Sea Salt Caramel Buttercream with Classic Yellow Cake

This recipe is from my advanced professional baking course. I do not recommend it for beginning bakers.
Make the classic buttercream. Post found in February 2011.

To make caramel, heat:

1/2 c. sugar

3 T. water

*3/4 c. heavy cream

In a heavy bottom small sauce pot, combine sugar and water and mix smooth before heating. Try very hard not to get the sugar mixture on the sides of the pot. Heat the sugar and water mixture until it becomes bubbly and clear. Don't stir it!

After a few minutes, the sugar will become golden brown. For this particular caramel, you must let it become dark...

NOT BURNT.

Turn the heat off and IMMEDIATELY add the *cream and gently swirl it to stop the caramel from cooking further.

When the bubbles subside, you can stir with a wooden spoon. Transfer to a bowl to cool completely. Do not refrigerate.

Add the cooled caramel and 3/4 t. good sea salt to the classic buttercream.

The caramel in the buttercream below looks especially dark in this picture. It should look like the photo above.

Whip the caramel into the buttercream until smooth.

Classic Yellow Cake

2 1/2 c. cake flour

2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

3 eggs

1 c. milk, combined with 1 t. vanilla

6 oz. butter

1 1/2 c. sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 8 or 9 inch cake pans.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time until smooth.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk/vanilla mixture. Divide the batter between the two cake pans. Bake for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.