This is the cake I made for Angela’s 30th birthday and she quite liked it (I hope). (she loved it. xo Angela) I took it from More from Magnolia; Recipes from the World-famous Bakery and Allysa Torey’s Home Kitchen by Allysa Torey.

CAKE

• 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

ICING
(This icing tastes better if made the day before the cake because the brown sugar gives the icing a slightly grainy texture that improves if allowed to set overnight.)

• 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 5 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
• 1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

GARNISH

• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped toasted pecans

Note: To toast the pecans, place on a baking sheet in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned and fragrant.
FOR CAKE:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and lightly four three 9×2-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with waxed paper.
3. To make the cake: In a small bowl, combine the flours and set aside. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each additions. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated, but do not over beat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the bater in the bowl, making sure the ingredients are well blended.
4. Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the layers cool in the pans for 1 hour. Remove from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack.
5. When the layers have cooled completely, ice the cake by filling between the layers first with Caramel Frosting and then sprinkling with one-third of the pecans on each layer. Then ice the top and sides, and sprinkle the top with the remaining pecans.

FOR ICING:

Makes enough for one 3-layer 9-inch cake or 3 dozen cupcakes.