Kaiden and Kendrix’s Mom, Brenda, will be showing us how to make this cake, which is inspired by the legendary cake from Ebinger’s Bakery in Brooklyn that disappeared in 1972.
Ingredients:
Pudding:
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 1 cup whole milk
- 6 oz unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Cake:
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup brewed decaffeinated coffee (or warm water)
- 1 cup buttermilk (or make your own with 1 cup whole milk mixed with 1 tbs distilled vinegar)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Equipment:
- Two 3-5 qt saucepans
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Knife
- Chopping board
- Whisk
- Large bowl
- Plastic wrap
- Two 8-inch cake pans (or two cupcake pans with paper liners)
- Non-stick baking spray or butter and flour
- Medium bowl
- Toothpick
- Wire rack
- Long serrated knife
- Frosting spatula (or butter knife)
- Serving platter or plate
Instructions:
Pudding – In a large sauce pan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, salt half-and-half and milk. Set pan over medium heat. Add the chocolate and whisk constantly until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture begins to simmer and thicken. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla extract. Transfer pudding to a large bowl and press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding (to prevent skin forming on top of the pudding). Refrigerate at least 2 hours to allow pudding to set.
Cake – Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour two 8-inch cake pans (or line two cupcake pans with paper cupcake liners). In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the cocoa powder and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in the coffee, buttermilk, sugar, and light brown sugar until dissolved. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract, then slowly whisk in the flour mixture. Divide cake batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for about 30-35 minutes (20-25 minutes for cupcakes). It’s done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, with only crumbs and no batter. Cool in the pans for 15 minutes and then invert onto a wire rack and allow to cool for at least 1 hour.
To assemble the cake, cut each cake in half horizontally using a sawing motion with a long serrated knife to make a total of four layers. Place one cake layer on a serving platter or plate. Spread with ¼ of the pudding and top with another layer. Repeat with the remaining layers. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving and store leftovers in the fridge.