NANTUCKET TAR ROOF CAKE 
HOT MILK CAKE:

3 eggs
1 1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. milk
1 1/2 tsp. butter
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat eggs until thick and foamy. Gradually add sugar, using high speed on mixer.

In saucepan, heat milk and butter together. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture alternately with the hot milk and butter, using dry ingredients first and last. Use low speed on the mixer. Beat in vanilla, still at low speed. Pour batter in greased and floured 9x10-inch pan. Bake at 325°F for 25-30 minutes.

BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:

1 (1 lb.) box confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 tbsp. milk

In large bowl, beat together sugar, butter, vanilla and milk until smooth. If necessary, add more milk until frosting is of spreading consistency. Mix everything well.

For tar roof cake, frosting should be spreadable but stiff.

TAR ROOF:

3 (1 oz. ea.) sq. bittersweet baking chocolate

Melt baking chocolate. Pour and spread over the top of buttercream frosting. Let stand until set.

recipe reviews
Nantucket Tar Roof Cake
   #165179
 Annette (New Mexico) says:
I was raised on Nantucket, on special occasions Mrs Williams our neighbor made TAR ROOF cake. Her frosting was : coconut and confectionery frosting with the bittersweet chocolate melted. THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES, Annette Burgess Price
 #178887
 Patty (Massachusetts) replies:
Hi, you mentioned coconut and confectionery frosting. Would you have a recipe for that? Thanks in advance for your help. I'm hopeful that I can make this when on Nantucket for Thanksgiving.
 #171447
 Patrici L. Salmeier (Florida) says:
Growing up on Nantucket, my grandmother would have us run to the bakery and get some of this cake. It is the best!
 #178909
 Stacy (Massachusetts) says:
They had this at the Nantucket Fair today but I didn't try it. It's my favorite and I had it only once -- made by a Nantucket lady with many decades of baking this treat! I may try making it myself.
   #181081
 Linda Lamb Boles (New Hampshire) says:
Growing up on Nantucket my mom made this cake and now this is my "go to" Birthday Cake for my grown sons' Birthdays. Delicious!
   #182265
 Judy Chambers (Florida) replies:
Hi Linda. Had dinner with Jackie and Chuck tonight. Tar Roof Cake was mentioned. When I got home, I googled for a recipe and saw your name and immediately knew who you were. Of all things, seeing your name when googling cake! P.S. We all love Tar Roof!
   #183740
 Judy Garshelis (Minnesota) says:
My grandmother, from Nantucket, made this cake for us every time we visited her on Nantucket. She put lemon extract into the frosting and it is amazing!
 #193647
 OB (North Carolina) says:
I feel like there's not enough content here, I come to this recipe once a year to make a cake for somebody that grew up in Nantucket. His mom made a tar roof cake every year for the kids birthdays. I've asked her about it and she said she always use the box mix. I cannot do that. So I scour the Internet. And I come up upon this recipe yearly and choose to make it but the one thing I don't get is.
What do thick and foamy eggs mean?
How thick how foamy how long should I beat them?
It has eggs in it, so not egg whites to a peak to not a peak?

 

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