Homemade Caramel Frosting Recipe

Homemade Caramel Frosting Recipe with real melted caramel whipped inside. This easy caramel buttercream is perfect for cookies, cakes and cupcakes.

From Scratch caramel frosting with real caramel whipped in.

Homemade Caramel Frosting Recipe

As I asked Kinslee what cakes she’d like to share with you on this collection of delicious cakes, she immediately said “Caramel Cake with Caramel Frosting!”.

I had never in my life made a caramel cake or caramel frosting, and I really had no idea that she loved caramel as much as she does. Give me a challenge, though, and I’ll take it! So over a stretch of 5 days or so, we tested homemade caramel icing recipes for cake. The cake itself is coming soon…I apologize for making you wait!

But for now…caramel buttercream frosting. An easy frosting recipe that is new to us, yet quickly is becoming a favorite.

Homemade Caramel Frosting Recipe

I wanted to use melted caramels in this recipe, so simply melted together Kraft caramel bits and evaporated milk until it was smooth and creamy.

The most important step in this recipe is to make sure that the melted caramel mixture is 100% cooled off before beating it into the cream cheese & butter mixture. If the caramel is warm at all, it will melt the butter and the texture of your frosting will not be what you expect.

So please. Plan ahead and give that caramel time to cool.

Once it has cooled, simply beat it into the butter/cream cheese mixture for 2-3 minutes until the frosting is infused with caramel.

And the leftover caramel bits you’ll have from this recipe? Melt them and drizzle over cakes, cupcakes or cookies.

Looks delicious, right?!

Homemade Caramel Frosting Recipe with real melted caramel whipped inside. This easy caramel buttercream is perfect for cookies, cakes and cupcakes.

Homemade Caramel Frosting Recipe with real melted caramel whipped inside. This easy caramel buttercream is perfect for cookies, cakes and cupcakes.
Homemade Caramel Frosting Recipe with real melted caramel whipped inside. This easy caramel buttercream is perfect for cookies, cakes and cupcakes.

Homemade Caramel Frosting Recipe

4.25 from 37 votes
Homemade Caramel Frosting Recipe with real melted caramel whipped inside. This easy caramel buttercream is perfect for cookies, cakes and cupcakes.
Servings 15
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Total Time 13 minutes

Ingredients
 

Instructions
 

  • At least an hour before making the frosting, melt the caramels. Place the caramel bits in a microwave safe bowl and add the evaporated milk. Microwave in 20-30 second intervals, stirring between, until caramels are smooth and completely melted. This will take 2-3 minutes.
  • Allow the caramel to cool completely to room temperature. This is important! If you add the caramel when it is too warm, it will melt the butter in the frosting and it will not set correctly.
  • In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter using a hand mixer until well combined.
  • Add the powdered sugar and the vanilla extract. Beat again.
  • Add the cooled caramel to the frosting and beat for 2-3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • The frosting is ready to use! If you need your frosting firmer, simply place it in the refrigerator. It will set firmer as it cools. 

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 107mg | Potassium: 41mg | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 300IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 0.1mg
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Calories 250

About Julie Clark

We are Julie, Maddie, and Kinslee – a mother and daughter team sharing with you the best cakes to satisfy any need or sweet craving that you may have. Welcome to our family’s kitchen!

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4.25 from 37 votes (36 ratings without comment)
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5 stars
The frosting was easy to make and tasted great! My daughter thought it would go great with chocolate cupcakes with cookie dough in the middle and Carmel frosting on top!!

Is there a way I can use carmel syrup instead of the carmel rid bits

Please give the amounts of the ingredients to cover the tops and sides of a 3-layer cake.

where would I find carmel bits ? Would Kraft carmels work as well?

Everything looks good!!😊 Can’t wait to make!