Salted Caramel Buttercream

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup sugar, divided
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp + 2 tsp (40 mL) cream
  • 2 egg whites
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation

Step 1

Put 1/4 cup of sugar and water in saucepan over medium-high heat. Do not stir of you will get sugar crystals, but you can swirl the saucepan gently. It will bubble itself into a deep amber. Remove immediately from heat and add cream (careful – it will bubble up furiously). Stir until smooth and set aside.

Put the egg whites, salt, and 1/4 cup sugar in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Whisk until sugar dissolves and mixture reaches 140 degrees. Transfer to bowl of standing mixer.

Beat on high until stiff peaks form. Add butter a bit at a time, and continue beating on medium. Reduce speed to low, add vanilla extract, and then caramel (you may need to gently rewarm the caramel in the microwave for 10 seconds at a time until it is workable but not burning hot). Beat for 4-5 minutes.