Brooklyn Blackout Cake

So I finally decided to make this DELICIOUS cake I saw in my recipe book about 100 years ago... It looked so decadent (and difficult) that I couldn't wait to try it out.

Ok, so here are the ingredients you will need to work with. (I will post quantities shortly)

You will need:

For the Cakes
100g Unsalted Butter
260g Caster Sugar
2 Eggs
1/4 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
45g Cocoa Powder
3/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
3/4 Teaspoon Bicarb Soda
Pinch of Salt
170g Plain Flour
160ml Whole Milk

For the Chocolate Custard
500g Caster Sugar
1 Tablespoon Golden Syrup
125g Cocoa Powder
200g Corn Flour
85g Unsalted Butter
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Method:

Preheat the oven to 170 c (325 f) or Gas 3

Put the butter & sugar in a large bowl and beat until light & fluffy

Add the eggs, 1 at a time and mix well, scraping any mix off the sides with a rubber spatula. Turn the mixer down to slow and add the Vanilla, Cocoa, Baking Powder, Bicarb and salt until well mixed

Add half the flour - all of the milk and continue mixing. Add the rest of the flour and mix well. Pour evenly into 3 prepared tins of the same size and smooth mixture with a pallete knife.

Bake in the oven until a skewer comes out clean and cakes spring back in the centre when lightly touched.

Cool slightly before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.

 

For the custard, put the Sugar, Goldne Syrup, Cocoa and 600ml water in a large heavy based saucepan and bring to the boil over medium heat, whisking occasionally.

Meanwhile mix the cornflour with 120 - 200ml water until the mixure resembles a slightly thick glue. Whisk this mixture gradually into the cocoa mixture over medium heat (not high). 

Bring back to the boil, whisking constantly for a minute or so until quite thick. 

Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract. Pour into a bowl, cover with cling film and chill until quite firm and cold. 

Slice a thin layer of one of the cakes and put in a food processor. Process until you have fine crumbs.

Spread one of the cakes with a thin layer of the custard and place a second cake over it. Repeat.

Now cover the sides and top of the cake with the Custard. Try and keep it as smooth as possible. A pallete knife works best as they are usually larger and easier to work with than say, just a big knife.

 

Now all you need to do is to sprinkle the cake crumbs over the top and sides of the cake. You can be as liberal as you like in this step. 

I also thought instead of using cake crumbs, to use Milo for a REAL chocolate hit! Perhaps you could even add some Raspberries for a bit of bite. 

There could be so many variations to this cake! The only limit is your imagination... Enjoy! xox