Hot Milk Cake with Caramel Icing

2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 stick ( 1/2 cup) butter
1 cup milk

Beat eggs and sugar until fluffy; set aside; sift flour and baking powder together; set aside.  Melt butter and add milk, bring to boil.  Pour butter/milk mixture into egg/sugar mixture and mix well.  Add flour/baking powder mixture and beat until smooth.  Pour into two greased and lightly floured layer cake pans.  Bake 25 minutes at 325 degrees.  Cool and remove from pans.

Caramel Icing:

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup cream OR 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup pecans (chopped or whole)

Stir together in saucepan brown sugar and cream (or butter and milk ).   Cook over medium, stirring until sugar is dissolved.  Cover and cook about 3 minutes or until steam has washed down any crystals formed on side of pan.  Uncover and cook without stirring to 238  to 240 degrees on candy thermometer.  Add butter.  Remove from heat and cool to 110 degrees.  Add vanilla.  Beat icing until it is thick and creamy.  If it becomes too heavy, thin with a little cream or milk until it is of spreading consistency.  Spread on cake and top with nuts.

This recipe was given to me by Frances Davis who was receptionist at our office for several years as an antidote to empty nest syndrome.  The icing is one of my favorites.  You can use it with a boxed yellow or chocolate cake mix if you don't feel like making cake from scratch.