Maya Angelou's Caramel Cake

For Cake: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line the bottoms of two 8-inch layer cake pans with greased waxed paper.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and gradually add 1 cup of the sugar until the combination is light and fluffy. Beat in the caramel syrup.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, alternating with the milk.

In a separate medium mixing bowl, beat the eggs about 3 minutes until they are foamy. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until there is a fine spongy foam. Stir the egg mixture into the cake batter until it's blended.

Divide the batter between cake pans. Bake for about 25 minutes.

Remove the pans from the oven. Gently press the center of the cake with a forefinger. The cake should spring back when the finger is removed. If it doesn't, return it to the oven for 10 minutes.

Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack and remove the waxed paper. Let the cakes cool to room temperature before frosting.

To Assemble: Center one cooled cake layer on a cake plate. Cover the top and sides with a generous helping of frosting. Place the second layer evenly on the frosted layer. Repeat the frosting procedure.

Make certain the sides are completely frosted. Cool in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

For Caramel Syrup: Heat sugar in a skillet over low heat. Stir constantly until it's melted to a brown liquid. When it bubbles over the entire surface, remove it from the heat. Slowly add in the boiling water, stirring constantly. Pour into a container and cool.

For Caramel Frosting: In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, brown the butter, watching carefully so it doesn't burn.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract and salt. Add the butter to the sugar mixture and beat until smooth. If the frosting is too stiff, add a tablespoon of half-and-half to thin.

Recipe Source: "Hallelujah! The Welcome Table: A Lifetime of Memories with Recipes" by Maya Angelou