Old Fashioned Southern Caramel Cake

1-2-3-4 Layer Cake

1 cup milk

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

3 cups flour

3 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Pinch salt

Set out milk, butter, and eggs and allow to come to room temperature. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Sift dry ingredients . Add flour mixture and milk alternately starting and ending with flour. This is very important—your cake will fall otherwise.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake about 20 minutes. This makes 3 layers [editors note—recipe does not say what size cake pans, but I am guessing 8” ] Grease pans and line with waxed paper or brown paper. Cool on wire racks for 15-20 minutes before removing from pans.

Caramel Icing

This is the traditional way to make this luscious stuff.

3 cups sugar

1 cup milk

1 stick butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place 2 1/2 cups sugar, milk, and butter in large heavy boiler and bring to boil. Set aside. Put 1/2 cup sugar in small iron skillet and stir constantly over medium to low heat until melted and brown. This is easily scorched, so remove from heat immediately.

Place first mixture back on heat and as soon as it begins to boil, pour in melted sugar. Boil fairly slowly until it reaches the soft ball stage. Cool slightly and beat until spreading consistency. After removing from heat, add vanilla.

Soft ball stage— a drop of mixture in cold water will form a soft ball. If you have a candy thermometer, it will be at 234-240 degrees.

Easy Caramel Icing

The name says it all!

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

3-1/4 cups confectioner’s sugar

1/4 cup milk

Melt butter. Add brown sugar. Boil and stir until thick. Cool slightly, then add milk. Beat until smooth. Add confectioner’s sugar. Mix well.