Here's the recipe I copied from CF in May, 2005, which includes an interesting note at the end. Ebingers All-Chocolate Blackout Cake Cake 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder 2 tablespoons boiling water 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped 3/4 cup milk 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened slightly 2 cups sugar 4 large eggs, separated 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt Filling 1 tablespoon plus 1 3/4 teaspoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder 2 cups boiling water 3/4 cup plus 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped 2 [to 4] tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water [see note] 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons unsalted butter Frosting 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter 1/2 cup hot water 1 tablespoon light corn syrup 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter and lightly flour two (8-inch) round cake pans. 2. Make the cake: Place cocoa in a small bowl and whisk in boiling water to form a paste. 3. Combine the chocolate and milk in saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently until the chocolate melts, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Whisk a small amount of the hot chocolate milk into the cocoa paste to warm it. Whisk the cocoa mixture into the milk mixture. Return the pan to medium heat and stir for one minute. Remove and set aside to cool until tepid. 4. In the bowl of a mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, and the vanilla. Slowly stir in the chocolate mixture. 5. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using a spatula or a wooden spoon, slowly add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture. Fold in until just mixed. 6. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Using a spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the batter. Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pans on rack for 15 minutes. Gently remove the cakes from the pans and continue to cool. 7. While the cake is baking, make the filling: Combine the cocoa and boiling water in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in the sugar and chocolate. Add the dissolved cornstarch paste and salt to the pan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for one minute. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla and butter. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until cool. 8. Make the frosting: Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over hot, not simmering, water, stirring until smooth. Remove the top of the double boiler from the heat and whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Return the top to the heat, if necessary, to melt the butter. 9. Whisk in the hot water all at once and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the corn syrup and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate for up to 15 minutes prior to using. 10. Assemble the cake: Use a sharp serrated knife to slice each cake layer horizontally in half to form 4 layers. Set 1 layer aside. Place 1 layer on a cake round or plate. Generously swath the layer with one-third of the filling. Add the second layer and repeat. Set the third layer on top. Quickly apply a layer of frosting to the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. 11. Meanwhile, crumble the remaining cake layer. Apply the remaining frosting to the cake. Sprinkle it liberally with the cake crumbs. Serve the cake within 24 hours. Store in a cool place. Note: Please note that these ingredients make a very runny filling that pleased the 12 devout Ebingerists who taste-tested different versions of this cake. Those who desire a less syrupy consistency can stir in an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch. [The now-defunct McKenzieÂs Bakery of New Orleans baked a dearly-beloved version of the Blackout Cake. We understand from local aficionados that the filling in the McKenzie version was firm and pudding-like, therefore requiring 4 tablespoons of cornstarch

diana, I'm glad you liked it. I did find it one of the easiest cakes I've ever made, it goes together in an instant and I almost convinced myself it was healthy because of the fruit and no fat. (grin) The texture does remind me a bit of carrot cake, now that you mention it. Lee, I'm glad to be in good company with Betty Crocker and Wilton, but I'm not sure I want to be hanging around with Martha Stewart, she goes some places I don't want to go, LOL. Annie

Wintercat, there was a little bit of protein in addition to the goldfish, at least they made the sandwiches from my own grassfed beef. (grin) Oh boy, time does fly, doesn't it? It doesn't even seem possible to me that she's in kindergarten. And taking over, of course. I don't remember having birthday parties when I was a child, or graduation open houses or a lot of other parties that are customary now. Birthdays usually included a cake after supper with the family and a couple of gifts. "Important" birthdays, like turning 13 and being a teenager or starting school might include a sleepover with a couple of friends, but that was the complete celebration. This is more fun, LOL. sleevendog, my Grandmother used to make rabbits out of pear halves, I still remember those! Lars, Ashley's favorite color combination is turquoise with chocolate brown, she decorated her bedroom with those colors. Much better than my Mother's kitchen when I was young, the "hot" color scheme then was turquoise and pink! Annie

I grew up with a bakery owned and run by a German family about a block away and they had a very inexpensive spice cake, with orange buttercream frosting, that they sold in 8 inch squares or in half 8 inch squares....4 by 8 inches. They told us ( when we asked why it was so cheap) that they took all the cakes and cookies that didn't sell, crumbled them up and used that as the "flour" in a spice cake. Don't know what they did with any frosting, because it was a very cake-like texture.....and very delicious!! Maybe they used the buttercream and added lots of grated orange rind?