Burnt Sugar Cake (Caramel Cake)

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups cake flour, sifted
• 2 eggs, separated
• 3 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk or buttermilk
• Pecan halves for garnish
• For frosting:
• 2 tablespoon butter, softened
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups confectioner's sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. For cake:
2. Preheat oven at 375 degrees. Grease and line 3 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
3. Put 1/2 cup sugar in a small saucepan under moderate heat. Stirring constantly. When sugar is melted (light brown color) and begins to smoke, slowly add boiling water ON THE SIDES OF THE SAUCEPAN. Continue cooking until syrup measures 1/2 cup.Make sure that sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool.
4. Sift flour, salt and baking powder together. Set aside.
5. Cream butter, adding the sugar gradually until it becomes light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Blend in one egg at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Stir in cooled caramel syrup.
6. Alternately mix flour mixture and milk in the batter, beating until smooth.
7. Beat egg whites in high speed until stiff but not dry. Fold into the batter.
8. Divide evenly the batter among the 3 greased pans. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool in wire rack for 5 minutes.
9. For frosting:
10. Mix butter, cream, salt and brown sugar in a saucepan. Bring to boil stirring constantly.
11. Remove from heat, add vanilla. Gradually add confectioner's sugar stirring constantly until it becomes to a spreading consistency.

sugar, boiling water, butter, vanilla, cake flour, eggs, doubleacting baking powder, salt, milk, butter, heavy cream, brown sugar, salt, sugar, vanilla

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/burnt-sugar-cake-caramel-cake-1227633 (may not work)