Caramel Buttercream

This recipe works well for cupcakes or can be doubled for layored cakes. Easy to make delicious caramel buttercream in just a few minutes. Perfect for topping cupcakes, layer cakes or special celebration cakes.

½ cup + 3 Tbsp. (5¼ oz) salted butter, at room temperature (150 g)
1 cup (5¼ oz) confectioners' sugar (150 g)
¼ cup + 3 Tbsp. (5¼ oz) caramel sauce, ready made or homemade (150 g)

Cut the butter into cubes and then beat it (by hand or with an electric mixer on a low speed) until soft.

Beat in the icing sugar (I do this a Tbsp. at a time to avoid it flying everywhere and covering my kitchen).

Once the butter and icing sugar are fully combined, beat in the caramel sauce.

Makes enough for 9 cupcakes (as decorated in the picture) or to cover and fill a 7" (17.5 cm) round layer cake.

Cook's Notes:

• If you’re making your own caramel sauce to use in this recipe then make it in advance and leave it in the fridge to cool completely before using it for your buttercream.
• Make sure your butter is soft (but not melted) before you start. I take mine out of the fridge a couple of hours before I want to make buttercream or I find that my buttercream can end up a little bit lumpy.
• If you want your buttercream really smooth then make sure you keep your mixer on a low speed. It’s tempting to turn the speed up to get it made quicker, but I find that this adds little air bubbles. If your buttercream starts to get a little soft then pop it into the fridge for 10-15 minutes to firm up a little before using it.