Salted Caramel Frosting

Follow my recipe to make amazing salted caramel buttercream frosting at home! I’ve been making buttercream frosting for as long as I can remember, so this recipe is complete with all the best frosting tips and tricks I’ve perfected over the years.

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I’m sharing everything here, from how to store this frosting to the best way to get rid of air bubbles, plus more of my tried-and-true frosting tips.

Pair this salted caramel buttercream frosting with chocolate, pumpkin spice, white or yellow cake. It’s also amazing on homemade brownies! Keep reading for the easy recipe and all my tips!

Guys, I am so basic. My favorite frosting is either chocolate or peanut butter.

Not that I call this flavor wild, but I FINALLY made salted caramel frosting!

And it tastes so good with apple spice cupcakes. I’m so sorry – it will be a few weeks until I post that recipe! But rest assured, there are so many other awesome cake flavors to use this on.

Fluffy salted caramel buttercream is incredibly easy to make and most likely you have all the ingredients on hand already!

What is buttercream frosting?

Buttercream is a type of frosting that calls for creaming butter and powdered sugar together to make a fluffy frosting.

Buttercream is the typical frosting that you see paired with cakes and cupcakes.

Easy Caramel Frosting Ingredients

• Butter
• Caramel sauce
• Salt
• Powdered sugar
• Milk or heavy cream

Salted Caramel Frosting Recipe Easy Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Place room temperature unsalted butter, caramel sauce, and salt in a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer on medium and beat the butter for 1 minute, until whipped and fluffy.
2. Add in the powdered sugar, beat again on low for 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until everything is incorporated.
3. If the frosting is too thick, add a tablespoon of milk or heavy cream, and beat until creamy.

What to Pair With Salted Caramel Frosting

• Doctored Up Pumpkin Cake
• Cinnamon Spice Crazy Cake
• Doctored Up Chocolate Cupcakes
• Homemade Brownies
• White Cupcakes
• Doctored Up White Cake
• Sugar Cookies Bars
• Homemade Chocolate Cupcakes

Caramel Frosting Recipe Tips

• Use room temperature butter because it whips more easily and produces a fluffier frosting
• Whip it! Want fluffy frosting? Whipping is the key!
• Use jarred caramel sauce – like smuckers brand in a glass jar. Do not use caramel syrup that comes in a squeeze bottle.

Why do I have air bubbles in my frosting and how can I get rid of them?

Air bubbles form when whipping the frosting, which is a necessary step in making buttercream! But you can reduce the amount of air bubbles by beating the frosting on low speed for a minute or by hand mixing the frosting. You are essentially pushing out the air bubbles.

Storing Caramel Frosting

You can store frosting in a sealed container on the counter for up to 2 days.

However, you can store frosting in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Before using, place the frosting on the counter and allow it to come to room temperature. Give it a quick whip with an electric mixer before using.

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Caramel Frosting Recipe (Easy)

By: Beth

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 cups

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Salted caramel buttercream frosting pairs well with chocolate, pumpkin, spice, white, or yellow cake. Plus it’s the best icing for homemade brownies. Follow my recipe to make amazing salted caramel buttercream frosting at home! I’ve been making buttercream frosting for as long as I can remember, so this recipe is complete with all the best frosting tips and tricks I’ve perfected over the years.

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, 1 cup
• ▢ ⅓ cup caramel sauce
• ▢ ¼ tsp salt, use table salt in the frosting and extra course salt on top if desired
• ▢ 2 cups powdered sugar, or more for taste preference
• ▢ dash of milk or heavy cream if frosting becomes too thick

Instructions 

• Place room temperature unsalted butter, caramel sauce and salt in a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer on medium and beat the butter for 1 minute, until whipped and fluffy. 
• Add in the powdered sugar, beat again on low for 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until everything is incorporated. 
• If the frosting is too thick, add a tablespoon of milk or heavy cream, and beat until creamy. Spread or pipe onto cake, cupcakes, or brownies. 
• Pair with

  Doctored Up Pumpkin Cake,

  Cinnamon Spice Crazy Cake,

  Doctored Up Chocolate Cupcakes.

Notes

How long does salted caramel frosting keep?

You can store frosting in a sealed container on the counter for up to 2 days.

However, you can store frosting in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Before using, place the frosting on the counter and allow it to come to room temperature. Give it a quick whip with an electric mixer before using.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoons | Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 55mg | Potassium: 8mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 357IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition Disclosure

All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

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