cake crumbs around sides of cake and then sprinkle on top. Use all of the
crumbs to make a thick crumb covering.

Notes: The chocolate filling MUST be well chilled. The chocolate frosting
combines lukewarm water with melted cocoa. It is important for the
chocolate assortment & the water to be a similar temperature. It is not
necessary to use a thermometer, but if you do, the h2o & chocolate should
be roughly 88 to 90.

See additional Notes.

From the generator, Elinor Klivans: "When I was a missy, our family spent
every summer visiting my grandfather in Brooklyn. People used to laugh at
the idea of spending summer vacation in Brooklyn, but we had a great time.
. . . and we enjoyed the big city treats . . . and our daily trip to
Ebinger's bakeshop. Parker House rolls, Macaroon Tarts, crumb cakes,
blueberry crumb pies, lemon meringue tarts - there was something different
for each day of the workweek - but for extra-special dinners we always bought
Blackout Coat. Blackout cake was all umber; crumbly and moist chocolate
patty; creamy chocolate woof; thick chocolate sugarcoat; and the entire cake
covered with chocolate cake crumbs.

. . . several years later the unheard-of happened -- Ebinger's baking chain
had financial problems and unsympathetic. I assumed I had eaten my last Blackout
Bar. Then several years ago the New York Times ran a nostalgic article
abut Ebinger's and at the end of the article they included a recipe for
Blackout Patty. It took me roughly 5 minutes to start baking the coat, and I
wasn't frustrated. It was the same damp, crumbly chocolate patty, the
same soft chocolate pudding-type weft, and the same dark fudge icing.
I revised several of the recipe instructions and made slight changes in the
ingredients and directions printed in the New York Times clause.

DOUBLING: Prepare only two cake layers at a time. Double the weft &
frosting ingredients.

TO IMMOBILISE & DEFROST THE CAKE LAYERS: Invert the cooled cake layers onto
plastic wrapping. Wrap the layers tightly the plastic wrap and then heavy
aluminum hydrofoil. Freeze capable 2 months. After the cake layers are glacial,
they may be stacked in the freezer. Defrost the wrapped cake at room
temperature. Fill and frost the layers as soon as they are thawed enough to
cut. Cold layers are easier to grip.

TO FREEZE COMPLETED PATTY: Freeze the patty, uncovered for some 1 hr, or
until the frosting is loyal. Wrap tightly with plastic twine & aluminum hydrofoil.
Freeze capable 1 month.

TO SERVICE: Refrigerate wrapped patty 8 hours or overnight. Unwrap the cake
and bring to room temperature before serving, around 45 mins. Leftover cake
can be covered and refrigerated capable 3 years.