Brooklyn Blackout Chocolate Cake

Dengan seadanya ini lah yang mampu mama sediakan kek birthday bujang sulung yang turned 17th years old on the 2nd October yang lalu...Macam biasa CHOCOLATE ya!!!!..hehe..memang tak  jauh dari chocolate..Tercari cari juga recipe apa yang harus kita gunakan for his birthday this time...Ingatkan nak buat Triple Chocolate Caramel Cake macam 2 tahun lepas, then my mum suggested Rainbow Velvet Cake aka Red Velvet Cake, tapi macam biasa jugalah, kita nak try something new and here it is Brooklyn Blackout Chocolate Cake..

Instead of baking just a normal 1 cake, this time, kita baked 3 tiers cake just to give the dynamic impression(banyak punya dynamic kan ..heheh)..(Perkataan tu  reminded me when I used to present my booth designs in front of my clients to buy the idea..terus client sign the contract cebah lepas tu revisions punya banyak..heheh)..

Anyway, back to the cake..this time juga,with my limited knowledge, I just couldnt find the idea how to decorate a birthday cake for a 17 years old young man..I was stucked at the baking ingredients shop for almost  2 hours just to find items, knick knacks or any decorative tips and products that I can use to decorate the cake..I bought myself some readymade fondant and the above curly candy..In my head maybe I could use the fondant to make some stars protruding out from the cake, you know just to make the cake looked 'fun' ..sekali bila dah siap keknya, ini ajelah yang mampu kita fikirkan..wakakaka...

The cake was very nice, moist, soft and spongy..As usual I reduced the sugar amount in each ingredients.. only I did not get the chocolate pudding filling right as mine was very diluted and even after whisking, boiling and putting it in the refrigerator overnight, the pudding is not thicken and cant be piped..so like curah souplah gitu..hahaha..
The good news is walaupun dicurah for the filling to be sandwiched in between the sliced layers cakes, it made the cake more & more moist..partnering wth the delicious chocolate fudge..Anyhow..Hasif kept coming back for more slices which he did not usually do that for the past few chocolate cakes(maybe due to bored of chocolate cakes already) that I made.. 
Thank you to Tish Boyle for this wonderful recipe..I hope you dont mind, as I would like to share it here for others to try it too..:)

Brooklyn Blackout Chocolate Cake

Adapted from Brooklyn Blackout Cupcakes

Makes 22 cupcakes (Ayu used 3 8' tray for Iqram 20th birthday 26/3/2021)

Sources :-From Tish Boyle Sweet Dreams

Tries & Tested:- Ayu@curlybabesatisfaction

Chocolate Pudding Filling:

4 large egg yolks

2/3 cup (4.6 oz/132 g) granulated sugar-(Ayu used 60g only cos non dairy whipping cream already sweet)

2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch- ( Ayu used 4-5 tbsp to adjust consistency)

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup (240 ml) water-( Ayu used just very little 2 tbsp only cos I used non dairy whipping already watery)

2/3 cup (160 ml) heavy cream-(Ayu used non dairy whipping cream)

3 ounces (85 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped -(Ayu used 85g dark chocolate + bittersweet chocolate 70.5% callebaut about a handful this agak2 to reduce the sweetness)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Blackout Cupcakes:

(Ayu doubled the ingredients below for a 3 tier cake 8", 6" & 4") (Ayu just baked 1 adunan for Iqram's birthday cake 3 trays 8" cake)

1 1/2 cups (6.4 oz/181 g) all-purpose flour

1 cup (2.9 oz/85 g) non-alkalized cocoa powder-(Ayu used Valrhona cocoa powder) (Udpdate: 26/3/2021- Ayu used half black cocoa powder & another half callebaut cocoa powder)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups (14 oz/400 g) granulated sugar-(Ayu used  170g- 200g to adjust to own sweetness)

2 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk

1/2 cup (1 stick/4 oz/113 g) unsalted butter, melted

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup (240 ml) hot brewed coffee-(Ayu used 11/2 tbsp nescafe + 1 cup hot water)

Fudgy Chocolate Frosting:

4 1/2 ounces (127 g) unsweetened chocolate, chopped (I use Scharffen Berger)-(Ayu used Calkebaut bittesweet 70.5%)

4 1/2 ounces (127 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped (Ayu used dark chocolate)

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks/12 oz/340 g) unsalted butter, softened(Ayu used 250g only)

3 cups (12.16 oz/345 g) confectioners’ sugar-(Ayu used 60g only)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Make the Chocolate Pudding Filling:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt at medium speed until pale, about 1 minute.

2. In a medium, heavy saucepan, combine the water and cream, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk about 1/2 of the hot cream mixture into the yolk mixture.  Whisk this mixture into the remaining cream mixture in the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Continue to boil, whisking, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the chocolate until it is completely melted. Pass the filling through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl. Stir in the vanilla extract. Cover the surface of the pudding with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until chilled.

Make the Chocolate Blackout Cupcakes:

3. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the granulated sugar and, using the paddle attachment, mix at low speed until blended.

5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. While mixing the dry ingredients at low speed, add the egg mixture in a steady steam. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then beat at medium speed for 1 minute, until well blended. Add the hot coffee at low speed, mixing just until blended. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and stir the batter from the bottom of the bowl a few times to thoroughly blend the batter. Scrape the batter into the prepared cups, dividing it evenly. Bake the cupcakes for 30 to 35 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes on a wire rack.

Make the Fudgy Chocolate Frosting:

6. Put both chocolates in a medium stainless steel bowl and place the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate is completely melted. Remove the bowl from over the pot and set the chocolate aside to cool until tepid. 

7. In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy, about 30 seconds. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar and beat at high speed for 2 minutes, until light and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the cooled chocolate at low speed, mixing until blended and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Increase the speed to high and beat for 1 minute, until slightly aerated. Use the frosting immediately, or cover well and keep at room temperature for up to 3 hours before using. 

Assemble the cupcakes:

8. Set aside two of the cupcakes to make crumbs out of. Using a paring knife, cut a cone-shaped piece from the center of each remaining cupcake and remove it. Cut off the bottom of the cone and set aside with the reserved two cupcakes. Keep the circle-shaped top of the cupcake. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a medium plain tip (such as Ateco #4) with the chilled pudding. Pipe some pudding into the center of each cupcake, and then replace its top.

9. Process the two reserved cupcakes and bottom part of the cake cones in a food processor to form crumbs.

10. Spread the top of each cupcake with a generous amount of the frosting (you can pipe it on if you prefer). Sprinkle the frosting on each cupcake with a generous amount of the crumbs. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled. These cupcakes are best served the day they are made.