Traditional Southern Caramel Frosting

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Perfect real deal homemade southern caramel frosting perfect for caramel cakes and more! This is the caramel frosting you want to make it extra delicious! 

If you are looking for the perfect frosting for your caramel cake, you are in the right place. This is fully homemade and super tasty.  You caramelize the sugar yourself, so you are in control of your own destiny.  So get your cake ready, frosting is headed your way!

Man oh man, I haven’t even been blogging for a year yet and I am already posting my second caramel frosting!  I think I may have a problem!  Oh well, I can’t help it.  Besides, this one was assigned to me (sort of!)

 I have been wanting to make a caramel cake for a while now and the opportunity finally presented itself.  This was the perfect excuse to kill two birds with one stone.

To be honest with you, this icing was not the easiest to work with.  The instructions were very precise.

Not to mention the fact that when I started spreading it, the frosting was very loose.  Almost a thick glaze.  I thought there would be no chance it would stay on the sides of the cake and I was going to end up with a trifle.

The next thing I knew, it went the other way and was so thick it didn’t spread smoothly.  The top of my cake looked so glossy until that stage, then as I tried to bring it all together I ended up with a rougher finish.

Next time I know to work faster and I think I could do better(though honestly even the picture on Southern Living’s website has a textured finish).  It definitely isn’t the fluffy forgiving frosting I usually make, but somehow I managed to get the job done.

In an age of smooth fondant covered cakes, this one has a much different look.  It is definitely not the fluffy forgiving frosting I normally make, but it is a delicious dense frosting that melded perfectly with the cake it was meant to go on.

The flavor is actually REALLY good and I was very happy with the finished cake, but you will have to wait until tomorrow to see the rest!

If you aren’t planning to make a layered caramel cake, but still want to make this yummy frosting don’t despair.  It would be fabulous over a pound cake baked in a simple tube pan.

Other great alternatives would be a lovely sheet cake such as Di’s banana cake or now that I’m thinking about it, maybe a carrot cake?!

If you are a frosting fanatic like me, check out my Frosting 101. It goes through the different types of frosting and links to all sorts of delicious recipes!

Traditional Southern Caramel Frosting

Servings: 12 Servings

Author: Carlee

Perfect real deal homemade southern caramel frosting perfect for caramel cakes and more! This is the caramel frosting you want to make it extra delicious! 

4.70 from 10 ratings

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Ingredients

 

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• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
• 2½ cups granulated sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• ¾ cup unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

 

• Place the first ⅓ cup of sugar in the bottom of a large heavy-bottomed saucepan.
• Stirring frequently, cook over medium heat until it melts and becomes lightly golden brown. This will take about 3 minutes and don’t worry if the sugar clumps a bit.
• In a second sauce pan, combine flour, sugar and salt. Whisk in cold milk until combined and any lumps are worked out. Place over medium-high heat and cook until it comes to a boil, stirring constantly.
  1 Tablespoon all purpose flour, 2½ cups granulated sugar, 1 pinch salt, 1 cup whole milk
• Pour ¼ of the hot milk mixture into the caramelized sugar. Whisk until combined. Slowly add the rest of the hot milk, stirring as you go.
• Cover mixture and cook over low heat for 2 minutes. Uncover and turn heat to medium, without stirring cook until it reaches 238°F (soft ball stage.) This will take about 10 minutes. Add butter and stir until well blended. Remove from heat and let sit for about an hour.
  ¾ cup unsalted butter
• Pour into stand mixer bowl. Add vanilla and mix on medium for 20 minutes.
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Spread immediately over cake, working quickly before it completely sets.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 298kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 1gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 113mgSugar: 47g

Nutritional Disclaimer

“Cooking With Carlee” is not a dietitian or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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