[Southern Belle 2067]

Pound Cake with Easy Caramel Frosting

2 cups butter
2 2/3 cups sugar
8 large eggs
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup half and half
1 tsp. Pure vanilla extract or Pure almond extract
Easy Caramel Frosting

Preheat the oven to 325*F.

Beat butter at medium speed with a heave-duty electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar beating at medium speed 5 to 7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.

Add flour to creamed mixture alternating with half and half, beginning and ending with flour. Mix at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Spread Easy Caramel Frosting on top and sides of cake.

Yield 1 (10-inch) cake

Easy Caramel Frosting:

1/2 cup butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup whipping cream
2 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 tsp. Pure vanilla extract

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan. Add brown sugar, cook over low heat, stirring constantly. 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until sugar dissolves. (Do Not Boil.) Remove from heat.

Stir in whipping cram. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat at high speed until frosting is spreading consistency.

Yield enough for 1 (10-inch) cake.