Brooklyn Blackout Cake was invented by the beloved bakery Ebinger’s. Named after the mandatory blackout drills implemented in Brooklyn to protect the Navy Yard from enemy aerial attacks during World War II, this obscenely rich cake is a layered creation filled with chocolate pudding, topped by sweet chocolate frosting and then coated completely with tender chocolate cake crumbs…. because obviously the combination of fudge cake and sugary frosting just wasn’t enough. So they had to zhuzh it up a lil’ with some crumbs. Oh yes, they did.
The intensely dark appearance of this dessert mirrored the blackouts, which solidified the name and the connection to the wartime effort. A-ha! Sadly, Ebinger’s closed back in 1972 and the original recipe for their unique Brooklyn Blackout Cake was lost when the company closed. Even though I was just a tot at the time, my Grandmother used to bring Ebinger’s to our house for special occasions and I went totally bananas for this cake as a kid! I vividly remember the thickness of those creamy pudding layers and the delicate crumbs covering each slice. It was literally heaven for a sweet tooth like me. Since then many have tried to duplicate this chocolate lover’s dream so when I see it on a menu, I always order it, trying to recreate that nostalgic feeling I had when I enjoyed Ebinger’s.
Enter Claude… Quietly situated on a nondescript block in the West Village is the cute, welcoming, baked from scratch gem. Around since 1982 and best known for their Manhattan Blackout Cake and pastry items, I couldn’t wait to try their signature cake.
Claude is no stranger to cranking out delicious treats for finicky New Yorkers who demand bakery excellence. For their unique Manhattan Blackout Cake, Claude starts with a decadent blend of devil’s food cake for their two layer dreamboat. Each layer gets slathered generously with a rich chocolate ganache and then sprinkled with a comprehensive coating of more chocolate.
This everyday indulgence for New Yorkers and chocolate enthusiasts is outstanding. The cake itself is so moist and rich and the ganache is a creamy complement. I’m not the biggest sprinkle fan and found myself missing the crumbs, but the taste of this cake is superb.
We couldn’t wait to rip open the box and dive our forks into the fudgy madness. Also, for $10 (!) the slim slice could have been a little bigger… I’m just sayin’.
But wow, what a cake! It was so good I almost blacked out!
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