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Homemade Salted Caramel Buttercream

This recipe makes enough buttercream to fill, stack and frost a tall three-layer 6-inch cake, including a smooth outer coating like the cake pictured.
Prep Time15 minutes
Keyword: caramel buttercream, salted caramel buttercream
Servings: 6 cups

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 cups 4 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 7 cups powdered sugar sifted
  • 1/2 cup homemade caramel sauce completely cooled
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt or to taste
  • 1 –3 tablespoons heavy cream if needed

Instructions

  • Add the softened butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
  • Beat on medium-high speed for approximately 4–5 minutes, until the butter is very light, fluffy and pale in color.
  • Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
  • Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, about 1 cup at a time.
  • Mix until fully incorporated, scraping the bowl as needed.
  • Pour in 1/2 cup of completely cooled homemade caramel sauce.
  • Add the vanilla extract and sea salt.
  • Mix on medium speed until the caramel is evenly incorporated into the buttercream.
  • Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for another 2–3 minutes until the buttercream is smooth and fluffy.
  • If the buttercream is too thick, add heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
  • For a smooth cake finish, I recommend keeping the buttercream slightly firmer than you would for piping cupcakes.
  • Turn the mixer to low speed and mix for 1–2 minutes to help remove larger air bubbles.

Notes

Tips for the Best Caramel Buttercream

Use room-temperature butter. Your butter should be soft enough to press with your finger but not melted or greasy.
Cool the caramel completely. This is especially important when making caramel buttercream. Warm caramel can melt the butter and make the frosting too soft.
Use a thick caramel sauce. A pourable but not watery caramel works best. If your homemade sauce is very thin, start with 1/3 cup and add more gradually.
Adjust the salt. Depending on how salty your caramel sauce is, you may want to use less additional salt.
Don't add too much liquid. If you're planning to stack a tall cake, you want the frosting to be sturdy enough to support the layers.
Make it ahead. The buttercream can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Bring it back to room temperature and rewhip before using.