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Mrs. Caldwell’s Burnt Sugar Cake

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Makes one 9-inch cake 1x

Units Scale

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 2 cups sugar (divided)
  • 1/2 cup boiling water
  • 3/4 cup butter
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs, separated
  • 3 cups sifted cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup water

For the frosting:

  • 4 cups sugar
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 tablespoons light cream

Instructions

  1. For the cake:  Caramelize 1/2 cup of the sugar by melting over low heat, stirring until liquid becomes very dark. Remove from heat. Very gradually stir in boiling water, then simmer until caramel is dissolved and syrupy; cool. Cream butter, vanilla, and remaining sugar. Add beaten egg yolks. Stir in cooled syrup.
  2. Sift dry ingredients together 3 times. Add to creamed mixture alternately with water, adding flour first and last. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour into two greased and floured 9-inch layer pans. Bake at 375 for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool and frost.
  3. For the frosting: Put 3 cups of the sugar and milk into saucepan. Put remaining sugar and 1 tablespoon of the butter in heavy frying pan. Place both on low heat at the same time. Caramelize sugar in frying pan to a dark brown color. Add very gradually to boiling sugar and milk mixture. Cook until mixture forms a soft ball when tested in cold water (238 degrees). Remove from heat, allow to cool. Add remaining butter and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Add cream and beat until mixture forms proper spreading consistency.

— Recipe from Mrs. W.H. Caldwell of Dallas, Texas, as seen in How America Eats​