Penuche Icing for Applesauce Spice Cake
Penuche icing for the Applesauce Spice Cake. Penuche, a caramel-flavored candy, is a perfect topping for Applesauce Cake or Spice Cake.
Penuche icing for the Applesauce Spice Cake. Penuche, a caramel-flavored candy, is a perfect topping for Applesauce Cake or Spice Cake.
- Carbohydrate 74.3169111111111 g
- Cholesterol 27.5366666666667 mg
- Fat 10.3671111111111 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0.360255555555556 g
- Saturated Fat 6.54469 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (94g)
- Sodium 82.5688888888889 mg
- Sugar 74.3169111111111 g
- Trans Fat 0.717331111111111 g
- Calories 382 calories
Step-by-step
- In a medium-sized saucepan, melt 1 stick of butter or margarine.
- Add 1 cup brown sugar, and bring to a boil.
- Lower the heat, and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add 1/4 cup milk, and bring back, just to a boil, stirring constantly.
- Cool to lukewarm.
- Gradually add 2 cups confectioner's sugar, as needed. (You may not need all of it.)
- Beat the candy until it is of spreading consistency.
- If it is too thick, add a little hot water; if too thin, add more confectioner's sugar.
- Spread it generously on my 9-inch square Applesauce Spice Cake. (This is enough icing to spread a two-layer cake.)
Why does boiling brown sugar, butter, and milk for precisely two minutes transform granular crystals into a smooth, fudgy matrix? Chemistry dictates this outcome through the caramelization of sucrose and the emulsification of dairy fats. Cooking the butter and brown sugar together drives off excess moisture while melting the sugar crystals into a uniform liquid phase. Introducing milk supplies both water and proteins that promote Maillard browning reactions, yielding the distinct toffee notes characteristic of traditional penuche. Cool the mixture strictly to lukewarm before incorporating the confectioner's sugar; pouring powdered sugar into a hot fat mixture causes immediate seizing and creates a gritty, grainy texture.
Achieving the Ideal Consistency
Monitoring temperature and moisture balance prevents structural failure during mixing. Adding the confectioner's sugar gradually allows control over the final viscosity, since humidity levels in your kitchen dictate how much dry sugar the liquid fat can absorb. Incorporating hot water a single drop at a time thins a mixture that has set too firmly, whereas adding extra powdered sugar rescues batches that turned out too runny. Beat the mixture vigorously with a spatula or electric mixer to aerate the cooling mass, which creates the matte finish and spreadable density required for coating spiced cakes.
Common Pitfalls in Preparation
Rushing the cooling phase stands as the primary reason cooks ruin cooked frostings. Patience prevents the fat from separating out of the sugar solution prematurely. Stirring constantly during the two-minute boil prevents localized burning at the bottom of the medium saucepan.
