Caramel Cake

Per request, here is the recipe for Caramel Cake:

Solid vegetable shortening for greasing the pans

Flour for dusting the pans

1 package (18.25 ounces) plain white cake mix

1 cup whole milk

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Place rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degerees F. Generously grease two 9-inch round cake pans with solid vegetable shortening, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set the pans aside.

2. Place the cake mix, milk, melted butter, eggs and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed. The batter should look well blended. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pans in the oven side by side.

3. Bake the cakes until they are golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 27 to 29 minutes. Remove the pans form the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edge of each layer and invert each onto a rack, then invert them again onto another rack so that the cakes are right side up. Allow them to cool completely, 30 minutes more.

4. Meanwhile, prepare the Quick Caramel Frosting

Quick Caramel Frosting

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/4 cup whole milk

2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted (very important or it will be lumpy!)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Place the butter and brown sugars in a medium-size heavy sauce pan over medium heat. Stir and cook until the mixture comes to a boil, about 2 minutes. Add the milk, stir and bring the mixture back to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Beat with a wooden spoon until the frosting is smooth.

2. Use immediately (while still warm) to frost the cake or the frosting will harden. If it does harden while you are frosting the cake, simply place the pan back over low heat and stir until the frosting softens up. Don't forget to put some frosting between the layers!

I think the frosting would be especially yummy on home-made doughnuts also...yummy!

A visit

My parents came up to visit this weekend which actually turned into being almost exactly 24 hours! They brought up some of my stuff that I had left at their house and had since moved it out to Utah. Couldn't have asked for a better moving crew! Brian and my Dad went out shooting with their rifles (I know that sounds scarey), but they both really enjoyed it. Of course, they happened to come up on the hottest day in Rexburg so far, so Mom and I just lounged on the couch in front of a fan and watched a movie. It was so good seeing them, and even though it's weird that they live in Utah now, it's nice having them closer than an 18 hour car ride.

Brian's 27th birthday

We celebrated Brian's birthday earlier this week. I think it was really good for him to take a night off from all his studying. The poor guy needs a huge break! Let's just say we're really looking forward to the 7 weeks he'll have off from school come July. Anyway, we invited a few friends over for some cake and ice cream. We tried to pamper him the best way we could, so he didn't have to do dishes that day (a big deal at our house) and we made him his favorite breakfast casserole for dinner. I did give him options of what he wanted to eat, but of course he chose that. We also got to go to the temple earlier that day. Overall it was a great day. Oh, and the cake he chose this year was a caramel cake....yummy!

Bedroom set

We found our bedroom set! The best part is that it was on clearance and we don't have to pay any shipping and handling. Decorating is so fun! Once we get the set, we'll be able to pick out paint for the walls. Did I mention that I love decorating?

We're having a boy!

Here's a nice side profile of our little boy. Needless to say Brian is ecstatic! I'm excited about the going shopping thing and decorating his room. It's just very nice to not have to call him "it" anymore.