Brownstone Front Cake

From Lost Recipes by Marion Cunningham

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
2 eggs, separated
2 1/2 cups cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
Burnt Sugar Syrup
Burnt Sugar Icing

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour two 8-inch round cake pans.

Put the butter in a mixing bowl and beat for a few seconds; add the brown sugar and beat until mixed (the mixture will be dry at this point). Add the egg yolks and mix well. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add half the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture, then add 1/2 cup of the burnt sugar syrup mixed with the 1/2 cup water (reserve the remaining syrup for the icing). Repeat and beat until smooth. Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Using the electric mixer*, fold the whites into the batter on the lowest speed. Fold only until barely blended.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared plans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center of a layer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let the layers cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto racks to cool completely. Frost with Burnt Sugar Icing.

*I folded it by hand, call me crazy.