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!
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.
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.
Once your ingredients are all room temperature and ready to go, all you need is a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and about fifteen 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
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 creamy and light in color, 5-6 minutes.
- 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.
- With the mixer still on low, mix in the vanilla extract, the salted caramel, and salt. Continue mixing on low speed until fully combined.
Notes
- Frost 12-15 cupcakes with a piping bag
- Fill and crumb coat a three-layer 6-inch cake or two-layer 8-inch cake. To have enough for frosting and decorating as well, double the recipe.
Hi, i was wondering if you’ve ever tried to put colouring into a salted caramel buttercream recipe? I really want to make a salted caramel cake with this icing for my birthday but I want it to be a different colour, maybe pink? Do you think the colouring would affect the taste or anything? – Thank you!
Hi Megan! You can add coloring to this recipe, but since the base color is beige it will mute whatever color you’re adding. For example, adding a blue color gel will give you more of a dusty blue, orange will be more of a burnt orange, etc.
I just made this to go with my dark chocolate cake. I used the salted caramel recipe I’ve always used just because it’s my go to. The frosting turned out beautifully and is a big hit!! Thank you for the recipe.
I have a co-worker who is wanting a dulce de leche cake for her birthday. Do you think it would taste okay to substitute the salted caramel with dulce de leche? I’m not sure what the difference is between the two.
Hi! Can i make it the day before piping and serving?
Hi Mathilde! Yes, you can make it up to two weeks (or more) in advance. See the recipe notes for the details on making it ahead!
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
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!
Thank you so much for the quick response. I will add a little to try it out. Can’t wait to make this!
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.
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!
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?
Hi Sophia! This buttercream recipe pipes beautifully and can definitely be used for roses or leaves (or any shape!). Hope that helps and enjoy!
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 🙂
Hi Val! I think salted caramel buttercream with chocolate cake and a cream cheese buttercream exterior sounds DELICIOUS! I’d say go for it!
Made this for a birthday cake and it is now the top request! Fantastic recipe!
Yay, Krystal! I’m so happy to hear that!!
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.
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!
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!
Hi Gaelyn! It will absolutely hold up under a drip. That sounds lovely!
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!
Oh my goodness, Becky! That sounds delicious!! I’m so happy the buttercream was a hit 🙂
Can I color this with green food coloring gel
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.
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.
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!
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?
Of course it would! That sounds amazing!
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.
Yay, Debbie! I’m so happy to hear that this recipe was a hit!