What birthday gift do you get for the woman (my mother Bernice) who has everything she needs? Chocolate. Not just any chocolate, a legendary dark rich chocolate cake encrusted in moist cake crumbs, filled with chocolate pudding and topped with a bittersweet ganache made richer by the addition of espresso powder. Originally from Ebinger's of Brooklyn, this is a copy at recipe which is floating around online, and — as far as I can remember — it’s spot on.
Ingredients for filling
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
1 large egg, room temperature
1 cup heavy cream
Ingredients for cake
2 cups sugar
2 cups AP flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup (2 1/4 ounces) Dutch-process cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon espresso powder
4 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups water
Ingredients for icing
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
3/4 cup heavy cream
Procedure
You start with the filling because it needs to set up for a few hours — you can evan make it the day before. Place the chocolate chips, salt, sugar, and espresso powder in a food processor fitted with the big blade and pulse until finely ground. Add the egg and pulse just until the mixture is smooth. Heat the cream to just below a boil, with small bubbles forming around the edge of the saucepan. Turn on the processor, and slowly add the cream. Scrape down the sides of the container if necessary. Pour the pudding into a shallow bowl, and refrigerate it until chilled and thickened, 2 hours to overnight.
When you’re ready to bake the cake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two 8" x 2" round cake pans. Line them with 8" parchment circles, and grease the parchment; this step will ensure your cake’s crumble-free turnout from the pan. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the eggs, oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl. Stir in the water and mix till smooth. Pour the batter into the two prepared pans. Bake the cakes for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven, cool for 15 minutes, then turn them out of the pans to cool completely on a rack.
To make the icing, combine the cream and chocolate in a saucepan. Heat until the cream is steaming and showing small bubbles around the edge. Remove the chocolate/cream from the burner, and stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture becomes completely smooth. Refrigerate the ganache for 30 minutes. Beat the chilled icing briefly, until it thickens a bit and becomes spreadable.
To assemble the cake, cut the domed tops off both cake layers; these will become your crumb coating. Place one layer on a serving plate. For best presentation, lay strips of parchment around the edge of the plate before putting the cake on top; these will catch the inevitable icing drips, and can be removed once you're done icing the cake. Top the cake with the filling, spreading it evenly to the edges. Center the second layer of cake on top of the filling. Spread the icing over the top and onto the sides of the cake. Crumble the reserved cake, and gently press it onto the top and sides of the assembled cake. Serve immediately, or within a couple of hours. For longer storage, refrigerate. This cake is best served the same day it’s made, or within 24 hours. Freeze, well-wrapped, for longer storage. My mother eats hers with a scoop of Häagen-Dazs chocolate ice cream — hardcore!
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