Gateau de Sirop

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons baking soda 
• 0.5 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 1.3 cups cane syrup divided
• 2 large eggs 
• 2.5 cups flour all-purpose
• 0.8 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 0.5 teaspoon hot sauce 
• 0.3 teaspoon nutmeg freshly ground
• 1 cup vegetable oil; peanut oil preferred 
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 6 servings burnt sugar meringue 
• 1 cup ginger water 

Equipment

• bowl
• oven
• blender
• skewers

Directions

1. Combine peanut oil, 1 cup cane syrup, and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl, beating with a mixer on medium speed until blended.
2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
3. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients in a medium bowl; slowly add flour mixture to egg mixture, beating at low speed until blended.
4. Pour batter into 3 greased and parchment-lined 8-inch round cake pans.
5. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes, remove from pans, and cool on wire racks.
6. Prick cake layers with a wooden skewer; brush remaining 1/4 cup cane syrup over tops.
7. Spread Burnt Sugar Meringue between layers and on top of cake.