The "Empire Diner" Brooklyn Blackout Skillet Pudding Cake
Milkshakes, Pies & Sweet Endings
A traditional Brooklyn Blackout Cake is a three-hour architectural marvel, but the short-order veteran working the flat-top at 2am doesn't have three hours to temper pudding and frost delicate layers. We have adapted the Empire Diner's legendary revival of this World War II-era masterpiece for your home cast-iron skillet, utilizing a classic hot-fudge pudding technique. You mix the batter in the bowl, top it with sugar and cocoa, and pour boiling diner coffee over the whole damn thing. It bakes into a bubbling, self-saucing beast—tender sponge on top, rich blackout pudding beneath. You take a bite straight from this molten iron skillet and say, YES, THIS IS EXACTLY LIKE THE DINER ON ROUTE 1.
Before you start
Time your coffee brewing.
Do not brew your coffee too early in the prep process; it needs to be actively boiling when you pour it over the cake.
Ingredients
- unsalted butter1 tbsp
- all-purpose flour1 cup
- baking powder2 tsp
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- granulated sugar1/2 cup
- Dutch-process cocoa powder1/4 cup
- whole milk1/2 cup
- unsalted butter4 tbsp
- pure vanilla extract1 1/2 tsp
- semi-sweet chocolate chips1/2 cup
- granulated sugar1/2 cup
- light brown sugar1/2 cup
- Dutch-process cocoa powder1/3 cup
- brewed coffee1 1/2 cup
- vanilla ice cream1 pt
Method
- 01
Preheat the oven to 350 F and generously rub a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with the softened butter.
Do not use non-stick cooking spray; the dairy fat from the butter is essential to mixing with the sugars to create the chewy, brownie-like edge-fudge as it bakes.
- 02
Whisk the flour, baking powder, kosher salt, batter sugar, and batter cocoa powder together in a medium mixing bowl until no lumps remain.
- 03
Pour the milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract directly into the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined.
The batter will be incredibly thick, resembling brownie batter. Fold in the chocolate chips now if you are using them.
- 04
Scrape the thick batter into the buttered cast-iron skillet and spread it evenly to the edges.
This is where you appreciate the scrape—getting every bit of that dense batter into the iron.
- 05
Whisk together the topping sugar, brown sugar, and topping cocoa powder in a small bowl, then sprinkle it uniformly over the top of the wet batter.
Use your fingers to break up any clumps of brown sugar. Do not mix it in; it must sit on top of the batter like a dry layer of sand.
- 06
Gently and slowly pour the boiling hot brewed coffee over the entire surface of the cake and absolutely do not stir.
It will look like a ruined, watery mess, but trust the culinary mechanics. As the batter bakes and rises, this heavy chocolate liquid will sink to the bottom of the skillet to form the pudding.
- 07
Carefully transfer the heavy, sloshing skillet to the middle rack of your oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
You are looking for the cake to puff up and the edges to bubble furiously with thick chocolate pudding. The center should look set like a cake, but it may jiggle slightly underneath.
- 08
Remove the skillet from the oven and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
This resting phase is critical, allowing the boiling pudding beneath the cake surface to cool slightly and thicken into a glorious hot fudge. Serve directly from the skillet with generous scoops of vanilla ice cream melting into the center.
Notes
Moisture is the engine of this dish.
The coffee poured over the top must be at a rolling boil. If the liquid is only warm, the sugars will not dissolve quickly enough, and the inversion process will be stunted, resulting in a gummy cake.
Dutch-process cocoa powder is highly recommended.
The alkalizing process neutralizes the cocoa's acidity, yielding a smoother, more earthy flavor and the distinctively dark, nearly black color synonymous with the Blackout moniker. If natural cocoa must be used, the cake will taste lighter and look redder.
From Cook Diner Food at Home.