1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla or lemon extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter and sugar well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Dissolve the soda in the buttermilk. To the butter and sugar, alternately add the flour and buttermilk, mixing well. Add flavoring. Bake in 2 (8 inch) well-greased and floured cake pans 25-30 minutes.

CARAMEL ICING:

1 stick butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 box confectioners sugar
1/4 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt butter in saucepan. Mix in brown sugar, milk; boil 1 minute. Add vanilla. Stir and remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar until it is desired spreading consistency. May not need the entire box.