This fluffy caramel frosting is simply the best. Thick and airy with a rich caramel flavor and a touch of salt, it makes an excellent topping for cakes and cupcakes. 
This caramel buttercream delivers the buttery, sweet profile of salted caramel in a thick, creamy frosting. It’s an American-style buttercream (no boiling required) and has a dense, pipeable texture ideal for decorating cupcakes and cakes.
The Best Caramel Frosting Recipe
The frosting is a straightforward buttercream made from butter, powdered sugar and a splash of cream or milk, with the star flavor coming from salted caramel. A little vanilla and an extra pinch of salt balance the sweetness and bring out the caramel notes. The result is velvety smooth, richly flavored frosting without any graininess.
During testing I found many recipes start by combining butter and brown sugar and boiling with cream. That method makes a delicious butterscotch-style frosting because brown sugar lends butterscotch flavor, whereas white sugar is what produces true caramel notes. For this recipe I wanted a clear salted caramel character, so the frosting uses actual salted caramel sauce for flavor.
I include a preferred salted caramel sauce that is thick, buttery and properly salted to cut the sweetness. You can substitute a high-quality store-bought jar if you prefer. Avoid thin ice-cream-style caramel sauces when possible — a denser, more flavorful caramel yields a better, sturdier frosting.
How Much Frosting Does it Make?
This recipe yields enough frosting for:
- 12–14 cupcakes when piped
- 18–24 cupcakes if spread thinly with a knife
- a 9×13-inch pan of brownies or cake (top only)
- half the recipe for an 8×8-inch pan of brownies
- double the recipe for a standard 8- or 9-inch layer cake
This caramel frosting pairs beautifully with chocolate cupcakes, brownies, and chocolate cakes — it adds a rich, sweet-salty contrast that complements deep chocolate flavors.
Caramel Frosting
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Ingredients
Homemade Caramel (Or use storebought)*
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Caramel Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup salted caramel, (you will not need all the caramel you made)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons cream, or milk
Instructions
Salted Caramel Sauce
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Add the sugar to a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat.
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Gently stir; the sugar will clump at first. Keep stirring until the clumps melt.
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Continue stirring until the sugar becomes a dark amber sauce.
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Carefully add the butter in pieces while whisking with a metal whisk.
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Once the butter has melted, whisk in the cream, keeping the mixture moving.
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Remove from heat and whisk until smooth. Stir in vanilla and salt. Cool completely — the sauce will thicken as it cools.
Caramel Frosting
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In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until light and fluffy.
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Beat in 1/2 cup fully cooled salted caramel (measure out 1/2 cup — you won’t need all the caramel if you made the full batch), the vanilla and salt.
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With the mixer on low, beat in 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar. Increase sugar to 2 cups if you want a thicker, sweeter frosting.
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If the frosting is too thick, add cream or milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
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Pipe or spread on cakes and cupcakes. Optionally drizzle with extra salted caramel.
Notes
- You can use homemade or store-bought caramel; choose a thick, high-quality caramel for best results.
- The caramel recipe yields about 1 cup total — enough for the frosting and to drizzle on top if desired.
- Yield details:
- 12–14 cupcakes when piped
- 18–24 cupcakes with a thin spread
- One 9×13-inch cake (top only) or a pan of brownies
- Half the recipe for an 8×8-inch pan of brownies
- Double the frosting for a multi-layer round cake (you won’t need to double the caramel if you don’t plan to drizzle extra)
- Nutrition values are calculated based on dividing the recipe into 12 servings.
- Store frosted cupcakes or cake at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
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