INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup caramel sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 to 4 cups confectioners’ sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter until smooth.
2. Add the salt and caramel and whisk until combined.
3. Add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time. Continue to add confectioners’ sugar until you are happy with the flavor and the thickness of the frosting. Adjust the amount of sugar to achieve your desired sweetness and consistency. This caramel frosting is perfect for cakes, cupcakes, or as a filling for pastries. Enjoy!

Here are a few variations of the caramel frosting recipe:

Chocolate Caramel Frosting:

• Add ½ cup of cocoa powder to the original recipe to make it chocolate-flavored.
• Adjust the confectioners’ sugar as needed to balance the sweetness.

Salted Caramel Frosting:

• Use salted caramel sauce instead of regular caramel sauce.
• You can omit the additional salt in the recipe, as the salted caramel provides the desired saltiness.

Coffee Caramel Frosting:

• Dissolve 2 tablespoons of instant coffee in 1-2 tablespoons of hot water before adding it to the frosting mixture.
• This variation adds a delicious coffee flavor to the caramel frosting.

Nutty Caramel Frosting:

• Add ½ cup of chopped toasted nuts (such as pecans or walnuts) to the frosting for added texture and flavor.
• Consider using a caramel nut sauce or incorporating chopped caramelized nuts.

Spiced Caramel Frosting:

• Add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg, and a pinch of cloves to the original recipe.
• This variation creates a warm and aromatic spiced caramel frosting.

Fruit-Infused Caramel Frosting:

• Incorporate fruit flavors by adding ¼ cup of fruit puree (such as raspberry, strawberry, or apple) to the caramel mixture.
• Adjust the confectioners’ sugar as needed to balance the sweetness and achieve the desired consistency.

Vanilla Bean Caramel Frosting:

• Split a vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds to the original frosting recipe for a delightful vanilla flavor.
• You can also use pure vanilla extract if you don’t have vanilla beans on hand.

Citrus Caramel Frosting:

• Add the zest of one orange, lemon, or lime to the frosting for a bright and citrusy twist.
• For a more intense citrus flavor, consider adding a small amount of citrus juice, but be mindful of the frosting’s consistency.

Maple Caramel Frosting:

• Substitute part of the caramel sauce with pure maple syrup (about ¼ cup) for a rich and comforting maple flavor.
• Adjust the sweetness and consistency with confectioners’ sugar as needed.

Almond Caramel Frosting: