McKenzie’s Black Out Cake

Ask and you shall receive! So I asked about where to BUY one of the old McKenzie’s Black Out cakes but you lovely followers out did yourselves and got me the original recipe! This weekend Mom and I attempted to follow the very extensive (often confusing) instructions. Below is the recipe with what we would change for next time, if there is a next time. And because my industrial engineer brain had to be an overachiever I’ve cleaned up the wording+formatting so it’s easier to follow. 

WARNING: this is not for the faint of heart, it will be an exhausting full day project for at least 2 people, 3 people if you’re really good with suckering in helpers. This was easily the most action my mom’s kitchen has ever seen since it was built 30+ years ago. 

Since it was just the 2 of us and we were juggling the recipe instructions, general cooking mess in the kitchen, relocating to Meme’s house to use her oven (my grandmother because mom’s house is under remodel construction), and endless dirty bowls our pictures from the event are limited... a 4th person to photograph would have been helpful. 

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

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Butter and lightly flour two 8 inch round cake pans.
3. Place cocoa in bowl and whisk in boiling water to form a paste.
4. Combine chocolate and milk in saucepan over medium heat. Stir until chocolate melts.
5. Whisk a little of the hot chocolate milk into the cocoa paste. Whisk the cocoa mix into the milk mixture until smooth.
6. Return pan to medium heat for one minute and stir.
7. Set aside until tepid.
8. In the bowl of a mixer, cream the butter and sugar.
9. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, and the vanilla.
10. Slowly stir in the chocolate mix (last used in step 7).
11. Stir together the flour, baking powder, soda and salt in a separate bowl.
12. Using spatula, fold the flour mix into the chocolate butter mix until just blended.
13. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form.
14. Using spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the batter.
15. Divide the batter between the prepared pans.
16. Bake until test clean.- about 45 minutes.
17. Cool in pans on rack for 15 minutes.
18. Gently remove and cool cakes.

We were overachievers and divided the batter into 3 8” pans so we would have more layers because the judges seem to remember the original having more layers. I wouldn’t do that again but if you’re eager the baking time for that is 29 minutes at 375f.  

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 tbslp cornstarch (dissolved in 1 tblsp cold water)

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tblsp unsalted butter

1. Combine cocoa and boiling water in a small saucepan over low heat.
2. Stir in the sugar and chocolate.
3. Add the dissolved cornstarch paste and salt, bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
4. Boil for one minute.
5. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla and butter.
6. Transfer to a bowl, refrigerate until cool.

FROSTING

12 oz semi sweet chocolate bits (we thought this was too bitter, something like milk chocolate would cut it down better in our opinion)

12 tblsp unsalted butter

1/2 cup hot water

1 tblsp light corn syrup 

1 tbslp vanilla extract

1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over hot, not simmering, water. Stir until smooth.
2. Remove from heat and whisk in butter, one tbslp at a time. (Return to heat if necessary to melt butter.)
3. Whisk in the hot water all at once and whisk till smooth.
4. Whisk in corn syrup and vanilla.
5. Cover and refrigerate for up to 15 minutes.

ASSEMBLY 

1. Use a sharp knife to slice each cake into two layers (4 total). I suggest stacking all the bottom layers then the top layer so the end result is dome shaped. 
2. Put filling between 3 layers.
3. Save 1 layer for crumbs.
4. Quickly apply frosting.
5. Refrigerate cake for 10 minutes.
6. Apply remaining frosting and then cover completely with cake crumbs.
7. Store cool- serve within 24 hours.

Final result from the judges was that it was definitely the same recipe I just needed to practice to get it done in 90 minutes like they do on the Food Network.  

My final take; McKenzie’s bakery went out of business because they weren’t charging nearly enough for their most popular cake! 

XOXO

The Mr. & Amanda