Best Caramel Icing Recipes

OLD TIMEY CARAMEL ICING

Steps:

• 1. Combine 3 cups sugar and milk in a heavy sauce pan on medium heat. Stir together for a few minutes. Allow to continue to heat.
• 2. While milk and sugar are heating, place a small black iron skillet on med. to med. high heat. Add the 5 tablespoons on sugar. Stir in the skillet until the sugar liquifies and then turns golden brown. It will be bubbling hot.
• 3. Now the milk and sugar should be very hot. Carefully pour in the browned sugar from the skillet. Whisk together and cook for about 15 minutes or until the mixture reached the very soft ball stage. (test by dropping a little off a spoon into a small glass of cool water. When a small soft ball forms, it's ready.)
• 4. Remove from heat and using an electric mixer, mix in 1 and 1/2 sticks cold butter...never margarine! Continue to beat until cooled to spreading consistency.
• 5. If too thick, you can thin by beating in milk a tablespoon at a time. Make sure your cake in completely cooled or this heavy icing may cause the top to split. It'll still taste super though!

BANANA-NUT CAKE WITH CARAMEL ICING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a fluted tube pan (such as Bundt®).
• Combine 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and mix in pecans. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in another bowl.
• Beat 1 cup sugar and shortening together with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in banana, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add sour cream and mix until just blended. Add flour mixture and beat until blended.
• Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar-nut mixture into the prepared cake pan. Top with 1/2 of the cake batter. Follow with remaining nut mixture and cake batter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then turn the cake out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add brown sugar and milk. Bring to a boil; continue to boil for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract; mix in powdered sugar gradually. Top the cooled cake with the frosting.

BUTTERMILK CAKE WITH CARAMEL ICING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 10-in. fluted tube pan., Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in vanilla; add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk (batter will be thick). Transfer to prepared pan., Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely., For icing, in a small saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar and cream; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; cool 5-10 minutes. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar; spoon over cake.

CARAMEL ICING

Steps:

• Place the butter and brown sugar in a heavy saucepan over low-medium heat; cook and stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture boils. Stir in the cream, return to a boil, and boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and cool.
• Beat in the powdered sugar until smooth.

BLACKBERRY JAM CAKE WITH CARAMEL ICING

Steps:

• Make the cake:
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the butter and the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs and combine the mixture well. Into a bowl sift together 3 cups of the flour, the allspice, the cloves, the cinnamon, and the salt. In another bowl combine the buttermilk and the baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in batches alternately with the buttermilk mixture, beating well after each addition. In a bowl toss together the raisins, the pecans, and the remaining 1 tablespoon flour and stir the mixture into the batter with the jam, stirring until the mixture is combined well. Line the bottoms of 2 buttered 9-inch cake pans with wax paper and butter the paper. Pour the batter into the pans and bake the layers in the middle of a preheated 325°F. oven for 40 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Let the layers cool in the pans on a rack for 15 minutes, invert them onto the rack, and let the layers cool completely.
• Make the icing
• In a saucepan combine the brown sugar, the evaporated milk, and the butter, cook the mixture over moderately low heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved, and cook it, undisturbed, washing down any sugar crystals clinging to the side of the pan with a brush dipped in cold water, until it registers 238°F. on a candy thermometer. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and beat it until it is of spreading consistency. If the icing gets too hard to spread, dip the icing spatula in hot water.
• Transfer one of the layers, bottom up, to a cake plate, frost the top with the icing, and top it with the remaining layer, bottom down. Frost the top and sides with the icing.

SPICED APPLE CAKE WITH CARAMEL ICING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 10-in. tube pan. In a large bowl, toss apples with bourbon., In a large bowl, beat sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla until well blended. In another bowl, whisk flour, pie spice, salt and baking soda; gradually beat into sugar mixture. Stir in apple mixture and walnuts., Transfer to prepared pan. Bake 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack., In a small heavy saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, milk, bourbon and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally; cook and stir 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Drizzle over warm cake. Cool completely.

BUTTERSCOTCH CAKE WITH CARAMEL ICING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, or line with parchment paper.
• Combine brown sugar and butter for cake in a bowl; cream with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add vanilla extract, then add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed just until they are mixed in.
• Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a separate bowl. Add flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with buttermilk, beating batter on low speed until well mixed, scraping down the bowl by hand as needed. Pour batter evenly into the prepared pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of each layer comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen. Invert carefully onto a serving plate or cooling rack. Let cool, about 30 minutes.
• While cake cools, combine brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, milk, and flour for icing in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Continue to boil, stirring frequently to prevent burning, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons butter and vanilla extract. Cool the mixture, stirring occasionally, until it is still warm (but not hot) and has thickened enough to spread.
• Spread icing over the cake, moving fairly quickly because it will set as it cools. It will be a thin coating, not a thick layer. Let set completely before cutting into the cake.

OATMEAL CAKE WITH CARAMEL ICING

Steps:

• In a small bowl, pour boiling water over oats; let stand 10 minutes. , Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in applesauce and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in the oats. Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan., Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs, 18-22 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack., For icing, in a small saucepan, combine brown sugar and butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Return to a boil. Cook and stir 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl. Stir in vanilla and salt. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Immediately spread icing over cake. Let stand until set.

CARAMEL ICING 1964

Steps:

• 1. Bring sugar, butter and milk slowly to a boil, stirring constantly, and boil slowly for 2 or 3 minutes
• 2. Remove from heat and cool slightly
• 3. Add sifted confectioners sugar until consistency to spread (less if you want to make it a "sauce" for pouring rather than an icing for spreading)
• 4. add vanilla and you're done!

SLOW-COOKER APPLE CIDER CINNAMON ROLLS WITH EASY CREAM CHEESE-CARAMEL ICING

Steps:

• Line bottom and side of slow cooker with cooking parchment paper, then spray parchment with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, stir Roll Dough ingredients until dough forms. Turn out dough onto surface lightly sprinkled with Bisquick mix; knead until smooth, about 10 turns.
• Roll dough into 15x9-inch rectangle. Brush with melted butter. In small bowl, mix brown sugar and apple pie spice; sprinkle on top. Tightly roll up dough from long end; pinch seam to seal. Cut roll into 9 equal slices. Place slices cut-side up in slow cooker.
• Note: To absorb any condensation that forms inside the cover, secure a paper towel inside top of slow cooker cover. Cover; cook on High heat setting 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes or until rolls are baked through.
• Use parchment to remove rolls from slow cooker. In medium bowl, stir Icing ingredients until well combined. Spread over warm or room-temperature rolls (you might not use all the icing). Serve immediately.

HUNDRED DOLLAR CUPCAKES WITH CARAMEL ICING

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the cups of two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl.
• Put the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted, about 1 1/2 minutes (or melt it in a double boiler).
• Put the granulated sugar, brown sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the melted chocolate and beat to combine. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the milk, and beat on low until just combined.
• Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, about 1/4 cup batter in each. Bake until the cupcakes are domed slightly and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Cool completely on a rack.
• For the icing: Make the icing right before you are ready to frost the cupcakes. Combine the granulated sugar, buttermilk, butter, baking soda and vanilla in a medium to large heavy-bottomed saucepan (the liquid will double in volume). Insert a candy thermometer, bring to a boil and boil over medium-high heat until the mixture reaches soft-ball stage (235 degrees F), 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat as it hits the soft-ball stage to avoid over caramelizing.
• Working very quickly but carefully, pour the caramel into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium-high speed until cooled to warm, about 5 minutes. Working quickly, spoon about a tablespoon of the caramel icing onto each cupcake. (Caramel hardens a little as it cools; whip in a splash of heavy cream to loosen it up if needed.) Let stand until set, about 5 minutes. Decorate with edible silver dragees.

WHIPPED CARAMEL GANACHE ICING

Steps:

• Combine 1/4 cup water, sugar, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan; stir to combine. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the mixture reaches 350 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes.
• In another small saucepan add cream and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside.
• When the caramel mixture has reached 350 degrees, remove from heat and allow to rest for 1 minute. Add the hot cream to the caramel; stir to combine. Let cool 5 minutes. Place chocolate in the bowl of an electric mixer and pour caramel sauce over chocolate. Let sit 1 minute before stirring from the center until chocolate is melted.
• Attach bowl to electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low until the bowl feels cool to the touch. Add butter and increase speed to medium-high until mixture is well combined, thickened, and slightly whipped, about 2 minutes.

APPLE-SPICE LAYER CAKE WITH CARAMEL SWIRL ICING

Steps:

• Place one oven rack in the bottom third of the oven and a second rack in the top third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease three 9-inch cake pans with butter or cooking spray, then line each with a parchment paper round and grease the rounds. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in the molasses. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, and ground spices to blend. Add the flour mixture and sour cream alternately to the batter. (Start and end with the flour mixture, adding the flour mixture in 3 increments and the sour cream in 2 increments.) After each addition, mix on low speed just to combine the ingredients. Stir in the shredded apples, vanilla, and ginger.
• Spoon the batter (it will be thick) evenly into the prepared pans. Place two cake pans side by side on one rack and the third on the other. Stagger the cake layers on the oven racks so that no layer is directly over another. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until firm to the touch. Monitor the layers carefully for doneness; each one may be done at a different time. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the pans and unmold the cakes onto wire racks to cool completely, 15 to 30 minutes, before frosting. The cakes can be kept frozen, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 3 weeks. Defrost them at room temperature before unwrapping. Frost immediately.
• To make the icing: In a medium stainless-steel bowl, combine the unwrapped caramels, 2 tablespoons of the cream, and the 2 tablespoons butter. Place over a saucepan filled with 2 inches of simmering water. Stir the caramel mixture until smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat. Let cool, stirring the mixture every few minutes until cool to the touch, about 20 minutes. (If the mixture is too warm, it will melt the buttercream frosting when it is stirred in later.)
• While the caramel is cooling, make the butter cream: Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the 1 1/2 cups butter on medium-high speed for about 1 minute, until pale in color. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons cream and the vanilla and powdered sugar, and beat for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the mascarpone and beat on medium-low speed until incorporated. Do not overbeat the mascarpone, or it may separate. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooled caramel mixture to drizzle over the cake once it is frosted. Stir the remainder of the caramel into the frosting, using large strokes to create caramel swirls throughout. Don't stir it too much or the ribbons of caramel will disappear.
• Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread a thick blanket of frosting on top. Add the second layer and spread thickly with frosting. Add the third layer and cover the top and sides of the cake with an even layer of frosting. Use a small spoon to drizzle the reserved 1/4 cup of caramel over the top of the cake. Pat on the toasted pecan pieces to cover the sides of the cake. Tip: Using the proper tools for cutting frosted layer cakes ensures that individual servings look as good as they taste. I use a large serrated knife dipped in hot water for cutting. I wipe the knife off with a clean dishcloth after each piece, which ensures that every cut is as clean as the first.

BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CARAMEL ICING

Steps:

• mix 1/2 cup sugar cocoa and shortening and water.
• put in microwave melt shorteniing.
• cool and add the rest of the sugar.
• sift dry ingredients.
• add alternately with buttermilk that has vanilla and eggs beaten inches.
• bake in moderate oven 350 for 40 minutes or until done.
• for icing.
• cook the sugars flour salt and boiling water 5 minutes pour cream in and cook until soft ball stage.
• remove and add butter and vanilla let cool and beat until ready to pour on cakle.

CARAMEL ICING

Steps:

• Whisk together sugar, cream, and butter in a medium bowl. Set bowl over (but not touching) simmering water, cook until thickened, about 20 minutes. Remove bowl from heat; stir in vanilla. Let cool.

BLACKBERRY JAM CAKE WITH WALNUTS AND CARAMEL ICING

Steps:

• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Sift first 6 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in jam. Beat in dry ingredients in 4 additions alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions. Fold in walnuts. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes. Run knife around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely.
• For icing:
• Combine brown sugar, evaporated milk, butter, molasses and salt in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk over medium-low heat until blended and smooth. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Cool to lukewarm, whisking occasionally, about 15 minutes. Working in batches, sift powdered sugar into mixture, beating until smooth after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract. Cover and refrigerate icing until firm enough to spread, about 30 minutes.
• Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on serving platter. Spread 1 1/2 cups icing over top. Top with second cake layer, flat side down. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover cake and refrigerate. Let cake stand at room temperature 2 hours before serving.)

BLACKBERRY JAM CAKE WITH CARAMEL ICING

Steps:

• Soak the raisins in the whisky for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 10-inch bundt pan and coat with the bread crumbs.
• Cream the butter in a mixing bowl. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
• Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and cocoa and set aside. Combine the buttermilk and vanilla. Fold the flour mixture into the butter mixture, alternating with the buttermilk mixture in these proportions: 1/3 flour mixture, 1/2 buttermilk, 1/3 flour mixture, remaining buttermilk, remaining flour mixture. Do not beat.
• Drain the raisins and fold them into the batter along with the jam and walnuts. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until the cake is firm and bounces back in the center. Cool for 5 minutes, then unmold onto a rack.
• To make the icing: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and continue stirring for 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk and bring the mixture to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and confectioners' sugar. Beat until creamy and smooth. Thin with a little milk or whisky, if needed. Drizzle over the warm cake.

CARAMEL CAKE FROSTING / ICING

Steps:

• Cook sugar and butter for two minutes.
• Stir in 1/4 cup milk.
• Bring to a boil; cool.
• Stir in 10x (confectioner's) sugar, until thick enough to spread.
• Makes enough for 2 large cake layers.

1-2-3-4 CAKE WITH CARAMEL ICING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease three 9-inch-round cake pans.
• Line bottoms with waxed paper. Grease paper, and flour insides of pans.
• Combine flour and baking powder in bowl.
• Beat butter and sugar in another bowl at medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, beating until smooth.
• At low speed, alternately beat in four mixture and milk.
• Beat in vanilla.
• Scrape into prepared pans, dividing evenly.
• Bake in 350-degree oven 20 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes.
• Remove cakes from pans and cool completely on racks.
• Meanwhile, prepare icing. *NOTE: The recipe states that "although the amount of icing seems small, it is enough to frost the cake. If you wish, the recipe may be doubled." I've found this to be true, but I recommend that you either double it or make a batch & a half, which is what I do.
• Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Add brown sugar and milk Bring to boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar.
• Remove from heat. Cool.
• Beat confectioners' sugar into milk mixture until smooth.
• Frost and stack cake layers on cake plate, spreading 1/3 cup icing between each layer. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining icing.

CARAMEL ICING WITH MARSHMALLOWS

Steps:

• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add milk and bring to a rolling boil. Add brown sugar and marshmallows. Beat until stiff; add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Remove from heat.