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Burnt Sugar Cake with Caramel Syrup {and Bacon?}

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Burnt Sugar Cake with Caramel Syrup {and Bacon?}

Yes, that’s right folks.

Bacon.

I jumped on that Band Wagon. You know the one that EVERYone has been on with the bacon topped maple bars and cupcakes and candied bacon and all that.

I didn’t think I would, but I did.

(…and I liked it…)

To be honest, I really did NOT feel like baking a cake this week. Did you know this is my 12th week of baking cakes?

I don’t think I am getting sick of it so much as the weather is amazing right now and I want to be outside in the sunshine all day with the kids.

Being inside baking a cake was simply not appealing to me.

However.

It IS Wednesday which means I needed to bake a cake and now that I have the finished cake on my table and have eaten some of it (not very much – I am still trying to get the wretched 50lbs off that I gained during my last pregnancy) oh my goodness I am so very glad I made this cake.

It is DE-vine.

The crumb on the cake is light and moist and the frosting is smooth, buttery, caramel-y perfection and the addition of salty, savory bacon to balance out the sugar. I don’t even…

…I mean…

….I don’t even know…

Just find an excuse to make a cake, make it, and eat it.

Now.

Burnt Sugar Cake with Caramel Syrup {and Bacon?}
 
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To adjust for being at high altitude I used ⅔ cups of the burnt-sugar syrup instead of ½ cup and baked at 300˚ instead of 350˚.
Recipe By:
Recipe type: Dessert, Cake
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1½ cups boiling water
  • 2½ cups sifted cake flour
  • 2½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup soft butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup burnt sugar syrup
  • 2 egg whites
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 package maple bacon, cooked until crispy
    FOR THE BURNT SUGAR BUTTERCREAM
  • 1½ cups soft butter
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 4 cups sifted powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • ½ cup burnt-sugar syrup
Preparation Instructions
  1. First thing you need to do is make a burnt sugar syrup. To do this, bring the water to a boil so it is ready when the sugar caramelizes.
  2. Then place the 2 cups of sugar in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Stir continuously until all the sugar melts and turns a caramel color.
  3. Once the sugar is a nice rich caramel color *slowly* start pouring the water in a little at a time. It will sputter and steam like crazy but use a long handled spoon and keep stirring as best you can until you have all the water incorporated in.
  4. Bring it back to a boil until you have dime sized bubbles and then set aside to cool completely.
  5. Preheat your oven to 350˚ and prepare your cake pans. I used 2 6" pans which worked wonderfully, if you want a 8" cake you will want to make the recipe 1½ times. Prepare your pans by coating with soft butter and cutting out a circle of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan and place it there, smoothing it out. Set aside.
  6. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.
  7. In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and vanilla until smooth and soft.
  8. Slowly add the ½ cup sugar until the mixture is fluffy.
  9. Then add the egg yolks.
  10. In a small bowl (I used a 1 cup measuring cup) combine the water and ½ cup burnt sugar syrup (you will use the rest in the frosting so don't throw it out). Alternately add the flour mixture and the syrup mixture to the butter on medium low speed, starting and ending with the flour in four additions. Mix just until smooth between additions.
  11. In another small bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy, slowly add the sugar and beat until soft peaks form.
  12. Pour the egg whites over the cake batter and gently fold in until completely incorporated.
  13. Turn batter evenly into the cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  14. Remove from oven and cool 20 minutes in the pan, then run a knife around the edge and turn over and gently place on a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
    TO MAKE THE FROSTING
  15. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and vanilla on high for 2 minutes.
  16. Turn the mixer to low and add the sugar, beat until creamy and smooth.
  17. Add the cream and syrup and beat on medium until smooth and spreadable. If it seems thick you can add a little more cream or if to thin, add more sugar.
  18. Ice your cake and then chop the cooked bacon into small little bacon bits (do not actually use bacon bits! Use real bacon! (That would be gross)) and then carefully take handfuls of the bacon and gently pat the crumbs onto the sides of the cake until it is all coated.
  19. Drizzle the top with the burnt sugar syrup and serve.

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Megan
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