Dee, this is the caramel icing my family has used for at least three generations and my mother is now 91 years old! Hope you can get buttermilk there.

Use any white/yellow cake layers.Caramel Icing

1 cup real buttermilk
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda

Put all in a heavy saucepot (3-4 quart) EXCEPT BUTTER AND VANILLA, and allow to boil. Stir constantly, it browns by degrees. Cook until it creams or until it reaches 238 degrees on candy thermometer. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla, beat as for other icings until of spreading consistency.

This will ice the top and sides of an eight inch layer cake or sheet cake. May double recipe for large cake.