Old Fashioned Caramel Snack Cake

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• 1 cup + 1 3/4 cup sugar
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1 cup sugar; Source: 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup boiling water
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1/2 cup boiling water
• 3 cups all purpose flour
  Ingredient note

  Source: 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon + 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; Source: 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1 cup milk
• 1 cup unsalted butter - room temperature (2 sticks)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1 cup unsalted butter - room temperature (2 sticks)
• 4 each large eggs
  Ingredient note

  Source: 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup + 3/4 cup caramel syrup
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1/2 cup caramel syrup; Source: 3/4 cup caramel syrup
• 3 3/4 cups confectioners sugar - sifted
  Ingredient note

  Source: 3 3/4 cups confectioners sugar - sifted
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter - room temperature
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1/4 cup unsalted butter - room temperature
• 4 tablespoons milk or half & half
  Ingredient note

  Source: 3-4 tablespoons milk or half & half; upper source range endpoint used for shopping.

1. To a sauce pan, add sugar and water. Dissolve sugar over medium low heat, stirring on and off until melted and color turns "tea" brown. Very carefully, add the boiling water, pouring it down the side of the pan. Syrup will foam up. Continue to cook, stirring until caramel is thinned and develops a golden caramel color. Set aside.
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9x13 inch pan. Set aside
3. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add vanilla to milk and stir to blend.
4. To the bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, add butter and beat on low until soft. Continuing to beat with speed increased for 1 to 2 minutes until butter is light and fluffy. Slowly add in sugar and continue to beat for 7 minutes. Add in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well. Pour in 1/2 cup of caramel syrup and beat. Add in 1/3 of flour mixture then 1/2 of milk. Mix well, then add 1/3 of flour, remaining milk and mix. Add in last 1/3 of flour and beat until incorporated.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan. Tap pan on counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until cake is golden brown and sides start to pull away from pan. Cool on a rack for 20 minutes. Top with Burnt Sugar Icing.
6. In a bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, mix together confectioners sugar, caramel syrup, butter and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes. Scrap down sides of bowl. Add in 2 tablespoons of milk and continue beating until icing is smooth, about the consistency of peanut butter. If too thick add more milk, too thin, add more sugar.