This Homemade Caramel Frosting recipe is one of my favorite frosting recipes. Easy Caramel Buttercream is a perfectly smooth buttercream frosting that is perfect for cakes, cupcakes, and filling!
Caramel Buttercream
I love all frosting, don’t get me wrong but I love the sweetness of this caramel buttercream frosting. It goes amazing with chocolate cake! Like seriously amazingly! This easy Caramel buttercream Frosting also goes perfect with vanilla cakes and cupcakes too, but my preference is caramel frosting with chocolate cake everytime.
If you are looking for a rich, buttery, perfect homemade caramel buttercream recipe then you are in the right place! This easy caramel buttercream frosting recipe is loved by everyone who tries it!
If you have a sweet tooth this Caramel Buttercream Frosting is just right for you. It is sweeter than a lot of buttercream frostings because it has the addition of caramel sauce. Caramel Frosting does not have as firm of a texture as a classic vanilla buttercream because it has less powder sugar but it is still pipe able.
This caramel buttercream frosting is so tasty that when you are making it, you may be quite tempted to lick the bowl! Totally go for it! This is one recipe that I like to keep the spoon for myself to lick instead of passing it all off to the kids. 😉
Frosting Recipes
- Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Strawberry Frosting
- Mint Buttercream
- Mocha Frosting
- Marshmallow Frosting Recipe
- Peanut Butter Buttercream
How Much frosting does this recipe make?
If you are looking for a frosting that you can use to frost a cake this will make enough frosting for 2 8 inch round cake. It seriously is the Best caramel buttercream frosting recipe for frosting cakes!
Making cupcakes? This recipe will make enough frosting for 24 cupcakes. This caramel frosting goes perfect on cupcakes, I especially love it on chocolate cupcakes and vanilla cupcakes.
My favorite recipes to use homemade caramel icing with are Salted Caramel Cupcakes, Girl Scout Samoas Cookies Cupcakes, Chocolate Caramel Turtle Cupcakes, and Chocolate Turtle Cake. You have to try them! I promise they will not disappoint!
What Flavor Cupcakes Go with Caramel Buttercream Frosting?
Chocolate cupcakes and vanilla cupcakes are my go-to cupcake for using this caramel buttercream frosting recipe.
Uses for Caramel Buttercream Frosting
This easy caramel buttercream frosting is great for decorating cupcakes, cakes, filling for layer cakes, and filling for donuts.
Tips for Making Homemade Frosting
I like to keep things as homemade as possible when I am baking. You can use store bought caramel sauce for this recipe or you can make homemade caramel sauce. If you are using homemade caramel then you want to make sure that the caramel is cooled completely before adding it to your buttercream frosting.
I always keep homemade vanilla extract on hand, but if you don’t have it you can totally use store bought vanilla extract.
Make sure your butter is room temperature. Do NOT put it in the microwave to soften, put it on the kitchen counter and soften.
Use the paddle handle on your mixer when you are mixing your frosting.
Be sure you are putting the confectioner’s sugar in slowly, otherwise you will end up with a big mess of the confectioner’s sugar spewing out of your mixer.
What can I do if my frosting is runny?
If you find your frosting to be running and is not fluffing up then add more confectioners sugar. At time the humidity where you live and in your home can mean that you need more powdered sugar. Add it little by little while mixing until you get the texture you are wanting.
How many days in advance can I make Buttercream frosting?
You can make this buttercream frosting 3 days in advance of when you want to use it and store it at room temperature. You can make this buttercream frosting up to 2 weeks ahead of time if you are going to store it in the fridge.
How to Store Caramel Buttercream Frosting
The best Caramel buttercream frosting can be stored at room temperature for up to three days or in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
How to Make Buttercream Frosting Fluffy after storing
When you bring it out of the refrigerator let it sit at room temperature for two hours. When you are going to use it, re-whip it for ten minutes in your stand mixer to bring it back to life.
How to Freeze Buttercream Frosting
You can freeze chocolate buttercream frosting for up to 3 months. I suggest using a freezer bag or a plastic airtight container. if you are using a freezer bag be sure to squeeze all of the air out of the bag before putting it in the freezer.
Caramel Buttercream Frosting Ingredients
- Butter. You want to use unsalted butter if you are making a caramel, if you want a salted caramel flavored frosting you can use salted butter. You also want it to be room temperature, It important in making fluffy frosting.
- confectioners sugar. Powdered sugar is important when making frosting. Granulated sugar will not work when making frosting.
- caramel sauce. While store bought caramel sauce will work, however I find it best to make homemade caramel sauce, which is easy to make.
- vanilla extract. You can use store bought vanilla extract or homemade, but I do prefer to use homemade vanilla extract.
How to Make Caramel Buttercream
In a stand mixer bowl with the paddle attachment, add the butter.
Place the mixer bowl on the mixer stand and turn up to medium speed. Mix the butter until it is smooth and fluffy.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly pour in the confectioner sugar and mix until it is all incorporated.
Add the caramel sauce and the vanilla extract and turn the mixer speed up to medium.
Leave the mixer mixing for 5-10 minutes until the caramel frosting is light and fluffy.
Easy Cupcake Recipes
- Chocolate Covered Cherry Cupcakes
- Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
- Peanut Butter And Jelly Cupcakes
- Pink Lemonade Cupcakes
Frosting Supplies
Homemade frosting is so easy! You only need a few ingredients, a hand or stand mixer, and then piping bags & tips to make fun designs!
Caramel Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 2 cups powder sugar
- 1 cup caramel sauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a stand mixer bowl add the butter. Place the mixer bowl on the mixer stand and turn up to medium speed. Mix the butter until it is smooth..
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly pour in the confectioners sugar and mix until it is all incorporated.
- Add the caramel sauce and the vanilla extract and turn the mixer speed up to medium.
- Leave the mixer mixing for 5-10 minutes until the caramel frosting is light and fluffy.
Notes
Nutrition
7 Weight Watchers SmartPoints on the Freestyle Program
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Stephanie says
When you add the caramel sauce (do you cool it 1st)? Thanks
Cindy says
I owned a bakery for many years, the problem with making straight buttercream icing is that it will not hold up sitting out for any amount of time at room temperature. I always substituted at lease 1/4 of butter with Crisco shortening. The taste is the same, and it will hold its stiffness for decorating and presentation. It still needs to be refrigerated before and after serving of course.
Arlene Pettry says
Does this frosting hold up, or does it not hold up?
Stephanie says
Yes it does
Kim says
This buttercream was so runny! I put it together last night and started to post and it was running everywhere! I should have stopped and added more powdered sugar but didn’t think if that until the damage was done.. ?
Stephanie says
Was the caramel sauce warm when you added it to the frosting?
Allison says
It is runny and did not fluff up. What do now?
Lauren says
If it doesn’t fluff up add more confectioners sugar little by little. Sometimes humidity and heat can make the butter softer and you need to add a bit more confectioners sugar.