Burnt Sugar Cake

Place 1/2 cup sugar into a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until sugar melts. Continue to cook and stir until it becomes very dark brown. Remove from the heat. Add hot water very slowly and stir until incorporated. Set burnt sugar mixture aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees F). Line two 9-inch round baking pans with parchment paper.

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together three times.

Cream remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Mix in cooled burnt sugar mixture and vanilla.

Add dry ingredients and milk alternately to the creamed mixture; beat until smooth. Pour batter into the prepared pans.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack briefly, then run a table knife around the edges to loosen. Invert carefully onto a serving plate or cooling rack.

Let cool completely before filling and frosting as desired.