Description
This salted caramel cake filling is rich, silky, buttery, and perfectly balanced with a touch of sea salt. It is an easy recipe for layer cakes, cupcakes, sandwich cookies, and dessert filling ideas when you want a bakery-style finish at home. Whether you need a cake filling for birthday cakes, easy dessert recipes for gatherings, or sweet food ideas to make ahead, this homemade salted caramel delivers deep flavor and a smooth, spoonable texture.
Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
1. Add the granulated sugar to a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir gently as it melts until it becomes a smooth amber liquid.
2. Carefully add the unsalted butter and stir until fully melted and combined.
3. Slowly pour in the heavy cream while stirring continuously. The mixture will bubble, so keep stirring until smooth.
4. Stir in the vanilla extract and sea salt until fully incorporated.
5. Remove from the heat and let the filling cool until thickened and spreadable.
6. Use between cake layers, inside cupcakes, or chill slightly for a thicker filling texture.
Notes
Let the caramel cool before using so it thickens enough to stay between cake layers.
For the neatest layered cake, pipe a frosting border around the edge before adding the filling.
If refrigerated, let the filling sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes so it softens before spreading.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 135
- Sugar: 19g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Keywords: salted caramel cake filling, caramel filling for cake, easy dessert filling, homemade caramel, cake filling recipe, dessert ideas, sweet food ideas