The original home of Brooklyn’s famous blackout cake was Ebinger Baking Company at Flatbush Avenue and Cortelyou Road, which opened in 1898, spawned several outposts and closed in 1972. Though the original recipe has been lost to history, the legendary dark chocolate layer cake with chocolate pudding inside and slathered on the outside, finished with chocolate crumbs has become a hit the world over, with variations available far and wide.
But how to determine which blackout cakes are worth the trip (aside from The Chocolate Room, where you can buy the below cake)? Everyone has an opinion, so we’ve compiled a list of some of the stand-outs.
Naturally, Brooklyn should be the first stop on your blackout cake tour. South Slope’s Ladybird Bakery is a tried-and-true, family-owned favorite among many die-hard fans. Fellow neighborhood stalwart Leske’s Bakery in Bay Ridge, which is also known for its black-and-white cookies and kringles, is as well.
Also in Bay Ridge is the Little Cupcake Bakeshop on Third Avenue. Their best-seller—a three-layer milk and dark chocolate version with chocolate ganache frosting and blackout cake crust—can be enjoyed in a charming space within sight of the Verrazano Bridge.
For post-game dessert cravings, Doughnut Plant on Flatbush Avenue, just south of Barclays Center, carries Brooklyn blackout cake doughnuts. And in north Brooklyn, the team behind Greenpoint-based Ovenly have crafted a version that deviates from the original by featuring black cocoa powder and stout beer.
Old-school charm can also be found at Caputo’s Bake Shop in Carroll Gardens. It’s only a short walk from Boerum Hill spot Mia’s Brooklyn, where the cake can be taken to go or enjoyed on their patio paired with a drink from their coffee bar.
Other bakeries worth checking out include Tasty Pastry Shoppe and Grandma’s Bakery on 13th Avenue in Bensonhurst and Brooklyn veteran Villabate Alba on 18th Avenue. And if you can’t make it out in person, Williamsburg’s Brooklyn Cupcake will ship a package of six jars anywhere in the United States!
Despite the name, numerous Manhattan bakeries also carry the sweet treat. Famed grocer Zabar’s carries kosher versions crafted by Rockland County bakery Carousel Cakes that are available both in-store and online.
In Chelsea, Empire Cake represents with blackout cakes available both as full cakes and cupcakes, and the Nolita outpost of the popular Little Cupcake Bakeshop never disappoints. Also bringing a taste of Brooklyn into the city is Ovenly, whose black-cocoa-and-beer slices can be eaten individually at the Urbanspace Vanderbilt Market in Midtown, right by Grand Central Station.
With so many options available, there’s only one way to determine which is your favorite: Try them all!
