Carol's Triple Caramel Birthday Cake

Ingredients:

For the cake:
1C (2 sticks butter)
2C granulated sugar
4 eggs
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 C milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract and 1 tsp almond extract
(if you are using self-rising flour you can skip the baking powder)

For the filling:
2 sticks butter
2C packed light brown sugar
1/4 C whole milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the frosting:
1 stick butter
1C packed dark brown sugar
1/3 C heavy cream, may need a little more
1 16oz box of confectioner sugar
1 tsp vanilla
whole toasted pecans for top of cake
1 12oz pkg of mini chocolate chips for sides of cake

Directions:
For the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3 9" cake pans.
Using a mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add granulated sugar and continue to cream well for 6-8 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add baking powder to flour. Add to the creamed mixture alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Add vanilla and almond extract and stir just until mixed. Divide batter equally among the 3 pans. Level batter in pan by dropping pan onto the counter several times to release air bubbles. Bake for 20 minutes, testing with toothpick after 18 minutes. Watch carefully to not overbake. Toothpick should have just a few crumbs attached.

Filling:
While cake is baking, in a saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar and milk. Cook and stir over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Let layers cool for 10 minutes, remove from pans. Cool. Put 1st layer on plate. Poke holes all over with a toothpick. Spread slowly 1/2 cup filling on layer. Put next layer on and poke the holes and cover with 1/2 cup of filling. Put last layer on.

Frosting:
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat and stir in brown sugar and cream. Bring to a boil, and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add confectioner sugar and vanilla. Beat with mixer until it reaches a spreading consistency. At this time it may be necessary to add a tiny bit of heavy cream, or more, if frosting gets too thick. Frost cake and press chocolate chips around sides of cake. Arrange pecans on top.