Burnt Sugar Cake
Submitted by doughnut
A vintage two-layer cake flavored with homemade burnt sugar syrup, folded with whipped egg whites for a light, tender crumb. An old-fashioned Southern classic that deserves a comeback.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
50 minCOOK
25 minREADY
80 minBurnt sugar cake is one of those old-fashioned recipes your great-grandmother knew by heart.
The magic starts with a homemade caramel syrup: plain sugar cooked in a skillet until it smokes and turns deep amber, then carefully dissolved in boiling water. Half goes into the cake batter, the rest gets saved for the frosting.
The cake itself is tender and light, thanks to separated eggs with the whites whipped stiff and folded into the batter by hand. Cake flour keeps the crumb soft while the burnt sugar syrup gives it a bittersweet, toffee-like depth you won’t find in any other cake.
Two layers, frosted with burnt sugar buttercream. Pure nostalgia on a plate.
Kitchen Tips
- Be patient with the syrup. It takes a full 30 minutes over medium-low heat. Rushing it with high heat will give you burnt bitter sugar instead of smooth caramel.
- Add the boiling water to the hot syrup slowly and carefully. It will sputter and steam aggressively.
- Fold the egg whites in gently by hand, not with a mixer. You want to keep all that air in the batter for a light crumb.
- Let the cake layers cool completely before frosting, or the buttercream will slide right off.
Ingredients
Directions
For syrup, in a small heavy skillet or saucepan, heat sugar over medium heat.
Lower to medium-low as syrup forms; stir frequently breaking up lumps.
Cook and stir until brown syrup forms and mixture begins to smoke, about 30 minutes.
Gradually stir in boiling water.
Remove from heat; cool.
Reserve ½ cup for cake frosting.
Preheat oven to 375℉ (190℃).
For cake, cream butte and sugar together in a mixing bowl until light, about 3 minutes.
Gradually beat in ½ cup burnt sugar syrup.
Add vanilla, then egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition.
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
Add flour mixture alternately with milk, beating batter until smooth.
Beat egg whites until stiff, gently fold by hand into batter.
Pour batter into two 8-inch oiled layer cake pans, smoothing batter.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove and cool.
Frost with Butter Cream Frosting or Seven-minute burnt sugar frosting.
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