Caramel Buttercream Martha Stewart Recipes

CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Prepare an ice-water bath. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/4 cups sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Brush down sides of pan with a damp pastry brush, and cook, without stirring, until dark amber. Immediately dip bottom of pan in ice-water bath to stop the cooking. Gradually stir in cream until completely smooth.
• Combine remaining 1 cup sugar, egg whites, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer set over (not in) a pot of simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar has dissolved, and mixture is warm and feels completely smooth when rubbed between fingertips. Transfer bowl to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and bottom of bowl is cool to the touch, about 10 minutes.
• Add butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low and slowly beat in caramel until incorporated. Increase speed to high (mixture will look curdled) and continue beating until smooth, about 3 minutes. Switch to paddle attachment and beat on low, 2 minutes more. Use immediately, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days. Before using, return to room temperature and beat until smooth.

CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM FOR CHOCOLATE CARAMEL LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Make caramel: Pour 1/4 cup water into a medium heavy-bottom saucepan. Add 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and syrup is clear. Continue to cook, without stirring, until syrup comes to a boil, washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush 2 or 3 times to prevent crystals from forming. Let syrup boil, gently swirling pan occasionally, until syrup is dark amber.
• Immediately remove from heat; carefully pour in cream (caramel will bubble vigorously). Stir caramel until smooth. Transfer to a bowl; let cool.
• Whisk together remaining 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, the egg whites, and salt in the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer. Set bowl over a pan of simmering water; whisk until sugar is dissolved and mixture registers 140 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.
• Return bowl to mixer; fit mixer with whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff. Reduce speed to medium low; add butter, a few tablespoons at a time. Continue whisking until smooth.
• Switch to paddle attachment. Add caramel and vanilla; beat on lowest speed until combined, 3 to 5 minutes. The buttercream can be made 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Before using, bring frosting to room temperature; return to mixer and beat with the paddle attachment until smooth.

SALTED CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Combine 2 1/2 cups sugar and 3/4 cup water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high, stirring just until sugar dissolves. Cook, swirling the pot occasionally (not stirring), until dark amber, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; slowly stir in cream until caramel is smooth (mixture will splatter). Set aside to cool.
• Whisk together egg whites, kosher salt, and remaining 1 cup sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer set over (not in) a pot of simmering water. Whisk until sugar is dissolved and mixture is smooth and warm to the touch. Transfer bowl to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium-high speed until mixture is fluffy and cool, and stiff peaks form, about 10 minutes. Add butter 2 tablespoons at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in vanilla. Slowly pour in 1 1/2 cups caramel with mixer on medium speed, and whisk until incorporated. Increase to high speed (the mixture will look curdled), and continue to whisk until smooth, about 3 minutes. Switch to the paddle attachment and beat on low speed for 2 minutes to remove air bubbles. Frost cake or cupcakes. Drizzle remaining caramel over the top, then swirl with a skewer or toothpick. Sprinkle with flaky salt, if desired.

CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter bottom and sides of two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans. Line pans with parchment paper rounds and butter again. Dust with flour; tap out excess. In a small bowl, sift together flour and cornstarch.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg yolks, vanilla, and 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Transfer egg-yolk mixture to a large bowl. Wash and dry mixer bowl and whisk attachment.
• Combine egg whites and salt in mixer bowl, and whisk on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 1 1/2 minutes. With mixer running, slowly add remaining 6 tablespoons sugar; continue whisking until stiff and glossy, about 1 minute more.
• Fold egg-white mixture into egg-yolk mixture. In three additions, fold reserved flour mixture into egg mixture. Divide batter between prepared pans, smoothing tops with an offset spatula. Bake until light golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer pans to wire racks to cool slightly; turn out cakes, remove parchment paper, and let cool completely.
• Using a serrated knife, halve each cake horizontally to form 2 layers. Transfer 1 layer to a serving platter and spread 1 cup frosting evenly on top. Set another cake layer on top, and repeat process with more frosting and remaining cake layers. Spread 1 1/2 cups frosting over entire cake. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Spread remaining 2 1/2 cups frosting over cake, smoothing the top and sides. Use a cake comb to give sides of cake a decorative finish, if desired. Serve immediately, or refrigerate up to 2 days; let cake come to room temperature before serving.

CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM FOR BANANA CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Bring 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar and the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Wash sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Cook, undisturbed, until caramel is dark amber. Remove from heat, and slowly add cream, stirring with a wooden spoon until smooth. Let cool.
• Beat butter with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Place whites and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a heatproof mixer bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Whisk until sugar dissolves and mixture registers 160 degrees on a candy thermometer.
• Remove from heat, and attach bowl to a mixer. Whisk on medium speed for 5 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high, and whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 6 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, and add beaten butter, cup at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in vanilla.
• Switch to paddle attachment. With mixer on low speed, add caramel, and beat until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes.

BANANA CUPCAKES WITH CARAMEL BUTTER CREAM FROSTING (MARTHA STEWART RECIPE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Reduce speed to low. Mix any remaining wet ingredients in a bowl if needed. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with wet ingredients and ending with dry. Scrape sides of bowl. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake cupcakes until testers inserted into centers come out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks. Cupcakes will keep, covered, for up to 3 days, unless otherwise noted.
• 1.Make cupcakes as directed in Basic Cupcake How-To, using mashed bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla for wet ingredients. Stir pecans into batter. Once cupcakes are cool, frost tops with caramel buttercream. Frosted cupcakes will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 2 days. Top with banana slices before serving.