I knew before I made this frosting that {Salted + Caramel = Frosting} it was going to be a good thing. However, I had no clue that it was going to be a great thing: an almost indescribably awesome frosting.
I’m not usually a big fan of frosting, but I am a huge fan of homemade caramel sauce. So, pouring caramel sauce into a whipped cream cheese frosting sounded too delicious not to try.
I paired this frosting with chocolate cupcakes and the best gluten free chocolate cake that you can imagine. The combination of caramel and chocolate was everything I wanted it to be.
I have to admit that one of my favorite things about this frosting is that it requires nothing fancier than a knife to decorate the cupcakes. No piping tools were required and the frosting stayed soft enough to look pretty without any effort or skill on my part.
Salted Caramel Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup salted caramel sauce recipe below
Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
To Make The Caramel Sauce
- In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar and the water. Stir to combine and then cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves; about 4-5 minutes. There is no need to stir, simply swirl the pan over the burner occasionally as the sugar dissolves.
- Raise the heat to medium high and cook the sauce, swirling the pan occasionally, until it is amber colored; about 7-8 minutes. Add the butter, be prepared for it to bubble and sputter, lightly stir with a wooden spatula, do not scrape the sides of the pan or splash sauce up the sides of the pan. (This will cause crystallization, if you scrape the uncooked sugars back into the sauce.)
- Once the butter is melted, remove from the heat and add the vanilla, heavy cream and salt. It will bubble again, but will calm quickly. Stir to combine (again, not scraping sides of the pan) and then let cool before transferring to a jar and refrigerating for storage.
To Make The Frosting
- Beat the butter and cream cheese together at medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and beat to combine. Add 1 cup of room temperature caramel sauce and beat again to combine. Slather this on top of anything and everything you'd like. Enjoy!
- Homemade Caramel Sauce is one of the most popular recipes on my site. I've added just a touch more salt to the recipe this time for the frosting and I like the difference it makes in the sauce. Enjoy!
Pam says
I think I might just have to do some baking this weekend!
Tricia Buice says
Ohhh yum! I've been thinking about this frosting since you mentioned it 🙂 It is lovely and the flavor combination sounds great. We LOVE your homemade caramel recipe – it's my husbands favorite!
maisouiparis.com says
Be still my heart!
Joanne says
I'm honored that I could inspire such a glorious creation!! You just can't ever go wrong with salted caramel. Ever.
Jennifer @ Delightfully Noted says
Wowzer! This sounds amazingly delicious!
Jett2Whit says
Holy moly that sounds amazing!
Sue/the view from great island says
You know caramel is one of the flavors I have yet to explore. I love it, and I don't know why, but I haven't made anything with caramel. The color of your frosting alone tempts me!
Anna {Hidden Ponies} says
This sounds so perfect, and I love the look of that texture! Just a knife is right up my icing alley 🙂
The Café Sucré Farine says
Looks totally amazing, drool-worthy to be precise, can't wait to see your cupcakes!
Chris says
Shut my mouth! That sounds effing to die for! (pardon my french) Just the salted caramel sauce on its own is spectacular.
Anonymous says
I swear this is the BEST frosting I have EVER tasted!!
Anonymous says
Is that 1/4 c water in the salted caramel frosting?
Mary says
The water is in the caramel sauce recipe. You use the finished caramel sauce to make the frosting. I hope that helps!
Anonymous says
How easy is this frosting to pipe? Will it hold a shape or does is stay on the softer side? I know most frostings I make with cream cheese don't hold up well after piping.
Mary says
I wouldn't recommend piping this frosting. It is very soft and fluffy.
OmaSam says
This just CRIES for a spice cake!
Anonymous says
Are you using salted or unsalted butter, wasn't sure
Thanks
Liz
Mary says
I use salted butter, Liz.
Anonymous says
thank you trying it tonight, got my sauce made yesterday just set it out from the fridge now , so we will give this a try, it is going on a mocha cake for a baby shower, wish me luck!
thanks sounds great
Liz
Kendra Seeley says
Are you sure it's 1/4 cup water in the caramel sauce? I tried that and it's not enough water to melt the sugar. What am I doing wrong??
Mary says
Stir to combine and then just give it a few minutes. The sugar will dissolve as it heats. I've made this dozens of times, the measurements are correct. I hope that helps!
Arwenne says
So so good! Amazingly delicious! I'm using the frosting on bacon brownies. Thank you!!!!
Kerri says
Wow! Thanks so much for this recipe – it is, as you say, indescribably delicious. It was as much as I could do not to just eat it straight from the mixing bowl! Will definitely make again.
PVM says
I made this yesterday for my sons birthday cake which was a homemade yellow cake, This is so GOOD! It went perfect with the cake! Thank you for a great recipe!
Anonymous says
I LOVE "Sea Salt Caramel" gelato. I wonder if there is any way to take this homemade caramel sauce and make a homemade Sea Salt Caramel ice cream (in an electric freezer)??? Your thoughts?
Mary says
I've played with that a bit. I haven't come up with a true 100% caramel ice cream that I love yet. As soon as I do, I'll share the recipe!
That said, this salted caramel swirl ice cream is fantastic: https://barefeetinthekitchen.com/2013/05/salted-caramel-brownie-chunk-ice-cream-recipe.html (even if it isn't 100% caramel gelato like you are thinking of)
Julz says
I try to make the caramel sauce and when I was waiting for it to get the amber color the sugar turned rock hard.what do you think I did wrong wrong please help. Thank you
Susie says
Same here, totally crystallized sugar while waiting for it to change color. I guess that direction, “wait for it to turn Amber color” is ambiguous.
Terri says
Taste great but way to thin to pipe!