Now, don’t get me wrong, I like sweets.  That is kind of a given.  But over the years I have noticed that my love of extremely sweet things has started to shift.  Things that used to satisfy my sweet tooth now just make it hurt, literally.  Maybe my palette is growing up.

That is how I felt after trying the Burnt Sugar Cake from Nancie McDermott’s Southern Cakes, this month’s Cake Slice Bakers selection.

I like the concept of burning sugar to create uniform flavor throughout the cake.  It was mesmerizing to watch the pile of sugar turn into a rich amber syrup.  Once cooled, the syrup is added both to the cake and the frosting, infusing a richer caramel-y flavor in every bite.

My cake turned out a little on the dry side.  It didn’t bake in the specified 20-25 minutes that the recipe stated, so I left them in a little longer, which probably contributed to their dryness.

For me, I got more burnt sugar taste from the frosting than the cake itself.  But, as with any frostings made with confectioners’ sugar, it was tooth-achingly sweet.  Yet I almost wanted just a little more frosting, just to get more of the burnt sugar flavor.

The one other thing that bothered me about this cake (and this is just being vain) is that my layer of frosting disappeared once I cut into it.  I can never seem to get that thick beautiful frosting layer in my cakes.  I’m guessing the dryness played a contributing factor.   I guess I’ll just have to keep at it.  But not with this cake.  I don’t think my dentist would be too happy with that.

If you have time, wander over to The Cake Slice Bakers and check out everyone else’s creations.  And here is a printable link to the recipe.