Salted Caramel Frosting

I've been teasing you for days about this frosting but I promise you it's worth the wait.  This is absolutely my favorite frosting I've ever made.  It's the kind of frosting where you want whatever the frosting is frosting to be neutral so as not to distract you from the deliciousness that is salted caramel frosting.  Today I spread these on some vanilla cupcakes and served them at a baby shower.  They flew off the platters like hot cakes.

Oh wait - didn't I tell you?  This is not just salted caramel frosting, it's salted caramel cream cheese frosting.   I know.

So, obviously to make salted caramel frosting you have to make caramel.  I have hit or miss success with making caramel.  Generally I miss and then make it again and hit.  It's a trend... that continued today.  More on that later.

This caramel is pretty standard... sugar and water get cooked until it turns a nice amber color.  Add butter, add cream, vanilla and salt.   The caramel sauce is super tasty and I know it would be amazing just by itself or on ice cream.  Definitely on ice cream.

The first time I attempted to make this caramel that thing over there happened.  The whole thing crystallized and practically turned into rock candy.  It was the weirdest thing.

The only thing I can think of is that I stirred it too much which pushed the  crystals from the side of the pot into the sugar and made that thing.

So just in case I'm right, don't stir it too much.  The 2nd time I made it I barely stirred it at all and that didn't happen.  Not that that proves anything.

Also make sure you have enough ingredients to make this again just in case that thing happens to you too.

The cooled caramel gets blended into butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar.  I know.  Just go make it now whether you have something to spread it on or not.  Put it on a cookie or a graham cracker or a spoon or your finger.  I'm not kidding this stuff is so good.

PS - I'm not alone, CA likes this stuff as much as I do. 

Salted Caramel Frosting
Adapted from Barefeet in the Kitchen
Yields 3 cups of frosting (enough for 24 cupcakes)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Sugar
2 T Water
3/4 cup Butter, at room temperature (divided)
1/4 cup Heavy Cream
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 tsp Salt
8 oz. Cream Cheese, at room temperature
4 cups Powdered Sugar

Instructions:

In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar and the water. Stir to combine and then cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves; about 4-5 minutes. There is no need to stir, simply swirl the pan over the burner occasionally as the sugar dissolves.

Raise the heat to medium high and cook the sauce, swirling the pan occasionally, until it is amber colored; about 7-8 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of butter, be prepared for it to bubble and sputter, lightly stir with a wooden spatula, do not scrape the sides of the pan or splash sauce up the sides of the pan. (This will cause crystallization, if you scrape the uncooked sugars back into the sauce.)

Once the butter is melted, remove from the heat and add the vanilla, heavy cream and salt. It will bubble again, but will calm quickly. Stir to combine (again, not scraping sides of the pan) and then let it cool before transferring.

Beat the butter and cream cheese together at medium speed until smooth and creamy.  Add the powdered sugar and beat to combine.  A the caramel sauce and beat again to combine.