Caramel Layer Cake (from the RS Birthday Party)

Cathy Owens made this delicious (and beautiful) cake for the Relief Society Birthday Party in March.  Here's the recipe.

Caramel Layer Cake

Cake:

2 1/2 cups unbleached white flour

2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups brown sugar, packed

5 large eggs

3/4 cup milk

2 t. pure vanilla extract

Caramel Frosting:

2 cups brown sugar, packed

3 T. unsalted butter

1 cup half and half

1 t. pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans and lightly dust with flour.

In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.  Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.  Stir together the milk and vanilla in a measuring cup.  Add the milk and flour mixtures alternately to the creamed mixture and beat well after each addition to form a smooth batter. 

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a knife tests clean and the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.  Cool the layers in the pans for about 5 minutes and then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

In a 2 1/2 or 3-quart saucepan, preferably nonstick, combine the sugar, butter, and half and half.  Bring to a rolling boil, stirring often.  Cover and boil on medium-high heat for 3 minutes.  Uncover and continue to boil until the caramel begins to thicken and coats a spoon, about 4 minutes.  Keep watch--the sauce can burn in a heartbeat.  Remove from the heat and pour into a large mixing bowl.

Add the vanilla and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until creamy, thick and a good spreading consistency, about 10 minutes.

While the frosting is still warm, fill and frost the cake.  If the frosting gets too thick to spread easily, thin it with a bit of half and half.

Sprinkle chopped pecans on top!