Browning: The Caribbean Secret to Black Cake

Browning—the burnt sugar syrup Annetha called her "homemade secret ingredient"—is essential to authentic Caribbean black cake. It's not merely caramel; the sugar is taken past caramelization to genuine burning, creating a bittersweet, almost smoky syrup that gives the cake its signature near-black color and complex depth. To make it, cook sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it melts, then turns from golden to very dark brown—almost black—and begins to smoke slightly (8-10 minutes). Then very slowly add water (it will sputter violently), followed by boiling water to dissolve the burnt sugar into syrup. The key is achieving genuine burnt flavor without becoming acrid. Commercial browning (Grace brand) is widely available, but homemade is superior. It stores indefinitely at room temperature.