Hummingbird book - Brooklyn Blackout Cake

[satc2bringiton]

Have made this cake today, which is utterly fab, although looks nothing like the picture.

Has anyone else made this?

I couldn't believe how much chocolate custard there was - i am going to have to throw over half of it away

I've had the same problem with the cupcake frosting.

[wastwinsetandpearls]

I always have too much frosting, I tried to make half as much last week but then duid not have enough.

[satc2bringiton]

It's a pain the amounts are so wrong!

[traceybath]

Can you not freeze the left over frosting and keep to ice some cup cakes?

[samsonara]

the cupcakes and frosting took me about 6 attempts of trial and error to get the amount and texture right, I don't think they are being honest about the amounts. The recipes were adapted to be cooked at home by someone else, who probably still used industrial kitchen equipment,

[satc2bringiton]

Not sure about freezing it.

samsonara Have you made much else from the book?

[samsonara]

no not yet satc2bringiton, just made the vanilla cup cakes with the various frostings

[traceybath]

I would definitely freeze it - what have you got to lose?

I freeze cakes all the time and the icing and they're fine.

[27Intrepidexplorer]

Made the cake for the first time yesterday and was amazed at the amount of custard icing! I lavishly iced the cake as instructed and still had half a bowl left over so this morning I made another cake and iced it with the remaining custard without skimping and will open freeze it.
You have to try these things.
I didn't find it the easiest recipe to work. I don't have a Kitchen Aid or the like and found that the initial creaming of the sugar into the butter quite hard work even with a hand held beater.
Mixing the cornflour with the said amount of water for the custard was a laugh - it completely seized up into something akin to cement so I used more water in order to mix it properly and added a spoonful of the cocoa mixture to loosen it up before adding to the pan to reheat.

The recipe I downloaded missed the bicarb off the list of ingredients but thoughtfully included it later in the instructions.

Don't think it made a huge difference it all worked out in the end and was very yumming if exceedingly rich - not your everyday nibble

[taffetacatski]

did you see this update to the recipe? scroll down to get to Brooklyn Blackout tips

[27Intrepidexplorer]

Yes I did see the updates after I had baked the cake! Would have been useful before or even with the tips included with the recipe, but hey, it all worked out in the end and the final product was very enjoyable!

[jetgirl]

I went to the hunmingbird bakery and the cakes are slathered in the frosting so the amounts reflect thosr in the recipe book. The strawberry cheescake cupcakes are amazing but it asks for way too much digestive biscuit. I heartily recommend the banana loaf if you've not tried it!

[cookielover]

I have made the Brooklyn Blackout cake several times. This is the best chocolate cake recipe I have ever done. I agree the chocolate custard is weired to do but it works with the cake and yes there was loads of it.
You must try it though as this is the only chocolate cake I ever make now but I don't always make the custard. I usually use whipped cream and rasperries for the filling and chocolate buttercream icing for the top. It's delish.
I've also done the lemon cake, the double chocolate cookies (once again these are delish, and the vanilla cupcakes.
Give it a go people. You'll not be disappointed.