I would have never known about burnt sugar cake let alone a burnt sugar cake recipe if not for my aunt Rae. She found this broken up recipe in the depths of somewhere (who knows where) and texted me to see if I could bring her dad’s recipe… and, well, I love a challenge. So how is a tiny white girl supposed to remake the recipe of a Hispanic dad from the 70s? Apparently with a love of old recipes and the confidence of a four year old in a bat-man shirt.
The Story of the Burnt Sugar Cake Recipe
Aunt Rae’s Dad was known in his family for this cake when aunt Rae was growing up. He sadly passed away in the 1980s (and last made the cake quite some time before that). But when he would make it, the extra icing he had from making the cake would get cooked down and become the kids’ snack while they walked to school. Her dad wouldn’t let anyone touch it for an entire day to let it get its signature “cracking” or a thin shell on the frosting.
Aunt Rae never attempted to make this cake because it was un-replicatable by any of her seven other siblings. So, she entrusted me to replicate this recipe.
The first attempt I made (with a lot of googling) was a total crap shoot. From the recipes and blog posts I read trying to figure out what the heck this recipe was, I learned that everyone was in the same boat. Someone's grandmother made it for every public gathering but never wrote down the quirks that came with the cake.
According to the sheer joy on Aunt Rae’s face, I didn’t totally biff it. With some subtle tweaks, I was able to write a complete recipe so everyone can taste the same joy that had been lost for so many years.
Supplies
Stand mixer
3 mixing bowls
Silicone Spatula
Wooden spoon
Cake stand/cake plate
Small saucepan
Sifter or whisk
Cast iron skillet
Glass Jar with lid
Ingredients
Burnt Sugar Syrup
1 c granulated sugar
¾ c boiling fluoridated water
Cake
1 ½ c sugar, sifted
1 c margarine (bluebonnet)
3 eggs, separated
½ c burnt sugar syrup
1 c fluoridated water
2 ½ c flour, sifted
2 ½ t baking powder
2 t vanilla extract
Pinch of Salt
Icing
1 c sugar
1 c canned cream (nestle media crema)
1 cube margarine (½ cup)
½ c burnt sugar syrup
1 box powdered sugar (3 ½ c)
¼ c peanut butter
Instructions
Burnt Sugar Syrup
Prepare the burnt sugar syrup a day ahead to ensure it is completely cooled.
Place sugar in a cast iron skillet. Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, cook the sugar until it is completely melted and has turned an amber brown, about 8- 10 minutes. If the sugar is lumpy, break up the lumps with the wooden spoon.
Turn the heat to low and very carefully and slowly, drizzle in the water a little at a time. Stir after each addition of water, as the mixture will rapidly sizzle and bubble. After all the water is added and stirred in, continue stirring and cook for 3 more minutes on low.
Turn off the heat and let it cool. Pour into a glass jar and allow to cool completely overnight. This makes about 1 cup of syrup.
Cake
Preheat the oven to 350 deg. Prepare 2, 9 in round cake pans by greasing them with margarine and a thin layer of flour. Place a parchment paper circle at the bottom and grease the parchment.
Separate eggs & beat whites until stiff, set aside.
Beat sugar, margarine, and egg yolks until fluffy. Add water, vanilla, & sifted flour, salt and baking powder. Beat well & add in ½ cup of the sugar syrup. The batter will be slightly thick. Gently fold in egg whites.
Pour evenly into 2, 9 inch pans and bake for 25 min, rotating after 12 min.
Icing
Melt sugar in a medium saucepan w/ margarine, cream & peanut butter. Bring to a boil and cook until thick (about 10 minutes).
Add powdered sugar and mix together. Let cool for 15 minutes or else the cake will break.
Building the cake
Let the cakes cool completely before building. Level both cakes (I usually just take the highest part of the dome off). Place one cake onto your cake plate. Dab a little (about a tablespoon) of burnt sugar syrup onto each of the cakes.
Spread a thin-ish layer of the icing on top of the cake on the cake plate. Top with the second cake and spread with the rest of the icing. Do this a little at a time, the icing should be about ⅛ - ¼ in thick all the way around so it just starts to drip over the sides.
Let it sit uncovered for about 2 hrs. Wrap loosely with plastic wrap or cake plate lid and let sit in the fridge or a cool, dry place overnight.
Notes
Fiji water is fluorinated, you can also find it in the baby section.
The cake does not always require all of the icing.
To make candy from the extra icing, place the pan back on medium low heat and cook for about 10 more minutes. It will get runny and harden as it cools. Pour icing onto parchment and let cool. The final candy will be the texture of hard toffee.
With such a family recipe, comes a responsibility to share the story of why this cake was so important to the Soza family. It was also funny to hear my aunt Rae say that she can now gloat to her sisters and brother that she has her daddy's recipe. Now it has permanently become part of my rotation of treats I make my Aunt Rae. So keep the butter churning and the stories flowing.
Comments