'Russ & Daughters' Black-and-White Drop Cake
Amerikaner·(ah-meh-ree-KAH-ner)
Chapter 5 — Sides, Sweets & Drinks
The proper drop cake sits flat on its back. A freshly baked, authentic New York black-and-white—modeled after the legendary Russ & Daughters version—requires a heavy half-sheet pan and an offset spatula to drag a clean line through fondant icing that snaps. The tender crumb is distinctly redolent of fresh lemon zest with just enough almond extract to taste on the exhale, a world away from the dry, plastic-wrapped, excessively sweet black-and-whites sitting by the register at a generic deli. This is exactly what you order after your Sunday lox-and-everything. Cool the cakes entirely on a wire rack, mix your glazes, and work quickly before the sugar sets.
Before you start
Preheat the oven and prepare the baking pans.
Position your oven racks in the upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two heavy-duty aluminum half-sheet pans with parchment paper.
Vigorously whisk the dry ingredients together.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt for at least 30 seconds to ensure the leavening agents are perfectly dispersed.
Ingredients
- all-purpose flour250 g
- cake flour120 g
- baking powder1 tsp
- baking soda1/2 tsp
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt1 tsp
- unsalted butter170 g
- granulated sugar250 g
- lemon1 med
- eggs2 large
- full-fat sour cream120 g
- vanilla extract2 tsp
- almond extract1/4 tsp
- confectioners' sugar500 g
- light corn syrup2 tbsp
- vanilla extract1 tsp
- fine sea salt1 pinch
- boiling water6 tbsp
- dark Dutch-processed cocoa powder25 g
- bittersweet chocolate1 oz
Method
- 01
Infuse the sugar with the fresh lemon zest.
In the bowl of your stand mixer, rub the fresh lemon zest into the granulated sugar using your clean fingertips until it takes on the texture of wet sand and the oils are highly fragrant.
- 02
Cream the butter and sugar until highly aerated.
Attach the paddle attachment, add the softened butter, and beat on medium-high speed for a full 4 to 5 minutes until the mixture transforms into a pale, fluffy cloud. Pause twice to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- 03
Emulsify the eggs and extracts.
Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and beat in the room-temperature eggs one at a time, allowing the first to fully incorporate before adding the second. Beat in 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and the crucial, restrained drop of almond extract.
- 04
Alternate adding the dry flour mixture and the sour cream.
With the mixer on the lowest possible speed, add exactly one-third of the dry flour mixture. Once just barely incorporated, pour in half of the sour cream. Repeat this process, finishing with the final third of the flour.
- 05
Finish folding the batter gently by hand.
Turn off the mixer before the last streaks of flour disappear. Remove the bowl and use your flexible spatula to gently fold the incredibly thick batter by hand, scraping all the way to the bottom to incorporate any dense pockets.
- 06
Portion out the drop cakes.
Using a 1/4-cup mechanical ice cream scoop, portion level mounds of batter onto the prepared sheet pans. Leave at least 3 inches of space between them, as they will spread.
- 07
Smooth the tops with warm water.
Dip your fingers lightly in warm water and gently tap down any severe peaks on the tops of the dough mounds. This encourages them to bake into perfectly round, smooth domes.
- 08
Bake until the centers spring back.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the pans top to bottom and front to back at the 8-minute mark. They are done when the edges are lightly golden; the tops will look properly pale.
- 09
Cool the cakes completely.
Allow the cakes to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then use a wide spatula to transfer them to wire racks. They must cool absolutely and entirely to room temperature before glazing, or the fondant will melt off.
- 10
Whisk the master white fondant base.
In a wide, heatproof bowl, combine the sifted confectioners' sugar, light corn syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and salt. Pour in 4 tablespoons of boiling water and whisk vigorously until it resembles thick, glossy white school glue.
- 11
Mix the black chocolate glaze.
Pour exactly half of the white glaze into a separate bowl. Whisk in the dark cocoa powder, melted bittersweet chocolate, and 1 to 2 additional tablespoons of boiling water until immaculately smooth and dark.
- 12
Apply the white glaze to the flat bottoms first.
Flip all the cooled cookies so their perfectly flat bottoms are facing up. Scoop a generous dollop of the white glaze and spread it over exactly one half of the cookie, establishing a crisp center line first.
- 13
Apply the black glaze to complete the cookie.
Once the white glaze has crusted slightly, apply the chocolate glaze to the naked half of the cookie. Butt the chocolate glaze directly up against the white boundary line.
- 14
Let the cookies set undisturbed.
Leave the cookies on wire racks for at least 1 to 2 hours. The corn syrup will allow the glaze to set into a firm, dry, lacquer-like finish that locks moisture into the cake base beneath.
Notes
Efficiency and aesthetics go hand in hand.
Always frost the white side first. If you make a mistake with the white glaze, the dark chocolate glaze can easily cover it up. The reverse is not true.
Serve with a proper New York beverage.
A true black-and-white cookie is best enjoyed alongside a classic Brooklyn egg cream or a hot cup of intensely strong diner coffee.