Cake:

2 ½ cups flour

¾ teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

Caramel Frosting:

½ cup butter

1 cup firmly packed dark-brown sugar

½ cup cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°.  Generously grease and flour 2 (9-inch) round cake pans.  In a medium-size bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt.  In a large bowl, cream butter.  Gradually add sugar and vanilla, beating until mixture is fluffy.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk.  Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.

Bake in preheated oven about 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean.  Cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes.  Remove from pans; cool completely.  Prepare Caramel Frosting.  Spread about 1/3 of frosting between layers.  Frost sides and top of cake with remaining frosting.

Yields 1 (9-inch) 2-layer cake.

Caramel Frosting:

In a medium-size saucepan, melt butter.  Stir in brown sugar and cream.  Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Add vanilla.  Gradually beat in powdered sugar until frosting reaches spreading consistency.  Use while still warm; cooled frosting is stiff and hard to spread.