Ingredients
1 cup butter ( I use one stick of margarine and 1 stick of butter, that gives you the flavor of butter, but a little less greasy and less expensive to make)
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 lb of light brown sugar
5 large eggs
3 cups flour
1/2 teas baking powder
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Directions:
Cream room temperature butter with shortening. Add sugars and cream again. Add eggs (which you have brought to room temperature for about 30 minutes). Sift all dry ingredients together; add alternately with milk, beginning and ending with the milk. Add vanilla. Pour into greased and floured bundth pan. Bake in preheated oven at 325 degrees for about 1 hr.
I usually just sprinkle powdered sugar over the top, but sometimes I frost with a caramel frosting which is listed below.
Caramel Frosting
1/2 cup butter (no exceptions for great butter flavor)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk (it is so good if you use whipping cream or half & half)
1 3/4 to 2 cups powdered sugar
Melt butter in pan and add brown sugar. Boil over low heat for 2 mins, stirring constantly. Add milk; continue stirring until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and cool for about 15 mins. Add powdered sugar and beat until thick enough to spread over cake. Let it drizzle over sides of cake.
Chocolate Castles 