Brooklyn Blackout Cake Pt 1

-CHOCOLATE FILLING-
1 tb Unsweetened Dutch process
-cocoa pdr; plus 2 teaspoons
1 1/2 c Hot water
3/4 c Sugar
1 oz Semisweet chocolate
2 tb Cornstarch; plus 1 teaspoon
2 tb Cold water
1/2 ts Salt
2 tb Butter; in 2 pieces
1 ts Vanilla

FUDGE TOPPING
12 oz Semisweet chocolate
1 1/2 Sticks butter; 6 oz.,
-softened
—–cut in 12 pieces
1/2 c Lukewarm water; See Notes.
1 tb Light corn syrup
1 tb Vanilla

BAKE: 350 greased 9″ baking pans (2) 25-35 mins.

PREPARE CHOCOLATE FILLING ONE DAY IN ADVANCE

FILLING:

Put the cocoa, hot water, sugar, and chocolate in a medium saucepan and
cook over low heat, stirring often, until chocolate dissolves. Dissolve the
cornstarch in the cold water, stirring to make a smooth paste. Add the
cornstarch mixture and the salt to the saucepan. Bring to a boil over
medium-high heat and boil gently for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir
the mixture often where the sides and the bottom of the pan meet. Remove
from heat and add butter & vanilla, stirring until the butter melts. Pour
into a refrigerator container and chill overnight. The filling will thicken
to the consistency of pastry cream or soft pudding.

CAKE:

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together and set aside.
Put the cocoa powder, water, unsweetened chocolate, and milk in a medium
saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the chocolate
melts. Remove from heat and cool.

Put butter in mixer and mix on low speed until smooth, about 15 seconds.
Add sugar and beat on medium speed for 2 mins. Scrape down sides of bowl.
Add egg yolks, beating well after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl.
Add the vanilla and beat for 2 more minutes at medium speed. Scrape bowl.
With the mixer on low speed, add the cooled chocolate mixture, mixing just
until the chocolate is combined thoroughly. Slowly add the flour mixture,
mixing just until the flour is incorporated and the mixture looks smooth.
Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl again. Beat egg whites until soft peaks.
Use a rubber spatula to fold about 1/4 of the beaten egg whites into
chocolate batter. Fold remaining egg whites into batter.

Pour the batter into prepared pans. Smooth the top of the batter. Bake.
Cool and remove from pans.

FROSTING:

Gently melt chocolate. Add butter pieces and stir till melted completely.
measure out the lukewarm water. Check for your fingertips that the water
temperature feels similar to the chocolate temperature. Add water to the
chocolate all at once and gently whisk the mixture until the frosting is
smooth. Stir in the corn syrup and vanilla. Cool the frosting at room
temperature (with an occasional chilling, if necessary) for about 30 mins
or till thickens slightly.

ASSEMBLE CAKE:

Split each cooled layer into 2 layers. Place one bottom layer on a serving
platter and cover with 1/2 of chilled filling, leaving a 1/4″ plain edge as
filling may run slightly. Place another bottom layer on top and cover with
remaining filling. Place one top layer on top. Using fingers, crumble
remaining cake layer into small crumbs. If any filling has run over onto
the sides of cake, spread it out onto the sides of the cake with a thin
metal spatula. Cover the top and sides of the cake with a thin layer of the
fudge frosting and refrigerate the cake for 15 mins to firm cake and
filling. Spread remaining frosting over the top and sides of cake. Press