Angel Food Cake with Mom's Butter Brickle Glaze

Angel food cake was one of my dad's favorite desserts, along with this glaze my mom invented by accident. We just use a box recipe for the cake, with the only trick being to own an angel food cake pan. The glaze is quite a challenge due to the imprecise recipe that I haven't taken the time to refine. This is what's on mom's recipe card:


Butter Brickle Glaze  (6/18/85)

Melt 1/4 cup butter/margarine on high until it browns
Add brown sugar (about 1/4 cup?)
Stir over heat (should bubble)
Add 1 tsp vanilla (sizzles)
Cool slightly (?)
Add about 1 cup powdered sugar (brown sugar will form lumps)
Add several tsp milk until of glaze consistency
Add powdered sugar or additional milk as necessary
Drizzle over angel food cake


It's that first step that is supposed to give the glaze its unique flavor, I think. From this most recent attempt, I would guess that heating the butter on high is not a wise choice. For this cake, I had to toss the first batch of glaze because the butter was burnt too badly, and I don't think it browned at all on the second one. Whitney vetoed my wish to try one more time, so that's what we ended up using. It was still quite good, but I think it could have been better. After consulting some other recipes that use burnt butter, I think step 1 should be to stir the butter constantly over medium heat until it reaches an amber color and has a nice caramel aroma.


This cake is delicious when served with strawberries, raspberries, or as we discovered later in the week, chocolate fondue!

Cooling the cake!

Attempt #1. Should have known it was done for by the second photo.

Attempt #2. Didn't get any browning, but at least it developed more of a glaze consistency instead of a charcoal mush. 

Served with fresh raspberries this time!