You will get rave reviews for this beautiful, delicious cake. It's the perfect cake to make for holiday celebrations.
8 oz. sour cream
1/4 c. milk
1 c. butter, softened
2 c. sugar
4 large eggs
2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 t. vanilla extract
Caramel frosting:
1/3 c. sugar
1 T. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. milk
3/4 c. butter
1 t. vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine sour cream and milk.
Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at medium-low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.
4. Bake 30 - 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and let cool 1 hour or until completely cool.
Spread Caramel frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.
Caramel frosting:
Sprinkle 1/3 c. sugar in a shallow, heavy 3½ quart Dutch oven; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 3 minutes or until sugar is melted and syrup is light golden brown (sugar will clump). Remove from heat.
Stir together 1 T. flour and 2 1/2 c. sugar in a large saucepan; add milk, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
Gradually pour about one-fourth of the hot milk mixture into caramelized sugar, stirring constantly; gradually stir in remaining hot milk mixture until smooth. (Mixture will lump, but continue stirring until smooth.)
Cover and cook over low heat 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium; uncover and cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reaches 238° (soft-ball stage, about 10 minutes). Add butter, stirring until blended. Remove from heat and let stand, without stirring, until temperature drops to 110° (about 1 hour).
Pour into bowl of heavy-duty electric stand mixer. Add vanilla, and beat at medium speed (setting 4) with whisk attachment until spreading consistency (about 20 minutes).