There are very few cake improvements that I trust right away.
Thats how I was when I assessedRenee Ericksonspeach cobbler with hot sugar crust before testing it out.
Just double-check you steel yourself for the moment you dump water all over your cake.
These are all great, but a hot sugar crust is a cake topping unlike the rest.
(Okay,allof my worries stemmed from that.)
Ive heard of this method for baking lasagnas, but cake?
What if the hot water makes the butter melt out?
What if it becomes waterlogged?
What if it makes the cake tough?
What if it doesnt make a crust at all?
Normally eggs and liquids would follow.
This isnt so for Ericksons hot sugar crustinstead, flour is added to the butter and sugar mixture.
The flour is pressed into the fat until its evenly crumbly before the milk is added.
This process is called water-proofing the flour.
This technique is sometimes used with pie dough, like inthis recipefrom Cooks Illustrated.
Except it was so easy and straightforward I barely had time to be worried.
Dont skip it thoughthis is very different from simply sprinkling on granulated sugar without the water.
This procedure restructures the sugar as a flat sheet, coating every ripple and divot of the dessert.
Once it cooled I saw a thin, shiny, sugary ice rink over the surface of the cobbler.
Try it on asnack cake, a loaf cake, or make a batch of sugar-topped brownies.
I created the following recipe to springboard off of the fruit cobbler idea.
Honestly, I wanted more of the cake part.
Prepare the loaf pan by buttering the inside and lining it with parchment paper.
Leave short flaps on the sides so you might lift it out easily later.
Place the loaf pan on a sheet tray.
Heat 14 cup of water and set aside.
Put softened butter and sugar in a large bowl and mix together until a homogenous paste forms.
Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the butter mixture.
Once the flour is fully mixed in, the mixture will look evenly crumbly.
Add the eggs, zest of both lemons, and lemon juice.
Mix thoroughly and quickly.
Sprinkle four teaspoons of sugar so it coats the entire top of the batter.
Dribble the hot water over the surface of the cake so it dissolves the sugar.
Bake immediately at 350F for 45 minutes.
The edges will begin to brown and a toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean.
Cool completely and enjoy plain or with a scoop of ice cream.
