Top your favorite treats with this easy to make caramel buttercream frosting. Just imagine all of the cakes, cupcakes, and cookies it could go on!
Sweet caramel goodness in a super delicious buttercream makes for a perfect frosting. This recipe whips up in minutes and is perfect for piping and decorating.
It holds its shape and tastes delicious! It is the perfect topping to any desserts that could benefit from a touch of caramel goodness.
Making a rich caramel frosting doesn’t have to be complicated. This recipe doesn’t require any candy thermometers or saucepans.
It is so quick and easy that you can start decorating your cake or cupcakes in just a matter of minutes. It is a fun twist on American buttercream, which is the least complicated version of frosting to make.
When I originally created this recipe, I used to top some carrot cake cupcakes. It was a yummy combination.
This time, I made some chocolate cupcakes and toasted some coconut to go on top. It was reminiscent of a German chocolate cake only quicker and with fluffier frosting!
It would also be amazing on vanilla cake or imagine it spread over a tasty apple cake. The possibilities really are endless, so bake up your favorite cake and make a batch today.
Getting Great Caramel Flavor Easily
Using a premade caramel sauce makes getting the flavor really easy. You can find nice rich, thick caramel sauce in the grocery store.
It is usually by the coffees or near the ice cream. However, feel free to use your own homemade caramel sauce if you have a favorite recipe.
The final result was lip smacking (and finger licking) good. The final color was just golden enough to give a hint of the caramel inside.
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It piped beautifully on the cupcakes and was perfect on its own. They were also great with a smattering of chopped pecans and a drizzle of caramel.
Tips for Getting the Best Buttercream
Because this recipe is a slight twist on a traditional American buttercream, it is almost foolproof. There are a few tips to get it perfect every time.
The first is to start with room temperature butter. It should be soft, but not wimpy.
You want your mixer to be able to make it super smooth with no chunks of hard butter. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl a couple of times to make sure no chunks of butter are hiding out.
That and making sure the powdered sugar that isn’t too clumpy will ensure smooth buttercream.
Use the paddle
Use your paddle attachment on your mixer to keep too much air from getting whipped into the frosting.
While you want it to be light and fluffy, using the whisk attachment can cause too many air bubbles which will affect the texture of your final product and will make it hard to get a smooth finish on your cake.
You can either use salted butter or add a pinch of salt or both. Taste it and adjust to your liking.
The salt adds balance with all the sweetness of caramel and powdered sugar. Plus, caramel and salt are a classic combination for a reason.
You can even add a little bit of extra salt if you want to make a salted caramel frosting. There is just something about rich caramel with a hit of salt.
Have fun! Frosting is supposed to be fun. So enjoy the process and have fun decorating!
Storage
American buttercream can be stored at room temperature for up to two days. Just make sure to keep it covered so it doesn’t form a crust.
For longer storage, place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or freeze for up to two months. Just bring the frosting to room temperature and whip before using.
Easy Caramel Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup caramel topping
- 1 pinch salt
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 to 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Beat butter using a hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment until soft and fluffy.1 cup butter
- Add vanilla, caramel topping, and salt, mixing until combined.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ⅓ cup caramel topping, 1 pinch salt
- Stir in powdered sugar on low speed.4 cups powdered sugar
- Add desired amount of cream. Beat on medium-high speed for at least 2 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy.1 to 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
- Adjust the final consistency by adding a little more cream or powdered sugar.
Notes
Video
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Do you use real butter? I’m making a double layer 12 x 18 sheet cake and need to know how much icing this makes please.
I do use real butter. I think the butter enhances the flavor, but you could sub in some shortening if you really wanted to. This recipe makes about 3 cups of frosting.
I made this frosting for a dark chocolate cake, with coffee ice cream and it was absolutely amazing!! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I would like to make this to put in my banana gobs…would I be able to freeze this frosting?
Yes, it freezes well 😊
I need to make a stiff salted caramel frosting to hold up to temperature. Can I use 1/2 butter 1/2 Crisco? Please let me know. Thanks so much! Can’t wait to try!
That should work great! Enjoy!
I just made this icing instead of cream I used Baileys Salted Caramel to give it a little extra kick. It tasted great.
That sounds amazing!!!
Hi there, I would really love to use this recipe as it looks so delicious. Would I be able to use food colouring in this recipe to change the color it’s for a babyshower .
You can color it, but because it’s not bright white to start with you may need a bit more coloring to get the color you want. I used it to make a carrot cupcake cake and the colors worked well, but really muted pale colors might not be perfect.
@Che, yes you can use food coloring I used blue gel food coloring and it came out very good. 🙂
I love how you drizzled the caramel on top of this Fabulous Caramel Buttercream Frosting. I wasn’t sure that there was a way to improve on Frosting, but this may be it!
If a little caramel is good, more is better right?! Thank you!
This sounds sooooo delicious. Caramel is one of my favorite sweets so adding it to frosting is such a great idea.
Hi Carlee, this recipe sounds great. I am attempting to make this last minute and I just realized I don't have heavy cream or milk….uugghh. So you think water will work and it not take away from flavor?
It should be fine! It's just to thin it out a bit. I would add it a teaspoon at a time until you get the right consistency. It probably won't take much.
Just made this for a spice cake. This is super delish frosting and so easy to whip up.
It would be so good with spice cake! I am so glad you liked it!