Father Knows Best {Recipe: Burnt Sugar Cake with Burnt Sugar Icing}

My father always said his favorite cake was the burnt sugar cake with burnt sugar icing his mother made. Unfortunately my paternal grandmother passed away before I was born and my father did not have any of her recipes. I always wanted to make my father one of these cakes, but couldn't find a recipe. Now with  the internet and Pinterest, there are recipes for burnt sugar cakes all over the place!

After looking over several recipes, I decided to adapt one found on @allrecipes. This, with the addition of burnt sugar icing, seems to be the closest to what I recall my dad describing. Now, I only wish he was still here for me to make him one. He was right though, this cake is delicious!

 This is my father in his LAPD uniform. 

Burnt Sugar Cake

Recipe for the cake is adapted from one found @allrecipes.com. The icing is a basic buttercream with  a bit of the burnt sugar syrup added. 

For burnt sugar syrup:

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup hot water

Heat sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium-medium high heat, stirring constantly until with a heat proof spatula or wooden spoon. Once sugar is melted and turns a deep golden brown, remove from heat and very slowly add the hot water to the sugar. BE CAREFUL when adding the water, it will sputter. Stir the mixture until sugar is dissolved; set aside and cool.

This is the set up I use for making burnt sugar; I also have a heat proof measuring cup close by for the hot water. I place about a cup of water in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil, to measure out 1/3 cup later. I also place the 1/2 of sugar in a saucepan on the burner next to the water. This way I have hot water ready and close by for the burnt sugar. 







This is the burnt sugar before the water is added. If the sugar seizes up and burnt sugar doesn't dissolve completely, put the mixture on medium low-low heat until burnt sugar completely dissolves.






For cake:

1 1/2 cup +1 tablespoon cake flour 
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
3 tablespoons burnt sugar syrup 
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line bottom of one 8" round or square cake pan with parchment* and lightly grease the parchment paper with cooking spray or butter; set aside. 

*Note: parchment is not necessary if using a square pan and will be leaving the cake in the pan.

2. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium size mixing bowl; set aside. 

3. In another medium-large size mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat until well blended, scraping sides of the bowl if necessary. Mix in burnt sugar syrup and vanilla. 

4. Starting with the flour mixture, add 1/2 to the butter mixture, then add 1/2 of the milk; repeat. After last addition of milk, beat mixture until smooth. Pour batter into prepared cake pan. 

5. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rake and cool completely.  

Makes 8-12 servings


For icing:

2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Remaining burnt sugar (amounts can very)
Pinch of salt
1-3 tablespoons milk

Place all ingredients into a large mixing bowl, but start with adding just 1 tablespoon  milk.  Beat with mixture until light and fluffy, adding more milk a teaspoon at a time as necessary. 

Makes enough icing for one 8" single layer cake. 

Square Burnt Sugar Cake

Note: Pecans are a great addition to top the cake with. I have to leave them off because of my daughter's nut allergies, but just put some pecans out to add to individual servings. 

Enjoy!