Dear P.J.

I made the apple cake----one of my favorite recipes but instead of the Brown Sugar Frosting I used a similar recipe for Caramel Icing. About 50 some years ago I was culinary superintendent for a large county fair. One of the loyal competitors was an older Mennonite lady who entered almost every category as many times allowable. She was a consistent blue ribbon winner and her Applesauce Layer Cake with Caramel Icing was divine. At the conclusion of the fair she had a number of men lined up to purchase anything that she would sell and that cake sold for a premium. I hesitatingly asked her for the recipe for I figured that it would be "top secret". She very kindly obliged and mailed the recipe to me. It is in my file and one of my favorites and I always smile when I think of her--a very reserved, kind lady with wonderful culinary skills and results! This is the recipe: CARAMEL ICING----------Mix 3 Tbsp. butter, 6 Tbsp. brown sugar, 6 Tbsp. white sugar, and 1/2 cup sweet heavy cream. Bring to a boil and cook rapidly for 2 minutes while stirring. Remove from heat and add 9 large marshmallows, and stir them in until melted. (If I think of it, I also give it a dash of salt--seems to help flavor.) When marshmallows have melted, add 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla and 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners sugar. Stir until thick enough to spread over the cake. (I buy a very good quality of confectioners sugar for professional bakers so I usually do not sift the sugar, but just fluff and measure---usually hit it right on the mark.) The marshmallows seem to add a very smooth creamy consistency. I am not sure what ingredient makes this happen, for sucrose is the main ingredient of white sugar as well as marshmallows. Also, each company has their own recipe with variations, so maybe it is the gelatin. Who knows?! Anyway this is my preferred Caramel (Brown Sugar) Icing. (Closing thought: I wonder what dimension "browned butter" would add to the recipe? I love the flavor of a simple icing made with powdered sugar and browned butter for certain cookies that I make--often with the addition of a sprinkle of toasted nuts on top!)

Shirley, a farm wife from Illinois

• Reply