Burnt Sugar Cake

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup hot water
3 cups sifted cake flour
3 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter or shortening
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs, unbeaten
3 tbs burnt sugar syrup
2/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

To make burnt sugar syrup, place 1/2 cup sugar in heavy skillet over medium flame. Stir constantly as sugar melts, then becomes dark mahogany color, and smokes noticeably. Remove at once from fire, add very slowly 1/3 cup hot water, and stir until dissolved. Let cool.

In a mixing bowl add flour, baking powder and salt, and mix together. Cream butter thoroughly, add sugar gradually, and cram until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating thorougly after each. Then add 3 tbs burnt sugar syrup and blend. Add the flour mixture, althernately with milk, in small amounts, beating until smooth. Add vanilla. Bake in 2 greased 9 inch layer pans at 375' for 25-20 mintues. SPread cake generously with Brunt Sugar Frosting.

Burnt Sugar Frosting

2 egg whites, unbeaten
5 tbs water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp light corn syrup
2 tbs burnt sugar syrup

Combine egg whites, sugar, water and corn surup in top of double boiler, beating with egg beater until throroughly mixed. Place over rapidly boiling water, beat constantly with egg beater and cook 7 minutes,or until frosting will stand in peaks. Remove from boiling water; add sugar syrup and beat until thick enough to spread.