Caramel-Vanilla Cake

For a friend's birthday

Adapted from Lottie+Doof 

INGREDIENTS

(3) 8" diameter layers: 
3 C flour

1 1/2 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

3/4 t salt

3/4 C unsalted butter

1 1/2 C granulated sugar

1 1/2 t vanilla extract

3 large eggs

1 1/2 C buttermilk

buttercream frosting:

1 1/2 C unsalted butter

4 C confectioners sugar

dash of salt

1 t vanilla extract

caramel topping:

1/2 C heavy cream

1/4 C brown sugar

1 1/2 t light corn syrup

1/2 t vanilla extract

1/8 t salt

DIRECTIONS

For the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees F.  Grease and flour cake pans.

2. For the cake, cream together butter and sugar. Add vanilla extract, then add eggs. Mix in baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Mix in buttermilk.  Sift flour into bowl and mix.

3. Pour batter into prepared pans.  Bake for approximately 20 minutes.  (Note: I wasn't paying close attention to the time, but cakes baked evenly and golden at somewhere around this time.)

4. For easy assembly, after cakes have cooled, wrap well in plastic cling wrap and freeze for at least 30 minutes.

For the buttercream:

1. Thoroughly beat butter.

2. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar. Add dash of salt and vanilla extract.

For the caramel:

1. Heat all ingredients in saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to boil while constantly stirring until caramel reaches 212-degrees F on candy thermometer.  I would recommend using a medium-sized saucepan for this step to prevent caramel from boiling over.

2. After cake is assembled, use a spoon to drizzle caramel sauce over top of cake.