Subject: Frederick & Nelson burnt sugar cake
From: Elspeth
Date: 7/16/2021, 4:05 PM
To: phaedrus@hungrybrowser.com
On 7/16/2021 1:59 PM, Elspeth wrote:
Dear Phaedrus,
I have a similar request to that made by “Linda” in a letter dated December 27, 2020.
I am searching for a burnt sugar cake that my mother would buy from the Frederick &
Nelson in Seattle. It was a rather expensive cake so sometimes she was only able to
buy 1/2 of one from their bakery. The cake was layered and the frosting was a light
caramel color. It had a stain of drizzled burnt sugar dripping around the top and
down the sides. What an amazing cake! I was born in 1961 and I still remember its
taste and the slightly grainy texture. There are other burnt sugar cakes online but
I was wondering if the recipe for this one is in any F & N archive anywhere.
Going to Frederick & Nelson was a special event for my mother and siblings and was
a destination that required us to wear our “Sunday best.” One seasonal item that F&N
offered was an incredible chocolate Easter egg filled with delicious chocolate walnut
fudge. They were large and heavy and oh so rich. It’s a bummer those aren’t still
available.
Thank you for your help with the cake. The research I have done hasn’t uncovered the
recipe or any mention of the cake but it has led me to fascinating articles, the
history of the store and provided a wonderful nostalgic trip down memory lane.
Best regards,
Elspeth
Hi Elspeth,
Sorry, I had no success with this. As far as I know, there is no Frederick & Nelson recipe archive in existence,
nor is there a cookbook of their recipes.
I will post your request for reader input.
Phaed
