Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

What could be better than a thick slathering of cream cheese frosting on top of a delicious cake? How about a thick slathering of Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting!? That's right, our favorite cream cheese frosting got amped up with fall-favorite caramel flavor. And oh my, this stuff is good.

If I'm being completely honest, I have to say that cream cheese frosting is my absolute favorite kind of frosting. Now don't get me wrong, I can totally get behind a great homemade vanilla buttercream frosting, or my almost-favorite coffee buttercream ... But truly for me, cream cheese frosting is where it's at.

There's just something about the creaminess and slight tang from the cream cheese in cream cheese frosting that I adore.

So when I came across this concept of adding caramel to my favorite, I had to give it a go.

Our favorite cream cheese frosting got amped up with fall-favorite caramel flavor. And oh my, this stuff is good.

Now, I've made a caramel frosting before to go along with my Salted Caramel Cupcakes ... but it didn't include quite as much cream cheese as this Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting version.

And that first attempt was made with caramel candies that are melted down.

Let me just say, incorporating melted down caramel candies into a butter-based frosting proved to be a bit touchy. Since the caramel is warm, the timing of mixing it in has to be just right or, as I found out the hard way ... several times ..., you end up with a melted frosting mess.

So what I like much better about this caramel frosting version is that you use caramel ice cream topping to add in the delicious caramel flavor. No melting down of caramel and no melted frosting involved!

This tasty Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting paired beautifully with the Hummingbird Sheet Cake I made not too long ago. The pineapple and banana flavors of the cake and the caramel flavor of the frosting were a wonderful taste combination, indeed.

To give fair warning, though, this caramel frosting is a tad on the sweet side.

Our family loved it just as it is, but if you don't love your frosting sweet, I suggest adding a touch more salt ... or dialing back on the caramel ice cream topping by a tablespoon or two.

The frosting's texture is beautifully smooth and creamy and spreads nicely to cover a cake.

The frosting's texture is beautifully smooth and creamy and spreads nicely to cover a cake.

As with all cream cheese frostings however, do be careful to not overbeat it. Overbeating a cream cheese-based frosting will cause the frosting to become thin and runny.

Also, I recommend using full-fat cream cheese instead of a lower fat variety. Regular full-fat cream cheese creates a much better, sturdier, creamier textured frosting.

So if like me, you're a cream cheese frosting fanatic, give this Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting a whirl.

I think you'll love the addition of this fall favorite flavor!

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Desserts

Yield: frosting for one cake or about 24 to 30 cupcakes

Author: Tracey |