“Easy to make and a delight to eat.”

The sheer simplicity of this recipe appeals to me. It appears as the topping for
Poppy Seed Cake in the West Coast section of this excellent cookbook. And,
you will note, it is referred to here as "frosting".

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons butter

In a heavy saucepan bring sugars and cream to a boil, stirring constantly. When sugars are dissolved, stop stirring, place a candy thermometer in
the syrup, and cook the mixture until it almost reaches the soft ball stage
(232 degrees F.) Remove syrup from heat and add butter, stirring until incorporated. Set aside to cool. When syrup is lukewarm, beat with wire
whisk or electric mixer until thick and creamy. Hold the frosting in a
warm water bath while icing the cake.

A slightly different, delicious twist on the classic:

3 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup milk
1/4 cup Amaretto
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter,
cut into bits

In a heavy large saucepan combine the brown sugar, milk, Amaretto, and butter. Bring the mixture to a boil over moderate heat, stirring, and cook it until it reaches soft ball stage, or candy thermometer reaches 238 degrees F.
Transfer mixture to a bowl and beat it with an electric mixer until it cools
and reaches spreading consistency. If the frosting becomes too hard to
spread, beat in 1 teaspoon hot water.

And, last but not least, for those days when you are in a time crunch
( or when the humidity is too high to count on the success of an
authentic caramel frosting):

Becky’s Quick Caramel Icing

1 stick plus 2 tablespoon (10 tablespoons)
unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups sifted confectioner's sugar

In a small saucepan melt the butter over moderate heat, add the brown
sugar, and bring the mixture to a boil.  Add the milk in a stream, whisking, and bring the mixture to a boil.  Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool completely.  In the bowl of an electric mixture beat together
the brown sugar mixture and the vanilla.  Add the confectioner's sugar in
batches, beating, and beat the icing until it is light and fluffy.
On a cake plate arrange 1 of the cake layers, spread the layer with one-
third of the icing, and top the icing with the remaining layer.  Spread the
top and side of the cake with the remaining icing.

Featured Archive Recipes:
Classic Frosting Collection
Let them eat cake...with frosting!
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