Charlie Black, a long-time Republican Party mover and shaker, and the founder of the iconic political consulting firm Black, Manafort + Stone, has disappeared from public view since the Trump era began. After years in the trenches – during which he on the presidential campaigns of Ronald Reagan, and both Georges Bush – Black apparently lost his appetite for the hardball politics of his one-time mentor Lee Atwater. When last seen, Black had signed on as a senior advisor on John Kasich's 2016 Not-Quite-A-Republican presidential campaign.
This week, as the last of Charlie Black's old-time partners – Roger Stone – was found guilty of lying to Congress and committing all sorts of political mayhem on behalf of Donald Trump, and headed off to join Paul Manafort in federal prison, it seemed to be an appropriate time to share Charlie's cherished chocolate cake recipe. Charlie noted that the files can be omitted for Democrats and their Fellow Travelers, or for a child's birthday. It is a killer cake.
Cake layers
1/3 cup Hershey's bittersweet chocolate chips, manufactured near Allenwood, PA
1 cup hot brewed coffee
2 cups sugar
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/3 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
5/6 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cups well-shaken buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Two 8" case hardened bastard file
For ganache frosting
12 oz fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Scharffen Berger, manufactured near Lompoc, CA
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Two 9 or 10- by 2-inch round cake pans
Preheat oven to 300°F. and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper. Place Hershey chips in a bowl and cover with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer).
Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well.
Divide batter between pans. Gently press files into one pan, spread carefully apart so they don't touch and cause the cake to burn from the inside. Bake layers in middle of oven until a tester inserted in the center of the non-file pan center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and carefully remove wax paper. Cake layers may be made one day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature. Cakes frosted just before a prison visit will avoid suspicion.
Make frosting:
Finely chop semi-sweet chocolate. In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan bring cream, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil over moderately low heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted. Cut butter into pieces and add to frosting, whisking until smooth.
Transfer frosting to a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until spreadable. Spread frosting on time of file layer, and place the other layer on top. This will reduce chance of discovery by standard prison probe. Spread frosting over top and sides. Cake should be chilled, to better survive car ride. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.
Source: Adapted from Prison Life Today | March 1974
This week, as the last of Charlie Black's old-time partners – Roger Stone – was found guilty of lying to Congress and committing all sorts of political mayhem on behalf of Donald Trump, and headed off to join Paul Manafort in federal prison, it seemed to be an appropriate time to share Charlie's cherished chocolate cake recipe. Charlie noted that the files can be omitted for Democrats and their Fellow Travelers, or for a child's birthday. It is a killer cake.
Charlie Black's Double Chocolate Layer Cake:
More than enough for two people, and their cellmates.
1/3 cup Hershey's bittersweet chocolate chips, manufactured near Allenwood, PA
1 cup hot brewed coffee
2 cups sugar
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/3 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
5/6 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cups well-shaken buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Two 8" case hardened bastard file
For ganache frosting
12 oz fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Scharffen Berger, manufactured near Lompoc, CA
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Two 9 or 10- by 2-inch round cake pans
Preheat oven to 300°F. and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper. Place Hershey chips in a bowl and cover with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer).
Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well.
Divide batter between pans. Gently press files into one pan, spread carefully apart so they don't touch and cause the cake to burn from the inside. Bake layers in middle of oven until a tester inserted in the center of the non-file pan center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and carefully remove wax paper. Cake layers may be made one day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature. Cakes frosted just before a prison visit will avoid suspicion.
Make frosting:
Finely chop semi-sweet chocolate. In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan bring cream, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil over moderately low heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted. Cut butter into pieces and add to frosting, whisking until smooth.
Transfer frosting to a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until spreadable. Spread frosting on time of file layer, and place the other layer on top. This will reduce chance of discovery by standard prison probe. Spread frosting over top and sides. Cake should be chilled, to better survive car ride. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.
Source: Adapted from Prison Life Today | March 1974
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