Quick Caramel Frosting

I needed a dessert or a salad

to share at a potluck/bingo/thank you

volunteer dinner tonight.

I'm usually a 

from scratch kind of 

baker when it comes time to

whip up something from the oven.

Now's not the time to

bake in the summer heat,

but I did have a cake mix

in the cupboard that was 

passed along to me.

It seemed like it would

be a quick and easy dessert to make.

So, I baked up some chocolate 

devil's food cupcakes,

and found a caramel frosting 

recipe using ingredients

 that I had on hand.

Then I drizzled a bit of melted

chocolate across the top 

and called it good to go.

Which would have been fine,

except...

the dinner is next 

month on the 31st. 

I've had that invitation on the 

refrigerator for weeks now,

and I don't know why

I didn't see that it says 

AUGUST 31st.

 Oh well, I'm sending these 

babies to work with Rick tomorrow.

Next month,

I'm making a salad.

Here's the recipe for the caramel

frosting.  It's from 

The Cake Mix Doctor,

a gift cookbook from Aunt Joyce.

Quick Caramel Frosting

makes 3 cups,

enough to frost a 2 or 3 layer cake.

Prep time: 10 minutes

8 tablespoons butter, (1 stick)

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/4 cup whole milk

2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1.   Place the butter and brown sugars in a medium-size heavy saucepan over medium heat.  Stir and cook until the mixture comes to a boil, about 2 minutes.  Add the milk, stir, and bring the mixture back to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat.  Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla.  Beat with a wooden spoon until the frosting is smooth.

2.   Use immediately (while still warm) to frost the cake of your choice or the frosting will harden.  If it does harden while you are frosting the cake, simply place the pan back over low heat and stir until the frosting softens up.  

This is awfully sweet,

and I'm thinking a sprinkling

of Fleur De Sel rather than

chocolate would have been

a nice touch with the caramel.