BUTTERMILK CAKE WITH CARAMEL ICING

This recipe is from a lady in Liberty, Kentucky who says this recipe has been a family favorite since the 1970s. She entered it in a TOH recipe contest where it received high praise and first appeared in TOH in 2007. The last time I checked it had a 5-star rating by readers.

1 cup butter, softened

2-1/3 cups sugar

3 eggs

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

ICING:

1/4 cup butter, cubed

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup confectioners' sugar In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition (batter will be thick). Pour into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan. Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. For icing, in a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar and cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; cool for 5-10 minutes. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Drizzle over cake.  Yield: 12-16 servings.