Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 05/22/22
Fluffy Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Prep: 12 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 12 mins
Servings: 24 servings

This is a delicious cream cheese frosting with a caramel flavor, and it's super easy to prepare. Taking less than 15 minutes to make and only 5 ingredients, including caramel sauce and cream cheese, this frosting is so creamy and fluffy. 

Cream cheese comes in bricks or tubs. To achieve the best consistency in this frosting use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese.

This is a great frosting to use during the fall season and is a luscious topping for a pumpkin cake or cupcakes, or use it to frost a spice cake or carrot cake. It's wonderful on chocolate cupcakes, or as a filler too.

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Ingredients

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened

  • 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter, softened

  • 1/2 cup thick caramel sauce, store-bought

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 4 cups confectioners' sugar

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. 

  2. Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add the caramel sauce and vanilla; beat until well blended. Add 3 1/2 cups of confectioners' sugar and beat on low speed until blended. Add more confectioners' sugar, if needed. Increase mixer speed and beat on high speed for 2 minutes.

Tips

  • This recipe is easily halved if you want to frost a small one-layer cake, a loaf cake, or a dozen cupcakes.
  • Beat the frosting for 10 minutes or longer for a super smooth and satiny texture.
  • If frosting is too thick to spread or pipe, thin with milk or cream, beating in about 1 teaspoon at a time until you get the desired consistency.


How to Store Cake or Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cakes or cupcakes that have cream cheese frosting on them should be kept refrigerated and should be eaten within two to three days. Before serving, take out of the refrigerator, and let sit on the counter for an hour.

You can freeze cakes or cupcakes in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to one month.

Tips for Decorating Without Piping

There are many ways you can decorate and create special effects without using a piping bag:

  • Swirl with a spoon to make waves and peaks.
  • Draw a small spatula or butter knife through the frosting in a zigzag pattern.
  • Smooth the frosting with a wet knife, then run a fork over the icing to make ridges.
  • Frost then drizzle with melted semisweet chocolate. Refrigerate until the drizzle sets.

Helpful Links

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
137 Calories
5g Fat
23g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Amount per serving
Calories 137
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 7%
Saturated Fat 3g 16%
Cholesterol 15mg 5%
Sodium 69mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 23g 8%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 22g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 13mg 1%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 18mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)