Cranberry Cake with Warm Caramel Sauce

My mom makes cranberry cake for dessert every Christmas, and it has been one of my all time favorites since I was old enough to eat solid food. It is the consummate winter dessert. My birthday is in February, and many years I requested cranberry cake for my birthday cake. I love to serve this to guests or bring it along to holiday parties. I have yet to meet someone who doesn't love it. The best part: It is so much easier than it tastes.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter very soft
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup whole cranberries (fresh or frozen), cut in half

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. With a wooden spoon, cream together butter and sugar. add the milk, egg and vanilla and mix well. then add the dry ingredients and mix well.
3. Cut the cranberries in half leaving the smallest ones whole (because it looks prettier to have some left whole). fold the cranberries into the cake batter last.
4. Put into an 8 inch round cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

6 servings.
Serve with warm carmel sauce. Recipe follows:
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup heavy cream (do not substitute with half and half)

Directions:
Mix together in a medium saucepan over medium/high heat and cook until thickened and bubbly cook for 1 minute more. Ladle over individual pieces of cranberry cake and serve immediately.

You will want to swim in this stuff but you should probably just let the cake do that... I'd be lying if I said I've never eaten this with a spoon.
Warning: High Calories