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Salted Caramel Frosting

Salted Caramel Frosting is the perfect sweet and salting topping for any dessert. It's everything you love about traditional salted caramel, but with a warm, molasses-rich twist. With its deep caramel flavor from the brown sugar and a hint of salt, this frosting is the perfect finishing touch for cupcakes, layer cakes, brownies, and more.
Prep Time15 minutes
Active Time5 minutes
Cooling Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: brown sugar, comfort food, sweet and salty
Yield: 2.5 cups
Calories: 1134kcal
Author: Sweet Ordeal

Materials

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into a few pieces to melt faster
  • 1 cup brown sugar, light or dark
  • 5 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream, divided
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

  • In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter and brown sugar. Stir constantly until the butter melts. Whisk to thoroughly combine mixture. Keep stirring until oily ring around the edge disappears.
  • Once mixture is combined, whisk in 3 tablespoons of cream and salt. Attach a candy thermometer to your pan, making certain the bulb is not on the bottom of the pan -- it should be just above the bottom for a more accurate reading.
  • Let the caramel come to a boil, giving it a quick stir every 20 seconds or so, until the temperature reaches 230°F. This only takes about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for a minute in the pan, then transfer the caramel to a medium or large heat-safe mixing bowl. Allow to cool for 20 minutes while the caramel thickens.
  • Sift in the powdered sugar and add the remaining cream. Beat on LOW speed to mix in the powdered sugar, then increase speed to HIGH for about 1 minute. If the frosting is too thick, add 1 tablespoon cream. Avoid over mixing frosting as it can begin to separate, or break.
  • Use the frosting immediately as a thin glaze or icing, or give it some time to thicken. The surface will crust a bit, which is fine, just give it a stir. It's best to let the frosting sit and thicken before piping. Enjoy!

Notes

Quantity: This recipe makes enough for a 13 x 9" cake, or about 14 cupcakes. Make 1.5x the recipe for a layer cake or 24 cupcakes.

Nutrition

Calories: 1134kcal | Carbohydrates: 183g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 131mg | Sodium: 231mg | Potassium: 158mg | Sugar: 180g | Vitamin A: 1569IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 1mg