Chocolate caramel frosting gives you the best parts of my two favorites in one bowl. My version combines a fluffy buttercream frosting with rich salted chocolate caramel sauce, plus cream cheese to balance the sweetness and give the heavier caramel a little extra support.
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Skill Level: Intermediate
Shortcut Central: You can use store-bought caramel and add the cocoa powder to it if you are short on time.
Flavor Remix: Add a little instant espresso powder for a mocha caramel frosting.
Allergy Watch: Gluten Free, No Eggs, Nut-Free etc.
If you are looking for a unique way to dress up a cake this frosting is it. I use it on my gluten-free chocolate cupcakes but is great on a basic vanilla cake (GF) too!
Before you get started, make sure you have enough time to complete. There is one detail you cannot rush. The caramel sauce needs to cool completely before it meets the butter. Warm caramel will soften or melt the butter and leave you with a loose frosting instead of the light, fluffy texture you are after.
While you can add the sauce to my gluten free buttercream frosting, I like using this version with cream cheese. It adds a delightful tang to balance out the sweet and salty flavor. It also adds support to the structure of the frosting so it doesn't thin out too much.
Ingredient Notes
- Heavy Cream: Use real cream, not half and half or whole milk.
- Cocoa Powder: Dutch-process cocoa gives the sauce a deep, bold dark chocolate flavor. Regular cocoa will work, but with a lighter taste similar to milk chocolate.
- Salt: Use flaky sea salt or kosher salt. Even if you don't want to make the salted version, you still need to add a pinch of salt to cut the sweetness.
- Cream Cheese: Use full fat, brick style cream cheese rather than whipped cream cheese from a tub. The cream cheese helps give the frosting enough structure to support the heavier caramel sauce and adds a slight tang that balances the sweetness.
- Unsalted Butter: Let the butter soften to room temperature before mixing. You want it soft enough to beat smoothly, but it should not look greasy or partially melted.
How to Make Caramel Chocolate Frosting
A step-by-step visual guide for making chocolate caramel icing. You can skip to the recipe for the full written instructions.
Make the Caramel
Gently melt the sugar, pushing it towards the center of the pan. Slowly whisk in the WARM cream before adding the remaining ingredients.
Then cool to room temp, don't rush this.
Whip the Butter
Starting with beating the cream cheese on its own helps eliminate little lumps before the other ingredients go into the bowl. Once you add the butter and the sauce it will look a little grainy, this is fine.
Add the Sugar
Sift in the powdered sugar while the mixer is on low. Once the sugar is incorporated, increase the speed and continue beating. Giving the frosting several minutes at higher speed incorporates air and transforms the thick mixture into a lighter, fluffier frosting.
Jen's Recipe Notes
- Cool the caramel completely. This is the big one. I am just going to keep repeating myself.
- Beat the cream cheese before adding anything else. It is much easier to smooth out cream cheese by itself than to chase down little lumps after the butter and caramel are already in the bowl.
- Scrape the bowl several times. Butter and cream cheese like to hide along the bottom and sides of a mixer bowl. Scraping ensures the caramel is evenly distributed and the frosting has a consistent texture.
- Do not cut the final whipping time short. The frosting may look finished before it actually is. Those last few minutes of beating incorporate air and give it a lighter, fluffier consistency.
Make Ahead and Storing
Make Ahead: Make the chocolate caramel sauce several days ahead and refrigerate it. Let the amount needed for the frosting return to room temperature before mixing. You can also make the finished frosting ahead and refrigerate it until you are ready to decorate.
Storing: Store your frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let refrigerated frosting soften at room temperature, then rewhip it until light and fluffy before using.
Freezing: Freeze the frosting in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Thaw it in the refrigerator, let it soften at room temperature, then rewhip it just as you would any buttercream to restore its creamy, fluffy texture.
Make a double batch and freeze flat for easy storage.
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Caramel Frosting
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Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup Salted Chocolate Caramel Sauce recipe below
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Salted Chocolate Caramel Sauce
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Place the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or use a large mixing bowl with a handheld electric mixer. Beat on high speed until it becomes smooth.8 ounces cream cheese
- Add the butter and the chocolate caramel sauce, and beat on high until well combined and smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed.1 cup unsalted butter, ½ cup Salted Chocolate Caramel Sauce
- Add the powdered sugar and salt. Turn the mixer on low until all the sugar is incorporated. Scrape down the bowl, and then turn the mixer on medium for 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, and turn the mixer on high for 3-5 minutes, or until the frosting is light and fluffy.4 cups powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Salted Chocolate Caramel Sauce
- Place sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Gently stir the sugar, creating a well in the center. As the sugar begins to caramelize, gently stir a bit more sugar from the outside of the well into the center. Keep doing this, periodically, as the sugar caramelizes. This will take about 10 minutes.¾ cup granulated sugar
- While the sugar is melting and caramelizing, heat the heavy cream in the microwave in 30 seconds burst until warm. Once the sugar has turned a dark amber color, reduce the heat to low and gently stir in the heavy cream, a little at a time. Add the butter, cocoa powder, and salt, and allow to melt completely, while gently whisking.1 cup heavy cream, ¼ cup unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Once the butter has melted, gently whisk the mixture until it is well combined. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature before using in the frosting.
Equipment
- electric mixer or stand mixer
Notes
Heating the cream in a glass measuring cup makes it easiest to pour into the sugar without spilling.
Nutrition
Recipe Questions
Yes, you can fix it. This happened because the cream was not warm enough. Keep the pan over low heat and gently whisk as the mixture warms. The hardened sugar should gradually melt back into the caramel. Be patient and resist turning up the heat to rush it.
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