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!