# Burnt Sugar Cake

Burnt Sugar Cake is a historic Black Southern celebration cake that uses burnt sugar syrup in both the cake batter and the frosting, giving the entire cake a caramel taste.

- Cuisine: American
- Category: Baked Goods
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 0.5 cup burnt sugar syrup
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 0.5 cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 0.5 cup burnt sugar syrup
- 0.25 cup evaporated milk
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1.5 cups butter, divided
- 1.5 cups brown sugar
- 0.5 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp salt
- 4.5 cups powdered sugar

## Instructions

1. Melt granulated sugar over medium heat until deep amber, do not stir, swirl pan.
2. Carefully add boiling water, stir smooth, and simmer for 3–5 min. Cool.
3. Reserve ½ cup of burnt sugar syrup for the cake and ½ cup for the frosting.
4. Heat oven to 350°F / 175°C.
5. Grease three 8-inch pans.
6. Cream butter and sugar for 3–5 min.
7. Add eggs one at a time.
8. Whisk dry ingredients (cake flour, baking powder, salt).
9. Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk into the batter.
10. Mix in burnt sugar syrup and vanilla.
11. Bake for 25–30 min.
12. Cool completely.
13. For the traditional burnt sugar frosting, boil butter, brown sugar, burnt sugar syrup, and evaporated milk for 2 minutes.
14. Cool until warm, then beat in powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla.
15. Frost cake quickly before it sets.
16. For the optional brown sugar penuche frosting, melt ¾ cup butter.
17. Boil brown sugar, heavy cream, and salt.
18. Beat the brown sugar mixture into the melted butter with powdered sugar.
19. Add the remaining butter 1 tbsp at a time.
20. Rest for 10–30 min until spreadable.
21. Fill and frost the cake with traditional burnt sugar frosting.
22. Optionally, cover the outside with penuche frosting.
23. Finish with rustic swoops and swirls.

## Equipment

- oven
- 8-inch pans

## Tips

- Work fast when making traditional burnt sugar frosting, as it sets quickly.
- For the optional brown sugar penuche frosting, rest it for 10-30 minutes until spreadable.
- Finish the cake with rustic swoops and swirls.

## Source

- Original video: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1BuSFxDXd1/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/1d231a0d-1c80-4c2e-970b-a5c38e85ed8e
- Extracted: 2026-02-21

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt