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I think caramel popcorn is one of those foods that truly improves upon the original. Basic buttered popcorn is nice as a nostalgic cinema treat, but it has nothing on the sweet, salty crunch of a handful of caramel corn.
Caramel corn reminds me of the popcorn balls that were popular as Trick-or-Treat offerings back when I was a kid, or of the tins of caramel corn my brothers once sold as a Boy Scout fundraiser around Christmastime.
Lately I’ve been playing around with finding ways to take caramel corn to the next level. A few weeks ago I made a stellar (and far too addictive!) batch of chocolate covered caramel popcorn, and I have a few more creative caramel corn recipes that I’m hoping to tweak and post over the next couple of weeks.
One of the recipes I’ve been busy perfecting is this caramel corn buttercream, and I think I’m a little bit in love. So far I’ve used it to fill macarons and piped it onto sugar cookies, and it’s equally delicious both ways. (To be honest, I the cookies were even better than the macarons, simply because sugar cookies aren’t as inherently sweet.)
But, there are so many possible uses for this fun frosting. You can…
Ways to Use Caramel Popcorn Buttercream
- Fill macarons or sandwich cookies
- Frost cakes and cupcakes
- Pipe or spread it onto sugar cookies or shortbread biscuits
- Frost a tray brownies or blondies
- Make cake pops or cake balls
- Use it as a filling for whoopie pies
- Scoop your own frosting cones
Popcorn Buttercream Tips and Tricks
You can make this buttercream with homemade or store-bought caramel corn. I used homemade caramel corn, made from this recipe by Sally’s Baking Addiction. I followed her recipe exactly. The only change I made was to double the amount of caramel sauce, as I wanted to up the caramel-to-popcorn ratio for my buttercream. But if you don’t have the time to make your own, a bag of grocery store caramel corn will do the trick just as nicely!
I used LorAnn Super Strength Caramel Flavor to flavor my buttercream. Watkins and several other brands also make caramel candy flavorings that would work well in this recipe.
One final word of caution: While delicious, this caramel popcorn buttercream is quite sweet, and best reserved for those with a definite sweet tooth!
Other frostings and fillings you might enjoy:
Earl Grey and White Chocolate Ganache
Mint Chocolate Chip Buttercream
Raspberry and Ruby Chocolate Ganache
And if you make these, or any of my recipes, be sure to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re baking!
Caramel Popcorn Buttercream
A fluffy buttercream frosting, bursting with caramel flavor and pieces of real crushed caramel popcorn. Best reserved for those with a definite sweet tooth!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Frostings and Fillings
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: Sweets
Ingredients
225 grams unsalted butter, softened ( 1 cup / 2 sticks)
450 grams confectioner’s sugar (4 cups), plus more to adjust consistency
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon caramel flavor
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons whipping cream, plus more to adjust consistency
1–2 drops gel food coloring (optional)
60 grams caramel corn* (3/4 cup), crushed, or pulsed in a food processor**
Instructions
Add softened butter to a large mixing bowl (if using a handheld mixer) or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whip on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Beat in caramel extract, vanilla bean paste, and salt, and mix until well combined. (If using food coloring, add it here.)
Gradually add the confectioner’s sugar to the butter mixture, mixing on medium speed after each addition.
Add whipping cream by the tablespoonful, and continue adding until desired consistency is reached. More or less cream may be needed depending on your intended application (piping, frosting cupcakes, etc.)
Use buttercream as desired. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Notes
*Store bought or homemade are both fine. See my notes above!
**I used a food processor to pulse my caramel popcorn to the consistency of a fine powder. (A few small bits of popcorn are fine, but if the buttercream is too “chunky,” it will not pipe easily, and the big pieces will be chewy in the buttercream.) If you don’t have a food processor, place your popcorn in a resealable bag and use a mallet or rolling pin to crush.
This recipe easily makes enough buttercream to frost about 30 cookies, 12-14 cupcakes, or a single layer cake. I filled a dozen macarons, decorated a small batch of sugar cookies, and still had frosting left to spare!) Consider doubling the recipe if you are planning to frost a large cake, or a cake with multiple layers.
