Michelle recently picked up a copy of Julie Richardson’s Vintage Cakes from a bookstore remainder table. Richardson, a baker in Portland, Oregon, based many of the book’s recipes on a trove she found when taking over the 50-year-old bakery building she now occupies. Others come from old cookbooks and corporate marketing departments. It’s a charming book.
This particular burnt sugar cake dates from “before the days of vanilla and almond extracts, gaining its deep flavor from burnt sugar syrup.” Richardson paired the cake with maple syrup-flavored cream cheese frosting, but after consulting with Steve, Michelle decided to add layers of salted chocolate ganache. She also threw in some chopped pecans for a bit of extra crunch and nuttiness.
Both of us enjoyed the deep, caramel flavor of the cake and the subtle maple sweetness of the frosting darkened with some espresso powder. Michelle initially thought the cake’s crumb was a tad too heavy, but it grew on her. Steve enjoyed both the banana-bread-ish cake and salty chocolate, and continued to eat it long after Michelle deemed the cake’s day to be over. While we can’t say it is our all-time favorite dessert, we did find it delicious enough for several after-dinner slices (as we said, Steve more than Michelle). Plus, we enjoyed imagining a time before there was vanilla extract.
(cake and icing adapted from Julie Richardson’s Vintage Cakes/ganache adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Paris Sweets) BURNT SUGAR SYRUP: CAKE: SALTED CHOCOLATE GANACHE: MAPLE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING: Place rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350° F. Grease three 8″ cake pans and line bottoms with waxed or parchment paper. Make the burnt sugar syrup: Put the sugar in a small saucepan. Swirl (do not stir!) the pan over medium heat until the sugar has melted and becomes caramel-colored. Remove from heat and add the hot water a few drops at a time, watching for spattering. After the water has been added, cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Remove syrup from the heat and allow to cool. Make the cake: Add the milk to the cooled burnt sugar syrup and stir. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together into a small bowl. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar and maple syrup on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Stop frequently to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer on low speed, drizzle in the oil and vanilla until incorporated. Add eggs and yolks one at a time. Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture to the batter and mix in. Then add about 1/2 of the milk/burnt sugar mixture. Repeat process until both mixtures are incorporated. Stir in nuts, using a rubber spatula. Divide the cake batter among the prepared pans and smooth tops. Bake until the cakes are springy and a tester comes out clean, approximately 25-27 minutes. Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack until cool enough to handle. Then remove from pans and continue cooling on the racks. Make ganache filling: Place half of the cream in a small bowl and refrigerate. Place chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (or in a double boiler). Warm until it is partially melted. Stir and remove from heat. Heat remaining cream in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour over the chocolate. Wait 30 seconds and then gently whisk until the chocolate is completely melted. Whisk in the butter and salt and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes. Whip the chilled cream until it forms soft peaks. Fold into the chocolate mixture. Chill. Stir every few minutes until it is spreadable. Fill between the three cake layers with the ganache. Make frosting: Beat butter with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed for about a minute until smooth. Add cream cheese and continue to beat until smooth and lump-free, about a minute more. Dissolve espresso powder in vanilla, then blend mixture into frosting. Blend in maple syrup. Mix on medium-high speed until frosting is smooth and firm. Ice sides and top of cake with the frosting. Cake should be stored in the refrigerator, but brought to room temperature before serving.BURNT SUGAR CAKE WITH MAPLE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING AND SALTY CHOCOLATE FILLING
Gourmandistan 
All I can say is: “You guys.”
We would make beautiful music together.
We knew there just wasn’t enough over-the-top autumnal food floating around the blogosphere this week, so felt we had to contribute. 😉 And, yes, we would indeed!
I have a delicious caramel cake recipe which I haven’t made in ages, thanks for the reminder. I like the idea of caramel, chocolate pecans and caramel together, very tempting indeed…
The traditional Southern U.S. caramel cake is the reverse: a yellow cake with caramel icing. So this was an interesting twist with the caramel in the cake instead. What’s your caramel cake like?
Dense and sticky! You make a dark caramel and stop it cooking with orange juice. The caramel constitiutes the sugar content of the cake. I’ll make it some time soon and write a post, it’s a noteworthy cake
That sounds really good!
I’m sure you know I’m not a cake fan, but that looks impressive, especially with the added crunch 🙂
Even you would find resistance futile. 😉
Yes, I’d be forced to eat it and like it 😉
That looks like the Devil’s food. If it were left near me, I would eat the lot and die of a heart attack. Happy but dead!
Have a great Thanksgiving over there.
Best,
Conor
Ha, ha, ha, “happy but dead”! You know, Conor, calories and fat do NOT count during holiday weeks.
True. But, we have to wait a month for Christmas.
Everything about this cake sounds delicious. I’m with Conor. I’d eat far too much of it for my own good.
Thanks, John. It was funny. I started to really like it right when it was gone…
Salty chocolate would be the killer in that recipe, just look how awesome that is
Thanks, Raymund!
That looks divine! That thick frosting is calling out to me. I love vintage cookbooks and recipes too. I recently picked up a copy of Paula Peck , without a clue to who she was initially, and I love it to bits. No coloured pictures, just hand drawn illustrations and very detailed instructions. Again, that cake…
That is so funny! I picked up The Art of Fine Baking at a used bookstore several years ago. I knew Peck’s name was familiar, but only slightly so. Have you seen her granddaughter’s website? I think it used to me more blog-like, but it’s fun. She recreates lots of the recipes.
Every word describing this cake makes me want to eat it. Gorgeous.
Sounds amazing and love your styling. Beautiful.