FOOD NEWS
The Trick To Saving A Burnt Cake Is Almost Too Simple
Grace Allison
Whether your oven was too hot or your pan was unsuitable, burnt cakes can be all-too-common, but instead of throwing it out, grab a zester or Microplane.
The outside burnt layer holds most of the burnt flavor, so your first step is to remove it by grating it with a Microplane grater or zester after the cake has cooled completely.
This trick works well for cakes with a thin burned layer, but if your cake is larger and denser, it's best to use a serrated knife to cut off the thick burn.
If your cake reached the thick-burn stage, but you've managed to salvage some lighter layer beneath, it's likely the remaining sponge is dry.
For a dry cake, make a concoction of equal parts sugar and water, lightly poke holes in the cake with a wooden skewer, and brush the soak over the top to moisten the cake.
Use caution with this soaking method, as over-applying can cause the cake to fall apart. If you don't want to use sugar water, evaporated milk or cream can be used.
Another solution is to cut the salvaged cake in half and place jam, cream, fruit, lemon curd, or marmalade between the slices, adding flavor and moistening the remaining slices.