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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I want to add call coconut to the frosting how much would I use?
Sure! I would think you could get away with just about however much you want. Maybe start with a half cup and see what you think? If you add a bunch, you may need a few extra drops of milk to help loosen it up a bit.
Made this to go with an apple spice cake, and it was wonderful! Thanks for the great recipe.
I’ll bet that was a wonderful combination!
I am an experienced baker, and wanted a quick and easy caramel frosting. I think there is something wrong with this recipe. As written, the frosting is WAY too thick. No matter how much extra cream I added (maybe over 1 cup), the frosting was stick super stiff (even though everything was at room temp). Maybe a weird excipient in the caramel sauce I used? Also, not much of a caramel flavour and super sweet. I think I will try a caramel extract to flavour regular vanilla buttercream next time.
That’s really strange. I have made this frosting quite a few times and have never had the issue. I would imagine the extra cup of cream diluted the caramel flavor some. I am sorry it didn’t work they way you wanted it to.
I made this for apple cupcakes and they were a hit!
What a perfect combination!
Hello! Would this recipe frost a two layer 8″ round cake or do I need to double it?
It would do a thin coat, but I would do either 1.5x or 2x it if you want a generous amount or if you want to pipe on any kind of decoration.
Can you color this frosting with gel food coloring?
Yes. It starts a pale tan, so you would need to take that into consideration. If you want a really pale pink or something it might have a bit of a tan undertone in it. But otherwise, it should take color well.
Thank you for answering me back so quickly ☺️. I forgot to ask you if this icing needs to be refrigerated.
You can store it at room temperature for several days or the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. It will form a slight crust, so you will want to wrap it tightly if you plan to pipe with it later.