
Enjoy!!!
