• Cake
  • Frosting
  • YouTube
  • My Favorite Tools
  • Nav Social Icons

  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Recipes
    • Cake
    • Cupcakes
    • Frosting
    • Ice Cream
    • Vegan
  • Cake Basics
  • Tutorials
  • Blog
  • About
  • Mobile Menu Widgets

    Connect

    Search

Sugar & Sparrow logo in script font

Sugar & Sparrow

Lifestyle and Cake from Portland Oregon

  • Cake Basics
  • Recipes
    • Cake
    • Frosting
    • Cupcakes
    • Ice Cream
    • Vegan
  • Tutorials
  • Book
  • Blog
  • About

Salted Caramel Buttercream Recipe

November 2, 2018 · In: Fall, Featured, Frosting, Recipes, Seasonal

Jump to Recipe

One of my favorite things to do with my homemade salted caramel recipe is incorporate it into buttercream. It ends up being such an awesome blend of sweet and salty, perfect for topping cakes and cupcakes or using as a cake filling. It can transform basic cake flavors like chocolate and vanilla into something above and beyond, and it also adds complexity to Fall-inspired flavors like apple spice cake. Whatever flavors you love pairing with caramel, this salted caramel buttercream is magic!

caramel frosting recipe by sugar and sparrow

It all starts with a great homemade salted caramel recipe, like this one. It’s only four ingredients, easy as can be, and you don’t even need a candy thermometer to make it! Making the salted caramel from scratch is the key to this beautiful caramel buttercream flavor, so if you have your own favorite salted caramel recipe, feel free to incorporate it into the buttercream recipe below. Just avoid premade salted caramel sauces that tend to be overly sweet, because they might send the sweetness level of this buttercream way over the top.

salted caramel buttercream recipe

When you’ve got your salted caramel made and ready to go, make sure you give it enough time for cooling to room temperature before you add it into the buttercream recipe. It’ll be very hot and runny when you remove it from the stove, and allowing it to cool will not only ensure that your buttercream doesn’t melt into soup, but the caramel will get thicker and more flavorful as it sets. If you prefer to make the salted caramel ahead of time, that’s fine too! You can store it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks in an airtight container, then when you’re ready to make the buttercream, just microwave it in 15 second intervals to bring it back to room temperature.

salted caramel frosting recipe

Once your ingredients are all room temperature and ready to go, all you need is a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and about ten minutes from start to finish. The process is about as basic as it gets when it comes to an American buttercream recipe, but the end result is buttery salted caramel magic that you’ll want to eat by the spoonful!

salted caramel buttercream

Salted Caramel Buttercream

5 from 17 votes
A sweet and salty caramel buttercream, perfect for frosting cakes and cupcakes or using as a cake filling. 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time:10 mins

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 1/2 Cups (420g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 Cup (120ml) salted caramel, room temperature
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

  • In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter on high until it’s fluffy and light (almost white in color), 5-6 minutes, scraping down the bowl and paddle a few times in between. Turn the mixer to low and add the powdered sugar a few cups at a time, scraping down the bowl and paddle after each interval. Add the vanilla. 
  • With the mixer still on low, add the salted caramel. Add a pinch of salt, increase the speed to medium, and mix for 2 full minutes.

Notes

Make Ahead Tips: You can make this salted caramel buttercream ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip in your stand mixer to bring it back to smooth buttercream consistency. 

By: Whitney · In: Fall, Featured, Frosting, Recipes, Seasonal · Tagged: american buttercream, buttercream, buttercream recipe, caramel, caramel buttercream, caramel frosting, caramel frosting recipe, fall, salted caramel buttercream recipe, salted caramel recipe

you’ll also love

blueberry buttercream frosting recipeThe Best Blueberry Buttercream Recipe
raspberry buttercream frosting recipe by sugar and sparrowFreeze Dried Raspberry Buttercream Recipe
easy salted caramel recipeEasy Salted Caramel Recipe

Join the List

Stay up to date & receive the latest posts in your inbox.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Olena says

    November 22, 2018 at 9:11 am

    Thanks you very much

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      November 22, 2018 at 5:18 pm

      You’re so welcome, Olena!

      Reply
      • Finn says

        September 5, 2020 at 11:17 am

        Would this recipe be enough to fill a two layer cake and coat the outside completely?

        Reply
        • Whitney says

          September 6, 2020 at 5:26 pm

          Hi Finn! It depends on what diameter your layers are. It should be enough to fill and frost up to a two-layer 9-inch cake.

          Reply
  2. Christine says

    December 9, 2018 at 9:57 pm

    Hi there, you mention topping cupcakes and filling cakes… what about covering a cake completely prior to putting fondant on it? Do you think it would tolerate the weight of fondant? And get a dry enough crust to put fondant on? Thankyou for any advice!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      December 10, 2018 at 8:52 am

      Hi Christine! This salted caramel buttercream will totally work for covering a cake before putting fondant on. It’s a crusting buttercream and I would recommend chilling it slightly prior to covering in fondant – that way you’ll get a firm surface and plenty of support for the fondant!

      Reply
      • Christine says

        December 11, 2018 at 6:43 pm

        Thankyou so much! Can’t wait to try this on the weekend!

        Reply
  3. Joyce says

    February 8, 2019 at 8:46 am

    Hi,
    can this also be used as a filling for the macarons?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 8, 2019 at 9:06 am

      Hi Joyce! This recipe would be perfect (and so tasty) as macaron filling!

      Reply
  4. Anu says

    March 17, 2019 at 7:11 pm

    Hi

    Where do you buy salted caramel ?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      March 17, 2019 at 8:31 pm

      Hi Anu! I have never tried store bought salted caramel before, but I know that it can be found at some grocery stores in the aisle with the ice cream toppings. I always make it myself because it’s easy and tastes amazing. Here’s the recipe I use: https://sugarandsparrow.com/salted-caramel-recipe/

      Reply
  5. Bianca Curtis says

    April 14, 2019 at 9:06 am

    Can I use a hand mixer? My stand mixer is broken!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 15, 2019 at 10:35 am

      Hi Bianca! A hand mixer will work just fine for this recipe 🙂

      Reply
  6. Kate says

    April 19, 2019 at 8:43 am

    Sounds wonderful! I’m planning on putting this on top of some decadent chocolate cupcakes for a friend’s birthday at work. Does this recipe make enough to pipe 24 cupcakes?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 19, 2019 at 11:33 am

      Hi Kate! This buttercream is SO tasty on chocolate cupcakes. To pipe 24 of them, I would 1.5 the recipe.

      Reply
      • Kate says

        April 19, 2019 at 11:38 am

        Thanks so much for getting back to me so quickly! I am so excited for these!

        Reply
        • Tabatha says

          May 18, 2020 at 1:08 pm

          Oh my GOODNESS.

          Just made this to use for a birthday cake. So impressed. Had to put it away to stop myself from eating it by the spoonful.

          Reply
          • Whitney says

            May 18, 2020 at 2:20 pm

            Yay, Tabitha! So happy to hear you love this recipe as much as I do. It is SO hard to stop eating it by the spoonful!!

  7. Nikki says

    April 30, 2019 at 3:52 am

    Yum!

    Reply
  8. Caitlin says

    May 30, 2019 at 1:11 pm

    I can’t wait to try this recipe in full next week for my husbands birthday cake… we have the same birthday just 10 years apart, and this is what he requested to be on and in his cake.. Cake layers to be my Italian cream white cake recipe. So I am 1000% sure your SCBC is going to be heavenly on it!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      May 30, 2019 at 3:57 pm

      That sounds SO delicious, Caitlin! Can’t wait for you to try this!!

      Reply
    • Betty says

      June 6, 2019 at 4:42 pm

      Where can we find your Italian cream white cake?

      Reply
  9. Giulia says

    June 20, 2019 at 5:44 am

    Hi Whitney,
    Why in this recipe you used more powdered sugar than the white chocolate butter cream recipe?
    Can’t wait to try both

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 20, 2019 at 11:44 am

      Hi Giulia, there isn’t really a scientific reason why there’s more powdered sugar in this buttercream recipe. It’s just the way I’ve always made it. If you’re concerned about the amount of sugar, you can always decrease it by 1/2 cup or more, just eyeball the consistency in the process to make sure it’s thick enough to spread/pipe.

      Reply
  10. Guida says

    June 24, 2019 at 9:15 pm

    So where is the recipe for the salted caramel! Pintrest just takes you around in circles! Not a friendly site
    Don’t show a recipe and then only give us half of it!!!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 24, 2019 at 10:46 pm

      Hi Guida! Sorry Pinterest took you around in circles. I’m glad you ended up here! The recipe for the salted caramel is linked throughout this post but here’s the direct link: https://sugarandsparrow.com/salted-caramel-recipe/

      Reply
  11. Laura says

    June 26, 2019 at 2:24 pm

    Hi Whitney! Would this be enough to fill 2 10 inch Chocolate Cakes?
    It will be a 3 layer cake.. and may coat the outside with the luscious looking buttercream, then covering in fondant for a birch tree look. Thank you in advance and sharing your recipe!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 27, 2019 at 1:09 pm

      Hi Laura! This recipe will be enough to fill a 3 layer 10-inch cake. That sounds like it’s going to be lovely and delicious!

      Reply
  12. Jena geaschel says

    July 14, 2019 at 7:42 pm

    What kind of cake would it tast best with?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      July 15, 2019 at 10:31 am

      Hi Jena! This salted caramel buttercream pairs really well with chocolate cake or vanilla cake.

      Reply
  13. Jena says

    July 17, 2019 at 12:25 pm

    Thanks whitney!!!

    Reply
  14. Taylor says

    July 24, 2019 at 5:53 pm

    Hi have you tried colouring this white? Does it turn out okay?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      July 25, 2019 at 11:14 am

      Hi Taylor! I’ve never tried coloring this white. You can definitely give it a try but my assumption is it would take a lot of white food color gel to color it.

      Reply
      • Patricia says

        June 3, 2020 at 5:20 pm

        Hi, if I use food colouring eg red or blue in this recipe will the colour be affected by the slightly brown colour of the icing?

        Reply
        • Whitney says

          June 3, 2020 at 9:22 pm

          Hi Patricia! Yes, it will. Basically whichever color you mix into this buttercream will be a little muted since you’re starting with beige buttercream as opposed to white. If you’re going for super dark colors it might be possible, but just keep in mind it might be more of a muted tone than a true tone.

          Reply
  15. Laura says

    August 22, 2019 at 3:22 pm

    I’m going to try this frosting with Carmel filled chocolate cupcakes!! They are cooling now and getting ready to start the frosting!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      August 23, 2019 at 11:29 am

      Hi Laura! That sounds AMAZING! So excited for you to try this recipe 🙂

      Reply
  16. Connie Churchill says

    August 30, 2019 at 8:28 am

    5 stars
    Oh my!! This is amazing! The directions were spot on, and I’m in love with the caramel and the frosting! This will be my go to recipe. I’m overjoyed, thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      August 30, 2019 at 3:13 pm

      Yay, Connie!! So happy you love the recipe and the instructions were easy to follow!

      Reply
  17. Jemma says

    September 4, 2019 at 1:05 pm

    Hi, would this be enough to fill and cover a 4 layer 8 inch cake?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      September 4, 2019 at 10:57 pm

      Hi Jemma! For a 4 layer 8-inch cake I would double the recipe and it should be the perfect amount.

      Reply
      • Jemma says

        September 5, 2019 at 2:27 pm

        Thanks! Can’t wait to try it out

        Reply
  18. Selena says

    September 7, 2019 at 2:18 pm

    5 stars
    Also left a comment on the salted caramel recipe – which I used for this and it was amazing with my banana cake, which everyone agreed. Substituted sea salt flakes as can’t get kosher salt, and it was lovely every now and again a tiny taste of it! Smell of the caramel in the icing was dizzying! Thanks for a couple of great recipes. Don’t normally provide feedback but couldn’t see much from people who had already made it so thought help to add one having had such success with this!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      September 7, 2019 at 11:22 pm

      Those cake flavors sound amaaazing! So happy you loved the recipes and thanks for sharing 🙂

      Reply
  19. Suzanne says

    September 19, 2019 at 11:45 am

    This looks so delicious! What an easy way to doctor up something simple!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      September 19, 2019 at 10:17 pm

      Thanks, Suzanne! I hope you get the chance to try it!

      Reply
  20. Alex says

    September 24, 2019 at 10:21 am

    5 stars
    I’m not a big frosting person – I typically scrape off about 80% of it on cakes (even when I make them)… BUT this? This is amazing. Seriously, so good. I just licked the entire paddle after making it (don’t tell my kids). I may develop diabetes by the end of this fall because I plan on making this a lot. Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      September 24, 2019 at 3:11 pm

      That’s so wonderful to hear, Alex! Haha I feel the same way about this recipe. So happy it was a hit!

      Reply
  21. Carol Chapa says

    October 4, 2019 at 6:41 pm

    I just tried both the salted caramel and the SC buttercream frosting. Your descriptions were very accurate and helpful! I used the frosting to frost my husband’s 66th BD cake. Both recipes turned out perfectly! Thank you for posting! Super yummy!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      October 6, 2019 at 8:23 pm

      That’s amazing, Carol! So happy you love the recipes!!

      Reply
  22. Lisa says

    October 19, 2019 at 4:36 am

    5 stars
    Ever since I heard about salted caramel buttercream from a local baker, I’ve been itching to make this! This morning I did (for a Halloween layer cake I’m making for tonight’s party). I have an electric stove and the sugar got hot too fast on medium high and burnt before I realized it was happening. Round two on medium heat throughout the process was a success (just took a little longer)! It tasted delicious on the spoon and I can’t wait to taste the buttercream later!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      October 21, 2019 at 10:51 am

      So happy you had success with this recipe, Lisa! It’s one of my very favorites. Hope it was a hit at the Halloween party!

      Reply
  23. Tiffany says

    November 4, 2019 at 4:26 pm

    I came here looking for a yummy caramel frosting to go on apple cider cupcakes. The recipe called for a brown sugar buttercream, that was a weird texture for me personally. I think this salted caramel frosting is exactly what an apple cider cupcake is screaming for!!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      November 5, 2019 at 9:15 am

      Hi Tiffany! I bet the salted caramel frosting is perfect on those apple cider cupcakes!! I’m gonna have to try that sometime.

      Reply
  24. Noemi says

    November 19, 2019 at 6:05 am

    Can I use margarine for this recipe? I live in a place where you cant find butter easily and its super expensive.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      November 20, 2019 at 5:43 pm

      Hi Noemi! You can substitute margarine, although I’ve never done that before so I don’t know how it will taste. Let me know how it goes!

      Reply
  25. Krystal says

    November 27, 2019 at 11:35 am

    Sweet Mary, Joesph and baby Jesus. This is good

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      November 27, 2019 at 11:53 am

      Yay, Krystal! So happy you love it as much as I do!

      Reply
  26. BLS says

    December 12, 2019 at 9:49 pm

    Search for “ sugar and sparrow salted caramel buttercream” on Pinterest and you will find quite a few pins using your photo but they aren’t linked to your site. I suggest you report they are using your intellectual property to Pinterest.

    I searched the web to find your real website since you had its name on your picture. Thank you – i will try your recipe soon – it looks fantastic.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      December 16, 2019 at 10:26 am

      Thanks so much for the heads up! Excited for you to try this recipe!

      Reply
  27. Amanda Cole says

    January 1, 2020 at 4:58 pm

    Can you use this recipe in between macaron shells?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      January 2, 2020 at 7:39 pm

      You totally can, Amanda! That would be so tasty!

      Reply
  28. Laura Saravia says

    February 17, 2020 at 7:52 pm

    hello! Can I make this buttercream with a standard mixer that does not have the paddle attachment?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 18, 2020 at 9:09 am

      Hi Laura! It depends on what kind of attachment you are using instead of the paddle. I think a whisk attachment would work fine!

      Reply
  29. Carin says

    March 5, 2020 at 9:44 am

    I would love to try this. Do you think I can color this frosting yellow or blue and the colors will turn out ok?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      March 5, 2020 at 9:57 am

      Hi Carin! Since this buttercream has a beige base, any color you add to it will mix with beige. I think adding yellow would make it more of a mustard color but adding blue might be ok, you’ll definitely end up with more of a murkier blue than if you were to add the food coloring to a pure white buttercream. Hope that makes sense!

      Reply
      • Carin Woods says

        March 6, 2020 at 5:15 am

        Thanks Whitney! That’s what I was thinking but thought I would ask. I’m going for a deeper yellow and blue so I’m hoping it will work out ok. I may try a small batch and test it out. Thank you!

        Reply
  30. Stacey says

    March 13, 2020 at 3:44 am

    Hello. Silly me put the salted caramel into the buttercream and it was still a tiny bit like warm is there a way or getting the buttercream thick and creamy again please?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      March 13, 2020 at 10:19 am

      Hi Stacy! If it’s thinned out due to warmth of the caramel I would just put it in the fridge for about 10 minutes to let it cool down and then re-whip it. Let me know how it goes!

      Reply
  31. Rebecca says

    April 30, 2020 at 2:47 am

    Hi! I’m making a 4 layer cake, would I need to double the recipe or would this be enough? Thank you!☺️

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 30, 2020 at 2:29 pm

      Hi Rebecca! Doubling this recipe will make enough to fill and frost a four layer cake.

      Reply
  32. Mikayla says

    May 8, 2020 at 10:17 am

    Hi!
    I have to questions. The first one is, can i use this buttercream for the icing on the cake? Second question is that your salted caramel is it liquid because I have the « syrup one » can that still work? It’s probably a stupid question but can it?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      May 10, 2020 at 3:40 pm

      Hi Mikayla! You can totally use this buttercream to ice a cake. The salted caramel I use has the consistency of a thick syrup, so as long as your is a thick syrup consistency and you like the taste of it, it should work!

      Reply
  33. Arthur says

    May 13, 2020 at 3:58 am

    would this be enough to fill and cover the sides of a three layer cake or should i double it?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      May 13, 2020 at 11:34 am

      Hi Arthur! Depends on the diameter of the cake layers. For 6-inch, 8-inch, and 9-inch cakes I would double the recipe.

      Reply
      • Arthur says

        May 13, 2020 at 12:09 pm

        OK thank you. looks amazing cant wait to make it.

        Reply
  34. Laurie says

    May 13, 2020 at 12:44 pm

    Oh my goodness!!! Thank you!!! It’s soooo DELICIOUS!! I used for my chocolate cupcake, salted buttercream, & chocolate dipped pretzel!!! They are scrumptious thank you!!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      May 14, 2020 at 10:06 am

      So happy to hear you love this recipe, Laurie! That flavor combo sounds delicious!

      Reply
  35. Alli says

    May 23, 2020 at 5:42 am

    5 stars
    This frosting and the salted caramel were both amazing! My daughter requested a vanilla cake with caramel frosting for her birthday cake, and I’m so glad I found this! It was fantastic!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      May 23, 2020 at 11:05 am

      So happy to hear that, Alli! Glad the recipe was a hit for your daughter’s birthday cake!

      Reply
  36. Trina Dion says

    June 3, 2020 at 11:18 am

    Hi! Whitney, do you think that I could make the buttercream a day before icing the cake with it? I need a reply ASAP

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 3, 2020 at 2:21 pm

      Hi Trina! You can definitely make this buttercream a day ahead. As long as your environment is below 70 degrees, you can store the buttercream at room temp in an airtight container overnight. If you need to, you can also refrigerate it in an airtight container overnight – just be sure to leave it out for a few hours to bring it back to room temperature before using it on your cake. Whether you store it in the fridge or at room temp, be sure to put it back in your stand mixer and stir it on low speed for about 20 seconds to bring it back to silky smooth frosting consistency.

      Reply
  37. Jess says

    June 18, 2020 at 7:04 am

    5 stars
    Love the flavour of this I’ve just made it! However no matter what buttercream I try and make it always starts to split and go runny! Any tips would be appreciated – it’s not just this one recipe that it does it, it’s on everyone I’ve tried I’ve even used a glass bowl this time and still no luck I just can’t get it right

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 18, 2020 at 9:13 am

      Hi Jess! So happy you love the flavor of this buttercream and would love to help you get to the bottom of why your buttercreams are splitting. The main reason why buttercream splits is temperature – mainly if it’s too warm in your kitchen environment (butter starts to melt above 75 degrees) or if you start the recipe with butter that is too soft/milk that’s too cold. I like to leave my butter on the counter to soften it for an hour or so (instead of microwaving or trying to quickly soften it) because it ends up being the perfect temp to begin with. And then if your milk is too cold at the end that can cause the buttercream to split as well. It’s super important that all of your ingredients are room temp (and your “room temp” is less than 73 degrees). Hoping either of those tips solves the splitting for next time!

      Reply
  38. Julia says

    June 18, 2020 at 10:23 pm

    Hi. Have just made this caramel buttercream to fill and ice a cake (made the caramel first from your recipe – delicious!) I have never made buttercream before (usually use chocolate ganache) and although it tastes good the powdered sugar hasn’t dissolved, so it’s a bit chalky. Is that normal? I am in Australia and used what we call pure icing sugar, which is just powdered sugar. I sieved it first too. It’s also unbelievably sweet, but maybe that’s because you like things sweeter than we’re used to over there? Will the sugar dissolve a bit more by the time I serve it in about 24 hrs? Thanks. Love your site BTW. Very helpful and your cakes look spectacular!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 19, 2020 at 9:44 am

      Hi Julia! If the texture is grainy I would add a little more room temperature milk to dissolve the sugar and also add a little more salt to cut the sweetness. Hope that helps!

      Reply
      • Julia says

        June 19, 2020 at 7:16 pm

        5 stars
        Thanks so much for your reply. I made another batch, sieved the sugar again in a finer sieve, and put a little milk in but didn’t want to thin it too much. Still grainy, but I’m sure no-one will notice but me! We have here a product called icing mixture, which is powdered sugar and corn starch. Should I try this next time? Might be smoother. Not sure how the cornstarch would affect the buttercream though. Thoughts?

        Reply
        • Whitney says

          June 22, 2020 at 12:23 pm

          Interesting! I’ve never heard of adding cornstarch to buttercream, but let me know if you end up trying that!

          Reply
        • Melissa says

          September 26, 2022 at 11:22 am

          I realize I’m commenting on an old comment but wanted to say that in Canada, what we have available as “icing sugar” is the same as your “icing mix” as it contains cornstarch. I have never actually seen powdered sugar here, only icing sugar. I often find frosting way too sweet and have had success adding additional cornstarch instead of more icing sugar. Hope that helps others.

          Reply
  39. Kathryn says

    June 26, 2020 at 6:20 pm

    Just made this frosting for my cut out sugar cookies and it’s AMAZING! I’ve been using a crusting buttercream recipe and just wondering if this frosting will give a little crust as well to pipe out flowers, etc. Also, will the cookies need to be refrigerated with this icing? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 28, 2020 at 2:44 pm

      Yay, Kathryn! So happy to hear you’re loving this recipe! It will certainly crust and be great for piping flowers, etc. You won’t need to refrigerate the cookies with this icing, as the small amount of dairy in there is well preserved by all the sugar content. Enjoy!

      Reply
  40. Ellie says

    July 9, 2020 at 3:20 am

    This recipe is spectacular! I just made it for a chocolate cake and it if the fluffiest buttercream I’ve ever had. Thanks for posting this!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      July 9, 2020 at 9:55 am

      Yay, Ellie!! So happy to hear that and I bet it tasted amazing with chocolate cake!

      Reply
  41. tori says

    July 11, 2020 at 2:20 pm

    Hi recipe doesn’t say how much it makes or how big of a cake it will frost. i have a 3 layer 6 in cake. is this recipe enough or should i double?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      July 12, 2020 at 4:01 pm

      Hi Tori! For a 3 layer 6-inch cake, I would 1.5x the recipe to fill and frost, or double the recipe if you want to do additional buttercream decorations/piping.

      Reply
  42. Ruby says

    July 30, 2020 at 10:58 pm

    hello!! so do I use melted Carmel? and if so do I use the hard Carmel and melt it in the microwave or the stove top, make my own, or use the store bought stuff that people use on other desserts. (that’s in the squeeze bottles)

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      July 31, 2020 at 12:53 pm

      Hi Ruby! I recommend making your own using this recipe for best results: https://sugarandsparrow.com/salted-caramel-recipe/

      Reply
  43. Farah says

    September 12, 2020 at 10:23 pm

    how many cupcakes can i frost using one batch of this frosting?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      September 13, 2020 at 4:11 pm

      Hi Farah, one batch of this buttercream should frost about 15-20 large cupcakes depending on how much frosting you add to each one.

      Reply
  44. Rachel says

    September 23, 2020 at 6:38 pm

    Would this be good on a spice cake you think?! If so do you have a homemade spice cake recipe?!?!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      September 24, 2020 at 11:54 am

      Hi Rachel! This recipe would taste amazing on a spice cake. I have a few different spice cake recipes! Type “spice cake” into the search bar at the top of my blog to see them.

      Reply
  45. Maja says

    September 28, 2020 at 11:12 am

    5 stars
    Hi,

    I want to try a Biscoff version, could I just use the same amount of Biscoff cookie butter as there is salted caramel in this recipe? Or should I adjust the powdered sugar when using Biscoff?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      September 29, 2020 at 8:35 am

      Hi Maja! That sounds heavenly. I’ve never worked with cookie butter before, so I can’t say for sure how much to add or how it will taste but feel free to experiment with this recipe!

      Reply
  46. Aleyka says

    October 1, 2020 at 11:24 am

    Hello! I’m going to make this today but I have a really thick dulce de leche. Will this work or I have to thin it out?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      October 4, 2020 at 8:17 pm

      Hi Aleyka, I have never tried this recipe with anything but the above ingredients. I’m not sure that dulce de leche will work in place of the heavy whipping cream, but you are welcome to try it!

      Reply
  47. Debi Stovicek says

    October 3, 2020 at 12:47 pm

    Hi Whitney! I just made this and piped on Spice Apple Cupcakes and drizzled extra caramel on top for Caramel Apple Cupcakes! DELICIOUS. Should I keep them in the refrigerator until my event tomorrow? (some do not have caramel drizzle, just the buttercream)
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      October 4, 2020 at 8:29 pm

      Such a great flavor pairing, Debi! Yum!! You don’t need to store the cupcakes in the refrigerator, they’ll be fine at room temperature overnight due to the high sugar content, which preserves the tiny bit of dairy in this recipe.

      Reply
  48. STellis says

    October 25, 2020 at 6:58 pm

    5 stars
    Oh. My. Goodness!! Earlier I made the salted caramel (and left rave reviews) and I just finished making this to frost my dark chocolate cake and this is perfection! I could literally eat this buttercream by itself! I was in search of fall flavors to go with a large batch of apple cider and this buttercream + cake go perfectly!! Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      October 26, 2020 at 4:56 pm

      Ahhh so happy you love the salted caramel buttercream! I feel the same way about it – I could eat it by the spoonful. That flavor combo sounds delicious! Thanks for taking the time to let me know it was a hit!

      Reply
  49. Becci says

    November 16, 2020 at 6:51 pm

    Would this frosting fare well with a 3 layer 6 inch snickerdoodle cake?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      November 19, 2020 at 2:47 pm

      I’m sure that would taste amazing, Becci!

      Reply
  50. Melissa says

    January 20, 2021 at 10:16 am

    5 stars
    I made this yesterday to frost vanilla cupcakes for my daughter’s birthday. It was delicious! Our whole family loved it! I was skeptical that the caramel would integrate well in the buttercream because it was not very liquidy after cooling, but it did so beautifully. The pinch of salt in the buttercream really enhanced the flavor. Excellent recipe that we will make again!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      January 20, 2021 at 3:45 pm

      Yay, Melissa! I’m so happy to hear that this recipe was a hit! It’s one of my very faves 🙂

      Reply
  51. Lisa H. says

    January 30, 2021 at 10:37 am

    5 stars
    Love this recipe, thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      January 31, 2021 at 10:27 am

      Yay, Lisa! So happy to hear you love this recipe!

      Reply
  52. Kat says

    February 13, 2021 at 7:22 am

    5 stars
    I made a bagel version of this with Earth Balance sticks and this caramel sauce: https://www.amazon.com/Coconut-Caramel-Sauce-Hey-Boo/dp/B00IOQDZSG

    It came out SO GOOD! Fantastic recipe.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 14, 2021 at 6:16 pm

      That’s so awesome, Kat! Happy to hear it was a hit!

      Reply
  53. Joy K. says

    February 27, 2021 at 12:23 pm

    Hi
    For the caramel, do you use like caramel sauce ( the kind that you would put ontop ice cream) or caramel chews or caramel bits, thanks

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 28, 2021 at 7:36 pm

      Hi Joy! I always make homemade caramel sauce to use in this recipe (it’s linked in the recipe portion of this post). You can certainly try using those other options, but just make sure you like the taste, as the caramel sauce you use will end up flavoring the buttercream.

      Reply
  54. Kristy says

    April 6, 2021 at 2:37 pm

    5 stars
    I Love It so yummy! Thank you

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 6, 2021 at 8:20 pm

      So happy to hear that, Kristy!

      Reply
  55. Terry says

    April 11, 2021 at 2:18 pm

    Hi Whitney!
    I actually came across the pic for this recipe on Pinterest – but when I clicked on the link to your site it just gave me a blank page. Repeatedly.

    I tried numerous times – going to other sites in between – but kept getting the same blank page.

    I ended up having to Google you to get to this recipe. Not sure what the problem is – but maybe talk to the folks at Pinterest?

    It looks like a great recipe – so thanks! I’m sure I’ll revisit.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 12, 2021 at 8:55 pm

      Hi Terry! The thing about Pinterest is that anyone can make a Pin using one of my images and then butcher the web address or forget to put it in. That’s why I put my watermark on my images just in case something like that happens! It’s hard to track the broken linked Pins but I’m so happy you ended up on the right page. Enjoy this recipe!

      Reply
  56. Angie Massoud says

    April 18, 2021 at 10:31 pm

    Hi Whitney!
    I’m a hobby baker and I absolutely love your channel, tips and recipes! I’m about the give this one a try…. does it pipe well on cupcakes?
    Regards
    Angie

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 20, 2021 at 2:49 pm

      Yay, Angie! Thanks for the kind words 🙂 This recipe pipes beautifully on cupcakes. Enjoy!

      Reply
  57. Cindy says

    April 21, 2021 at 3:41 am

    Would this buttercream with caramel hold up in heat and humidity for an outdoor wedding??

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 21, 2021 at 9:42 am

      Hi Cindy! It depends on how warm/humid it is. Buttercream starts to really soften above 75 degrees, so I recommend storing the cake in the refrigerator until it needs to be on display at the wedding. This way it will take much longer to reach a melting/softening point.

      Reply
  58. Sydney says

    April 25, 2021 at 8:32 pm

    This buttercream is probably the bast salted Carmel buttercream I’ve ever made!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 27, 2021 at 10:09 am

      Yay, Sydney! I’m so happy to hear that!

      Reply
  59. tatyana says

    June 8, 2021 at 2:18 pm

    Thank you for the recipe — the frosting came out easy, tasty and wonderful. But what truly baffles me is the amount of powdered sugar. I used less than half of the recipt amount (220 gr) and coupled with the caramel sauce, the buttercream turned out super-sweet. In fact, it’s hard for me to believe that anyone would want it even sweeter! Is there a purpose why the amount of powdered sugar is twice that of butter? Does it make the consistency firmer or smth like that? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 12, 2021 at 9:32 am

      Hi Tatyana! This frosting is pretty sweet, but it seems to be well-loved as-is. The purpose of the powdered sugar is mainly to provide stability, but if you’re getting a stable enough buttercream consistency and good flavor with half the amount of powdered sugar, then you can keep it up with the adapted version.

      Reply
  60. coco says

    June 15, 2021 at 4:11 am

    Hello! Can I substitute butter with margarine? It’s hot where I live and margarine has higher melting point.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 15, 2021 at 3:05 pm

      Hi Coco! I’ve never tried this recipe with margarine so I can’t say for sure how it will turn out but my guess is that it should work. Let me know how it goes if you try it!

      Reply
  61. Debbie P. says

    June 21, 2021 at 9:34 pm

    5 stars
    Amazing! My husband and twin daughters could not get enough of this frosting. I’m not normally fan of buttercream frosting, but this was amazing. Adding this recipe to my favorites.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 22, 2021 at 7:08 pm

      Yay, Debbie! I’m so happy to hear that this recipe was a hit!

      Reply
  62. janna says

    July 16, 2021 at 8:16 pm

    Would salted caramel frosting between layers of your chocolate cake recipe but your chocolate frosting to ice the cake work? Or would it be nicer to pick just the one frosting to fill and ice?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      July 17, 2021 at 10:18 pm

      Of course it would! That sounds amazing!

      Reply
  63. Tosin says

    September 30, 2021 at 6:52 am

    5 stars
    I made this with your salted caramel sauce recipe and it was beautiful. I added some caramel food colouring to mine. Thank you very much.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      October 3, 2021 at 2:57 pm

      Yay, Tosin! I’m so happy you love the salted caramel sauce + salted caramel buttercream recipes! I made both of those this weekend too – finally feeling like Fall!

      Reply
  64. Paula says

    October 5, 2021 at 3:25 pm

    Can I color this with green food coloring gel

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      October 7, 2021 at 2:37 pm

      Hi Paula! You can, but since it’s a tan colored buttercream, that will mix with the green and mute the color a bit. If you’re going for a darker green it shouldn’t be a problem.

      Reply
  65. Becky says

    December 9, 2021 at 9:50 pm

    I used this frosting as the filling with devils food cake for one of the tiers of my son’s wedding cake. It was delicious! Will definitely use again!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      December 14, 2021 at 7:39 am

      Oh my goodness, Becky! That sounds delicious!! I’m so happy the buttercream was a hit 🙂

      Reply
  66. Gaelyn says

    February 1, 2022 at 5:44 pm

    Hi – I want to use this icing to ice a three layer round cake and then do a gold chocolate drip on top and sides. Do you think that the icing will hold up to a chocolate drip?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 3, 2022 at 8:43 pm

      Hi Gaelyn! It will absolutely hold up under a drip. That sounds lovely!

      Reply
  67. Laura says

    February 3, 2022 at 5:45 am

    5 stars
    This and the salted caramel recipe is brilliant! I have never made salted caramel before and it turned out perfect and the buttercream is to die for! I have used it to fill and frost a 3-tier cake for my brother’s 30th birthday. There wasn’t quite enough frosting to cover it in a thick layer so it is more of a semi-naked cake effect but it looks (and tastes!) delicious 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing it with us.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 3, 2022 at 8:46 pm

      Yay, Laura! I’m so happy to hear that these recipes were a hit and you had success with your very first salted caramel. Thanks for taking the time to let me know!

      Reply
  68. Krystal says

    March 18, 2022 at 12:32 pm

    5 stars
    Made this for a birthday cake and it is now the top request! Fantastic recipe!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      March 22, 2022 at 7:08 pm

      Yay, Krystal! I’m so happy to hear that!!

      Reply
  69. Val says

    June 13, 2022 at 3:30 pm

    Hi, im planning to make this as a filling for my chocolate cake and a cream cheese frosting for the outside, do you think this will be a good combination for a cream cheese frosting? 🙂 thank you 🙂

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 14, 2022 at 7:15 pm

      Hi Val! I think salted caramel buttercream with chocolate cake and a cream cheese buttercream exterior sounds DELICIOUS! I’d say go for it!

      Reply
  70. Sophia says

    June 15, 2022 at 8:03 pm

    This loos and sounds delicious. Can this be piped into a specific design for the top and sides of a cake? Like roses or leaves?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 17, 2022 at 11:25 am

      Hi Sophia! This buttercream recipe pipes beautifully and can definitely be used for roses or leaves (or any shape!). Hope that helps and enjoy!

      Reply
  71. Rita says

    July 20, 2022 at 3:54 am

    Good morning. This sounds amazing. Question , I’m making this for a house wedding party with mini cupcakes. I’m concerned that the frosting may not hold up to be on serving trays for several hours
    I’ve heard that you can add a bit of cornstarch to frosting and this would stiffen up the consistency. Would you recommend this and how much? Thanks so much. Rita

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      July 21, 2022 at 6:33 am

      Hi Rita! This frosting is already pretty stiff consistency as-is, but if you feel it needs to be thicker you can always add a little cornstarch to thicken it up (no more than 1/4 cup per batch). Enjoy!

      Reply
      • Rita says

        July 21, 2022 at 8:12 am

        Thank you so much for the quick response. I will add a little to try it out. Can’t wait to make this!

        Reply
    • Lorena says

      October 4, 2022 at 6:52 am

      Hi Whitney!

      I was wondering if it is possible to freeze it?

      I would like to use this buttercream as a topping for my cookies but I don’t want to waste it if I have any left.

      Reply
      • Whitney says

        October 6, 2022 at 9:08 pm

        Hi Lorena! You can freeze buttercream. Store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two months. The day before you’ll be using it, place it in the refrigerator to thaw, then bring it to room temp and re-mix it from there. Hope that helps!

        Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Next Post >

The Best (FDA Approved) Metallic Gold Buttercream Finish

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to Sugar & Sparrow

Welcome to Sugar & Sparrow

Helping you whip up pretty desserts with confidence and creativity. And hopefully sharing a few laughs with you along the way!

Learn More

Connect

let’s bake!

Get my very best recipes, baking tips, and decorating tutorials sent to your inbox

Featured Posts

buttercream flower wreath cake

Buttercream Flower Wreath Cake Tutorial

christmas floral cake tutorial

Holiday Floral Buttercream Cake Tutorial

how to transfer cakes to a cake stand

How to Transfer Cakes From a Turntable to a Stand

Search

Archives

Follow Along

@sugarandsparrowco

Anyone Can Cake x Wilton GIVEAWAY 🥳 @wiltoncake Anyone Can Cake x Wilton GIVEAWAY 🥳 @wiltoncakes has been a HUGE part of my cake journey and I’m extra excited to gift ONE lucky winner every Wilton tool they could possibly need to make ⁣perfect layer cakes!⁣
⁣
ONE lucky winner will get everything in this Reel:⁣ ⁣
✨Gold piping tip set⁣
✨Cake turntable⁣
✨Navy and gold icing spatula set ⁣
✨Color Right Performance Food Coloring Set⁣
✨Icing comb set⁣
✨Icing smoother⁣
✨Cake leveler⁣
✨Set of two 8-inch cake pans⁣
✨a SIGNED copy of my book, Anyone Can Cake⁣
⁣
TO ENTER:⁣
⁣⁣1️⃣ LIKE this post⁣ ⁣
2️⃣ FOLLOW @sugarandsparrowco and @wiltoncakes⁣
3️⃣ TAG a couple friends who would love this prize below in separate comments. One comment = one entry ⁣⁣ ⁣
4️⃣ BONUS for commenting where you’re at in your cake decorating journey!⁣
⁣
That’s it! Ends March 25th at 11:59pm PST and is open to US residents only (sorry to my worldwide friends!). I’ll reach out to the winner via DM to claim the prize and if it’s you, please respond within 24 hours to claim. 🎉 Must be 18 or older. Not sponsored by Wilton or Instagram. Best of luck to all 🎉⁣
⁣
⁣#wiltoncakes #cakedecorating #cakes #cakelover #anyonecancake #cookbook #cake #sprinkles #cake #cookbookauthor #bakersofinstagram #bake #baking
(Ad) Buttercream Embroidery Cake Tutorial🧵🌸🎂 to celebrate March being National Craft Month, I decided to try out some new buttercream piping techniques and make the embroidery cake of my dreams! It ended up being so fun + easy with the perfect cake decorating supplies from @joann_stores 🙌🏼 Here’s how to make this happy little Spring-inspired cake:⁣
⁣
1️⃣ Frost your cake with a smooth buttercream finish and chill for at least 20 minutes.⁣
2️⃣ Use floral cookie cutters to imprint the buttercream.⁣
3️⃣ Outline the shapes using Wilton tip 2 or 3, then fill in the shapes with lines of buttercream piping. For some of the flowers, start at the edge of the shape and pipe a series of lines that connect in the center. For others, experiment with ways to fill in the shape with parallel lines, dots, or other embroidery-inspired piping. ⁣
4️⃣ Freehand some tiny dotted flowers and floral accents using those same piping techniques wherever your heart desires!⁣
⁣
The full tutorial + video for this pretty floral embroidery cake is linked in my bio! It’s the perfect way to welcome Spring 🌸⁣
⁣
#handmadewithjoann #joannpartner #embroidery #embroiderycake #baking #floralcake #cakeideas #buttercreamcake #bake #cakesofinstagram #cake #buttercream #cakelover #cakeart #nationalcraftmonth
Yellow Cake + Chocolate Frosting (aka Classic Birt Yellow Cake + Chocolate Frosting (aka Classic Birthday Cake) 🙌🏼 🥳 this one is extra nostalgic for me because it’s what my mama made for all my birthdays growing up 💛 this recipe rivals the box mix: super moist and fluffy layers of classic yellow cake (naturally colored with egg yolks) + silky smooth chocolate buttercream. Top with rainbow sprinkles for extra fun! 🎉⁣
⁣
Find this recipe linked in my bio + on page 147 of my book, Anyone Can Cake ✨⁣
⁣
#birthdaycake #yellowcake #chocolatefrosting #chocolatebuttercream #sprinkles #layercake #cakelover #cakesofinstagram #cake #bake #bakingfun #bakedfromscratch #anyonecancake #cakeideas #cakedecorating
Ombré Rainbow Sheet Cake 🌈🥳 for St. Patrick Ombré Rainbow Sheet Cake 🌈🥳 for St. Patrick’s Day or any day, because rainbow cakes are year round if you ask me 🫶🏽⁣
⁣
🎨 colors: custom mixed with @wiltoncakes color right food coloring system ⁣
🌈 piping tips: @wiltoncakes 1M for the rosettes, 104 for the ruffles, 32 for the swirls and stars⁣
⁣
#ombrecake #rainbowcake #sheetcake #cakedecorating #rainbow #stpatricksday #buttercreampiping #pipingskills #bakingfun #satisfyingfood #bake #cakeideas #cakelovers
I wish you could see that the inside of this cake I wish you could see that the inside of this cake had crushed Cadbury Mini Eggs sprinkled between each layer 😍 best Easter candy of all (name a better one, I dare you!) 🙌🏽 ⁣
⁣
#ombrecake #cadburyeggs #cakedecorating #chocolate #ganache #dripcake #eastercake #cakeideas #cakelover #bakingfun #cake

Footer

On the Blog

  • Cake Basics
  • Recipes
  • Tutorials

Info

  • About
  • Privacy Policy & Disclosure

stay in the know

Copyright © 2023 · Theme by Sugar & Sparrow