Have you ever wondered if there was a difference between a caramel cake and a burnt sugar cake? I have, and decided to make a burnt sugar cake to see if I could taste the difference. I found a recipe for a burnt sugar cake in my great grandmother’s cookbook, and thought I’d give it a whirl.
My favorite thing about this recipe for burnt sugar cake, is that it’s a loaf cake. It means less muss and fuss for me, and it’s easier to cut small slices for a little nibble here and there. It’s also less noticeable if you do happen to take a taste or two, haha!
The instructions say to make a caramel syrup. I think I committed the cardinal sin of stirring my sugar while it was melting and caramelizing. Confession time: sugar kind of scares me. Well, maybe not scares…maybe makes me nervous. I’m never 100% sure if it’s caramel or just flat burned…and then it really is burned. Ugh. Back to the burnt sugar cake. Once the sugar reached the right color, I added the water and immediately it crystalized. I admit it, I panicked. I stirred like a madwoman, a little voice telling me that it would melt again, and I didn’t just totally screw up. My little voice was correct, the sugar melted again into the water, and at last syrup was born!
What I really didn’t anticipate was the caramel syrup re-crystalizing the minute it hit the burnt sugar cake batter. I’m fairly certain I did a good impression of Munch’s “The Scream.” So, what was my fabulous baker’s solution? Truth be told, it was not sophisticated at all. I picked through the batter, and pulled out all of the crystalized caramel syrup that I could find. Then I had to remove it from the paddle. That was difficult, but not impossible. I ended up adding some water to the leftover syrup in the pan, and heating it back up. This time, the syrup was a success, and while a little watery, the recipe called for very little of it.
The burnt sugar cake baked up beautifully, I think. I don’t know what it’s supposed to look like, but it smelled wonderful, and the crust was lovely and golden. I turned the cake out of the pan after it cooled. It was uniformly brown, was holding well. Time for frosting!
The instructions for the frosting were one sentence: “cook as a 7 minute frosting.” Clearly, that was a very popular method of making frosting. I did not know how to make a 7 minute frosting, so I did the research for you. I did not do all of the steps, and have included the method I used in the recipe below. This makes for a slightly softer, easier to spread frosting.
This burnt sugar cake was surprisingly delicate in flavor, with an amazing caramel-y marshmallow frosting. I could eat this with tea, after dinner, sneak a piece in the afternoon…it’s really good.
Burnt Sugar Cake
A dense, fluffy loaf cake (think pound cake) with a hint of caramel, frosted in caramel marshmallow-like frosting.
Ingredients
- For the caramel syrup:
- 1/2 c sugar
- 1/2 c water
- For the cake:
- 1/2 c butter
- 1 1/2 c sugar
- 3 eggs, separated
- 1 c water
- 2 1/2 c cake flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp caramel syrup
- For the Frosting:
- 1 egg white
- 2/3 c sugar
- 1 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp caramel syrup
Instructions
Syrup: Caramelize the sugar, add water and boil until smooth. Sugar will harden when you add the water initially, but will dissolve into the water as it heats to a boil.
Cake: Preheat oven to 350F.
Cream the sugar and butter.
Beat egg yolks until light.
Add beaten egg yolks.
Add water and 2 cups sifted cake flour.
Then add caramel syrup and remaining flour and baking powder, sifted.
Whisk egg whites until stiff.
Fold in egg whites and vanilla.
Pour batter in greased and floured 9X4 loaf pan.
Bake for about 45 minutes.
Cake is done when toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Cool in pan about 10 minutes, then let cool completely on a rack before frosting.
For the frosting: In a heatproof bowl, combine all of the ingredients, and beat with an electric mixer for about 1 minute.
Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should NOT touch the water).
Beat on high speed for 7 minutes, or until stiff and glossy then remove from heat.
Spread on cooled cake, and enjoy!
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