Fox Island Chocolate Caketopped with sugar meringue, over a bourbon-caramel sauce

Any standard chocolate cake recipe or boxed mix and bake at home will work.

Ingredients

1 ginger root
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
½ lb. butter (at room temp.)
2 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup maple syrup
3 egg whites
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 cup sugar
¼ cup water

Bourbon-Caramel Sauce

1 c. cream
¾ c. brown sugar
¼ c. bourbon

Ginger Simple Syrup

• Take 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar, add to a pan on med-high heat.
• Roughly chop the ginger, add to the pan, and bring to the boil, making sure to stir enough to fully dissolve the sugar. After it boils, reduce heat and allow to simmer ½ hour to make a nice ginger simple syrup.
• Reserve the ginger

Maple Buttercream

• Add the ½ lb butter and powered sugar to a mixing bowl and mix at low speed. Add the maple syrup and speed up little, mixing for about two minutes.
• Set aside the maple buttercream, but keep at room temp.

Bake the cake and allow it to cool. Then slice into at least three layers.

Assembling the Cake

Take the first layer and brush-on the ginger simple syrup. Don’t be shy with the simple syrup, it helps to keep the cake moist. Add a layer of the maple buttercream over that and stack, repeating the process until you reach the top.

A Tip from the Chef

Spreading the frosting is much easier if you keep a pitcher of hot water handy, dipping the spatula in it frequently.

Sugar Meringue

• After layering, add ¼ cup water and 1 cup sugar to sauce pan and begin melting sugar. Keep an eye on it, as it will melt and boil fast.
• Add the egg whites to a mixing bowl with the cream of tartar and beat on high until stiff peaks form.
• Once the sugar is melted and has boiled for about 30 seconds, add it in a very slow stream to the egg whites with the mixer going on high. Be sure to pour in all the liquid. The bowl will steam, but that’s good: it’s cooking the egg whites.
• Spread the meringue on the top of the cake with a wet spatula. Don't worry about residual liquid in bottom of mixing bowl—the meringue will be plenty sweet.

The Finishing Touch

Finally, add cream, brown sugar and bourbon to a pot on med-high until sugar is dissolved and cream is slightly reduced. Put on the bottom of the plate in a pool with cake over it.