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BURNT SUGAR CAKE
Source: Flo Braker; San Francisco Chronicle, 10/2/91
FOR THE BURNT SUGAR SYRUP:
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup boiling water
FOR THE BURNT SUGAR CAKE:
3 cups sifted cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1-1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup Burnt sugar syrup
Water
1 teaspoon vanilla
FOR THE BURNT SUGAR FROSTING:
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 pound powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup Burnt Sugar Syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pecan halves for decoration
TO PREPARE THE BURNT SUGAR SYRUP:
Melt sugar in a skillet over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it turns into an amber-colored liquid. Turn off heat, and carefully add boiling water (mixture will bubble madly). Return the caramel to low heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until the sugar and water are thoroughly mixed and no lumps of sugar remain. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
TO PREPARE THE BURNT SUGAR CAKE:
Adjust rack to lower third of oven; preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. Grease and flour two 9-inch layer cake pans. Line with parchment or waxed paper rounds.
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Cream butter until smooth. Add sugar and continue creaming until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition until well blended.
To the 1/2 cup of burnt sugar syrup add enough water to make 1 cup; stir in the vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture alternately with the burnt sugar syrup mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients, until well blended and smooth. Divide the batter between the 2 cake pans.
Bake about 25 minutes, or until the surface springs back slightly when lightly touched in the center, and the cakes contract from the pans. Cool 10 minutes on wire racks, then invert on racks, carefully peel off paper liners, turn baked side up, and cool completely before frosting.
TO PREPARE THE BURNT SUGAR FROSTING:
Cream 1/4 cup unsalted butter until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in 1 pound (1 box) powdered sugar, sifted with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup Burnt Sugar Syrup and 1 teaspoon vanilla until creamy smooth and spreadable. If mixture is stiff, add water, a teaspoon at a time.
Fill and frost cake with Burnt Sugar Frosting. Decorate with pecan halves.
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