If ever there was a week to bypass dinner and go straight to dessert first, this is it.
Mardi Gras is going strong through Tuesday, and while some of us may take a break for Ash Wednesday, there will be plenty of heart-shaped treats on Thursday, as we celebrate Valentine’s Day.
Could anything be more appropriate than rich, dark chocolate? Try out this recipe for Chocolate Blackout Cake, from The Complete Cook’s Country TV Show Cookbook (America’s Test Kitchen 2012/$26.95) and enjoy the celebrations.
CHOCOLATE BLACKOUT CAKE
For the pudding:
1¼ cups granulated sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
½ tsp. salt
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup whole milk
6 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 tsp. vanilla extract
For the cake:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter
¾ cup Dutch-processed cocoa
1 cup brewed coffee
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Whisk sugar, cornstarch, salt, half-and-half and milk in a large saucepan. Set over medium heat. Add chocolate and whisk constantly until chocolate melts and mixture begins to bubble, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla and transfer pudding to large bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours or up to 1 day.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease and flour parchment. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in bowl.
Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in cocoa and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Off heat, whisk in coffee, buttermilk, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until dissolved. Whisk in eggs and vanilla, then slowly whisk in flour mixture.
Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans on wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, discarding parchment, and let cool completely on wire rack, about 2 hours.
To assemble: Using a long serrated knife, cut each layer horizontally into 2 layers. Crumble 1 of the 4 layers into medium crumbs and set aside.
Cover edges of platter with strips of parchment. Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 1 cup pudding over top, right to edge of cake. Top with second layer; press lightly to adhere. Repeat with 1 cup pudding and last cake layer. Spread remaining pudding evenly over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle cake crumbs evenly over top and sides of cake, pressing lightly to adhere crumbs. Remove parchment strips.
Makes 10 to 12 servings.