Burnt Sugar Cake

Burnt Sugar Cake recipe is an old fashioned recipe that is delicious with a Burnt Sugar Frosting.

None of the ingredients in the cakes or frostings are burned, but some are browned. 

These cakes have an amazing caramel taste to them that you will love.

Burnt Sugar Cake Recipe

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
  
  

• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
  
  

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  

• 2 large eggs
  
  

• 2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour 
  
  

• 1 tablespoon baking powder
  
  

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
  

• 3/4 cup cold water
  
  

• 3 tablespoon Burnt Sugar Syrup (Recipe below)
  

Mix together sugar and butter in a stand mixing bowl. 

Cream on high speed until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time, creaming after each addition. 

Sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add flour and milk alternately, starting and ending with flour.

Fold in 3 tablespoons Burnt Sugar Syrup and mix very well.

Line two round 9" x 1 1/2" cake pans with parchment paper.

Grease parchment paper with butter and sprinkle lightly with flour, shaking out the excess.

Pour batter in pans evenly. smoothing tops.

Bake 20-25 minutes at 350F. until center of cakes test done when probed in center with a toothpick. 

Remove from oven and cool ten minutes in pans; turn out and cool thoroughly. 

Burnt Sugar Syrup Recipe

• 2/3 granulated sugar
  
  
• 2/3 cup boiling water

In a skillet melt the granulated sugar over low heat, constantly stirring.

When the mixture turns to a dark brown syrup remove from heat. 

Slowly add the boiling water. 

Heat and stir until the thickened part dissolves.

Boil the syrup until it reduces to 1/2 cup which makes enough syrup for both cake and frosting.  

Let syrup cool.

Seven Minute
Burnt Sugar Frosting

• 2 unbeaten egg whites
  
  
• 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  
  

• 1/4 cup Burnt Sugar Syrup
  
  
• 1/4 cup water
  
  

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  

Put all of the ingredients in top of the double boiler, not over the heat yet.

Beat mixture one minute with an electric or rotary beater to incorporate the ingredients well. 

Place over boiling water in bottom of double boiler and cook while beating continually, for 7 minutes or until frosting forms stiff peaks. 

Remove from heat, add vanilla and beat until of spreading constancy.

Burnt Sugar Moca Cake

• 3 egg whites
  
  
• 1 cup granulated sugar
  
  

• 1/2 cup butter  
  
  

• 1/2 cup strong coffee
  
  
• 1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  
  

• 2 teaspoons baking powder
  
  

• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
  

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  

• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  
  

• 3 tablespoons Burnt Sugar Syrup
  
  
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  

Beat egg whites until stiff.

Mix in 1/2 of the sugar and set aside. 

In a stand mixer cream the butter.

Add the rest of sugar gradually, beat on medium speed. 

When all sugar is incorporated, scrape down sides and bottom of mixer. 

Turn mixer on high speed and beat until mixture is light and fluffy. 

Add the vanilla and almond extract. 

Fold in the flour and beaten egg whites. 

Fold in the Burnt Sugar Syrup. 

Opera Penuche Frosting Recipe

• 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
  
  

• 1/2 cup white sugar 
  
  

• 1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
  
  

• 1/2 cup cream
  
  
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  

Combine all ingredients except vanilla extract in a saucepan.

Cook on medium heat until frosting reaches a soft ball stage (234F.).

Add vanilla extract and beat until frosting is right consistency to spread on cake.

Burnt Sugar Cake History

The cake recipe has a memorable history since the 1840s and probably beyond.

The cake became known as the Mary Todd Lincoln Courting Cake because she made this cake for, soon to be the 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, of the United States Of America, when he came courting her.

Related Pages

Banana Fruit Cake 

Lady Baltimore Cake Recipe

Red Velvet Cake Recipe

Return to Old Fashioned Cake Recipes

Home