Burnt Sugar Cake Recipe

For syrup: Melt sugar in a heavy skillet or saucepan over low heat, stirring now and then.
Heat, stirring constantly, until amber colored.
Off heat, gradually stir in boiling water (it will foam up), return to low heat, and stir until sugar dissolves.
Cool to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Sift flour with baking powder and salt and set aside.
Mix milk with flavorings and 1/2 cup burnt sugar syrup.
Cream butter until light, add sugar gradually, creaming until fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add dry ingredients alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry and adding about 1/3 of the total at a time.
Beat just until smooth.
Spoon into 2 ungreased 9" layer pans lined with wax paper.
Bake about 1/2 hour until cakes pull from sides of pan and are springy to the touch.
Cool upright in pans on wire racks 5 minutes, loosen, and invert on racks; peel off paper, turn right side up, and cool.
For the frosting: Cream butter until fluffy, beat in sugar, a little at a time, adding alternately with the syrup.
Mix in vanilla and salt and beat until satiny and of good spreading consistency.
If mixture seems stiff, thin with a little additional syrup.
Put cake layers together with some frosting, then frost with the remainder.