Burnt Sugar Cake (betty Crocker: Circa 1956)

Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 18
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• additional water, to make 1 cup liquid (see instructions)
• 2 1/4 cups soft silk flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup soft shortening
• 2 eggs (1/3-1/2 cup)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla, if desired
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup shortening (part butter)
• 2 1/2 tablespoons soft silk flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted (aka powdered sugar)
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Recipe

• 1 syrup: to make syrup first caramelize the 1/2 cup sugar in a heavy skillet over low heat until clear and medium brown, shaking pan gently to keep from burning.
• 2 remove from heat.
• 3 add slowly, stirring constantly, 1/2 cup boiling water.
• 4 stir over low heat until lumps are dissolved.
• 5 measure and add water to make 1 cup liquid.
• 6 cool.
• 7 cake: sift together into bowl, 2 1/4 cups sifted softasilk flour, 1 cup sugar, 3 teaspoons baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt.
• 8 add 1/2 cup soft shortening and 2/3 cup cooled caramel-water mixture.
• 9 beat 2 minutes.
• 10 add remaining 1/3 cup cooled caramel-water mixture, 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
• 11 beat 2 more minutes.
• 12 pour into greased and floured pans (2 8-inch pans, or 2 9-inch pans, or 1 9 x 13 oblong pan).
• 13 makes a small cake.
• 14 bake until cake tests done.
• 15 cool.
• 16 finish with creamy burnt sugar icing.
• 17 preheat 350°f (moderate oven) 8-inch layers 30-35 minutes 9-inch layers 25-30 minutes oblong 9 x 13 35-40 minutes.
• 18 creamy burnt sugar icing: first make another caramel sugar-water mixture following directions in recipe above.
• 19 caramelize 1/2 cup sugar.
• 20 add 1/4 cup boiling water.
• 21 do not add any more water!
• 22 melt in saucepan 1/2 cup shortening (part butter).
• 23 remove from heat and add 2 1/2 tablespoons softasilk flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• 24 stir in slowly caramel-water mixture.
• 25 bring to boil stirring constantly.
• 26 boil 1 minute.
• 27 if mixture curdles, do not be alarmed.
• 28 remove from heat.
• 29 beat in alternately, 3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar and about 3 tablespoons water.
• 30 set saucepan in bowl of cold water.
• 31 beat until consistency to spread.
• 32 stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
• 33 if it becomes too thick to spread, add a little water.