1½ cups sugar
3 egg yolks, well beaten
1 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons caramelized sugar syrup
3 egg whites, stiffly beaten
To make caramelized sugar syrup, place ½ cup sugar in skillet over medium flame and stir constantly until melted and quite dark. Remove from fire, add ¼ cup hot water, stir until dissolved. Cool.
Sift flour once, measure, add baking powder and salt, and sift together three times. Cream butter thoroughly, add sugar gradually, and cream together until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks and beat well. Add flour, alternately with water, a small amount at a time. Beat after each addition until smooth. Add vanilla. Add 2 tablespoons caramelized sugar syrup and blend. Fold in egg whites. Bake in two greased 9-inch layer pans in moderate oven (375°F.) 25 to 30 minutes, or until done. Spread Burnt Sugar Frosting ([page 16]), made with remaining caramelized sugar syrup, between layers and on top and sides of cake.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Use recipe for [Apricot Upside Down Cake], substituting 4 slices canned pineapple for apricots, and adding 1 cup slightly broken pecan meats. Arrange pineapple slices on butter-sugar mixture covering bottom of 8 × 8 × 2-inch pan, and sprinkle pecan meats over top. Turn batter over contents of pan, and bake in moderate oven (350°F.) 50 minutes, or until done. Serve upside down on dish with pineapple and nuts on top. Serve warm. Garnish with whipped cream and additional nuts, if desired. Cut in wedges.