Ingredients
- 3 cups white sugar
- 1 ½ cups butter
- 5 eggs
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Icing:
- 1 (16 ounce) package brown sugar
- 1 cup butter
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup evaporated milk
- 1 (16 ounce) package confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Directions
Instructions Checklist
- Step 1Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans.
- Step 2Cream white sugar, 1 1/2 cups butter, and eggs together in a bowl. Beat well.
- Step 3Combine flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add to the sugar mixture alternately with milk. Add vanilla extract. Beat until batter makes ribbons when falling from the whisk or beater. Divide batter among the prepared cake pans.
- Step 4Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool layers on a rack before icing, at least 1 hour.
- Step 5Combine brown sugar, 1 cup butter, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until brown sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Add evaporated milk and continue stirring. Bring to a gentle boil and let bubble for about 4 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid sticking. Remove from heat and allow to cool, about 5 minutes.
- Step 6Mix confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract into the butter-milk mixture using an electric mixer until icing caramelizes and thickens to the desired consistency.
- Step 7Spread icing onto the cooled cake layers. Stack layers; ice top and sides.