I’m kind of obsessed with caramel lately, especially when there is salt involved.
Ever since I made these bars a few months ago, caramel has been on the top of my list for delicious dessert ingredients. There is something about the rich flavor and silkiness that keeps you going back for more. After seeing this Caramel Sauce at Trader Joes so many times, I finally gave in and bought a jar. In order to keep myself from eating the entire thing with a spoon, I figured I should use it in a recipe.
What better way to use the sauce than in buttercream? It creates a delicious icing that has the perfect hint of salt and caramel flavors, but not in an overwhelming way. To keep the buttercream from being too sweet, I used cream cheese as a thickening agent. That way, I didn’t have to use too much extra sugar.
This Salted Caramel Buttercream would go well on top chocolate or vanilla cake, maybe with some sort of peanut butter filling. I used it to ice some low fat vegan chocolate cupcakes. It’s all about balance;-)
Start with room temperature butter and cream cheese
Beat them in a mixer on high for a few minutes, until light and fluffy
Add confectioners’ sugar carefully, when mixed in turn mixer back to high speed
Beat in vanilla
Then add the caramel sauce
Beat on high speed until all ingredients are well combined; if frosting is too liquidly, add extra sugar
Use to top cake, cupcakes or eat with a spoon
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Salted Caramel Buttercream
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened (I used reduced fat)
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup salted caramel sauce
Cooking Directions
- Beat butter and cream cheese in a mixer on high for a few minutes, until light and fluffy
- Add powdered sugar carefully, when mixed in turn mixer back to high speed
- Beat in vanilla
- Then add the caramel sauce; beat on high speed until all ingredients are well combined
- *If frosting is not firm enough at this point, add more powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time
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Have you found any new products for baking recently?
Holy heaven on a cupcake! That buttercream looks sinfully delectable ;).
WOW!! That looks wonderful. I’ve been into the sweet and salty combination lately and there’s a Trader Joe’s nearby…this could be dangerous. :)
Salted caramel is amazing. And such a cool idea to use cream cheese to add some tang to the frosting – I’ve only done straight up buttercream.
For a while, I was on a caramelized white chocolate kick. That stuff worked nicely on many things. Including…a spoon.
Caramelized white chocolate? Now that sounds interesting!!
http://districtchocoholic.blogspot.com/2010/08/adventures-in-kitchen-caramelizing.html
Hard part: not eating it all straight.
Thanks!! I’ll have to try that!
OH my goodness that sounds incredible!! I lurv me some salted caramel — that sweet and salty thing is great! And genius to use cream cheese — a little tang is a great balance.
Oh, I looooove caramel buttercream but I didn’t use salted caramel sauce so I’ll have to do that next. I made my own and would do it again, this time adding fleur de sel since we don’t have no stinkin’ Trader Joes. I wish. Your comment about balance made me laugh and reminded me of a friend who took my suggestion to make “diet cake” by mixing a cake mix with a can of diet soda (nothing else–that’s it!) and turning it into cupcakes which she frosted AND filled with cream cheese icing. She had a similar idea as you. :) BTW, making cake that way actually gives you a really moist and tender cake! Try it some time.
oh homemade caramel sauce would work really well!
i used to do the diet soda cakes but haven’t in a long time! good reminder:-)
so good to know about that TJ’s product!
I’m loving this cupcake. I’m going to have to run to TJ’s for some of that delicious looking caramel sauce.
YUM! I would definitely use a spoon to eat that! Why waste it on a cake ;) I am very disappointed not to have Trader Joe’s in Canada…but I guess it saves me from myself!
I am always up for a caramel recipe :) Combined with buttercream sounds fantastic! I’m ready for another Trader Joe’s trip now… :) Happy Valentine’s Day!
Thanks, happy Valentine’s Day to you!!
Buttercream frosting-yummmmm!!!!! You never fail!
I just love coming to your blog! such fantastically delicious looking recipes! Buttercream frosting is my favorite, so I’m positive I would love this!
Thank you:-)
Oh yum! What a fabulous adaptation of buttercream. And I love me some TJ’s any time of the year. :)
I’ll take caramel any day over chocolate. And, that looks like an awesome way to use it!!!
Adding the caramel to buttercream frosting is a delicious idea. Who needs the cupcake? All I need is a spoon and a bowl of the frosting!
So true!
Salt caramel is my favorite! Yum. I could just eat that frosting right from the bowl. Spoons optional!
This looks so amazing, I almost wish I hadn’t seen it! Hee hee, never tried salted caramel, but as soon as I read this, I can see why it’d be brilliant, thank you! :-)
oh I looove carmel – these look amazing!
This buttercream looks delicious! Yum!
Oh geez. This looks amazing. I made a less fancy version of this for my husband’s birthday this week – but mine featured Cool Whip. :) Dang. I need to step it up!!
This looks entirely wonderful. There is nothing better than a sweet + salty combination! Oh and I have the same cupcake liners, which I just adore :)
This looks AMAZING! I love sweet and salty together…mmmmm.
Everything I love in one cupcake – how ever did you know?
My fiance requested a chocolate cake with cream cheese icing for his birthday.. this is the perfect recipe! I can’t wait to try it out :) I’ll let you know how it goes!
Oh my…lick the bowl! Love caramel.
Oh these look so good. I always love reading your blog because you always have something great I want to try! I hit a milestone on my blog and I want to Thank You for helping make it possible I really appreciate the nice comment that you left on my blog. Thanks Again.
I eye that little jar of salted caramel just about every time I’m in Trader Joe’s. And wonder what it would be like to take it home and cuddle with it in bed with a spoon.
I should probably take it home and make buttercream with it instead! Sounds fabulous.
These sound so amazing! Love the salty/sweet combo.
Oh man, that is one dangerous sounding buttercream. I’m not sure it would ever make it on cupcakes or if I would just eat it with a big spoon :o)
These look so yummy and the frosting looks to die for!
Oh my! I am a huge fan of salty sweet treats…and I love to make cupcakes! This is going down on my list! I love it!
Outstanding! I am a sucker for anything salted caramel…
Those looks wonderful. Hmmm Salted caramel
Oh man. I am going to have to veganize this ASAP! It sounds amazing!
Caramel buttercream is amazing! I’m actually making salted caramel tonight for a new candy creation I’m working up but this looks great. I can’t wait until they open the Trader Joe’s by my house this summer.
Wow! This sounds divine. I now have to head to Trader Joe’s and track down that caramel sauce!
i have been thinking of doing a good salted caramel frosting but was going to introduce it into a traditional buttercream… i love the idea of adding cream cheese instead!
It worked out really well… I may or may not have eaten it out of the freezer with a spoon;-)
Yup, hungry now. I would like a bowl of this. I don’t need the cupcakes or cake layers. Just a spoon.
:)
OMG!! AWESOME idea. I’ve been seeing this amazing looking, not too expensive caramel sauce at Central Market and I haven’t bought it b/c I was looking for the perfect thing to make with it. This is certainly a have to try recipe!
This buttercream was so easy and delicious, definitely worth a try with the caramel sauce you found!
i forgot about this one until the sweet and salty party-now I have it saved! This is right up my alley.
hi Lauren!
I cannot find salted caramel sauce anywhere in Singapore where I live, only caramel sauce for ice cream. (which looks a bit liquid to me) Can I still use it and just add normal salt? (I dont have the special fleur ones too)
Do you think its possible? (:
Hi Yvonne- you could try making your own salted caramel sauce and then making the buttercream as directed. This recipe might work: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/salted-caramel-sauce. Good luck!
how about if i dont make my own? I’ve tried twice and failed ):
If you can’t find a thicker caramel topping, maybe try using a higher proportion of cream cheese to butter to make the frosting a little thicker.
thanks for the tip! i’ll try increasing the cream cheese to butter ratio ((: