Whip up this incredibly smooth Caramel Condensed Milk Buttercream to elevate your desserts. Perfect for anyone who loves rich, caramel flavors without the grittiness often found in traditional frostings. This recipe skips the powdered sugar and uses sweetened condensed milk for a luxurious texture. It’s ideal for frosting cakes, cupcakes, and more. Ready in just a few steps with only three ingredients, this is your go-to for an easy yet delicious frosting.

Why You'll Love Caramel Condensed Milk Buttercream
You'll love this Caramel Condensed Milk Buttercream recipe because it's incredibly easy to make and tastes fantastic. With just three simple ingredients, you can whip up a silky, smooth frosting that doesn't have the gritty texture often found in other frostings.
Plus, it's versatile enough to use on a variety of desserts, whether you're decorating a cake, topping cupcakes, or filling cookies. The sweet, rich flavor of caramel mixed with the creamy texture makes it a hit for any sweet treat. And the best part? You can adjust the caramel to suit your taste, making it perfect every time.
Ingredients In My Caramel Condensed Milk Buttercream
- Butter: This is the foundation of the buttercream. You'll use it in a softened state so it can be whipped into a light and creamy texture. It helps to stabilize the frosting and allows it to hold up well when spread or piped onto desserts. You can use either unsalted or salted butter based on your taste preference.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: This thick, sweet milk adds richness and a velvety texture to the buttercream, enhancing its body and flavor. It eliminates the need for powdered sugar, ensuring the buttercream is smooth without any grittiness.
- Caramel Sauce: The caramel sauce infuses a deep, sugary, and slightly toasted flavor into the buttercream. It complements the butter and condensed milk with its rich and gooey qualities, and you can tweak the amount you add according to how strong a caramel flavor you prefer.

How To Make My Caramel Condensed Milk Buttercream
Prepare the Butter: First, take your softened butter and place it in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer to beat the butter. Aim to mix it until it becomes very fluffy and noticeably lighter in color. This process is important as it introduces air into the butter, making the base of your buttercream light and airy.

Add Sweetened Condensed Milk: Once your butter is fluffy, pour in the sweetened condensed milk. Continue mixing at a medium speed. It’s crucial to mix these two ingredients until they are completely combined and the mixture looks smooth and even. This step integrates the sweetened condensed milk thoroughly with the butter, ensuring that your buttercream has a creamy, consistent texture.

Incorporate the Caramel Sauce: Finally, add the caramel sauce to the bowl. Keep mixing for another minute or two, making sure the caramel is fully blended into the buttercream. This is what gives the buttercream its delicious caramel flavor. After mixing, give it a taste and see if the caramel flavor is strong enough for your liking. If you want a richer caramel taste, feel free to mix in a bit more caramel sauce until it’s just right.

Pro Tip
For the best results with your Caramel Condensed Milk Buttercream, make sure to start with butter that's really soft but not melted. Soft butter blends more smoothly with the sweetened condensed milk and caramel, ensuring your buttercream turns out creamy and even. This will help you avoid lumps and give you that silky texture you're looking for.
Troubleshooting Tips
Mixing Time: If your buttercream splits or curdles, continue mixing. It might take over 5 minutes, but it will eventually smooth out.
Buttercream Too Soft: If the buttercream is too soft, chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes then re-whip it.
Storage Tips: Always store the buttercream in an airtight container to prevent it from absorbing fridge odors.
Curdling Issue:
If your Caramel Condensed Milk Buttercream splits or curdles, don't worry—it's fixable! Just pop it into the refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes. After chilling, take it out and mix it continuously for 5 or more minutes. Keep mixing until it smooths out and comes back together. This should resolve the texture and bring your buttercream back to that creamy consistency you want.

How To Use This Buttercream
This versatile Caramel Condensed Milk Buttercream can be used in a variety of delicious ways. Here are some great ideas for you to try:
Cake Frosting: Use it as a smooth, creamy frosting for any type of cake, such as chocolate, vanilla, or spice cake.
Cupcake Topping: Pipe it onto cupcakes for a rich, flavorful topping that complements any cupcake base.
Cookie Sandwich Filling: Spread between two cookies for a decadent sandwich treat. It pairs especially well with chocolate chip, oatmeal, or sugar cookies.
Macaron Filling: Elevate your homemade macarons by using this buttercream as a filling. Its creamy texture and caramel flavor make it an excellent choice.
Whoopie Pie Filling: Fill whoopie pies with this buttercream for a classic American dessert with a caramel twist.
Donut Topping: Spread or pipe it onto donuts.
Dessert Topping: Dollop or drizzle it over desserts like brownies, blondies, or cheesecake for added flavor and richness.
Pastry Filling: Inject into pastries like croissants or eclairs for a surprise burst of caramel sweetness.
More Condensed Milk Buttercream Recipes
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
es, you can use either unsalted or salted butter based on your preference. If you use unsalted butter and want a slight enhancement of flavor, you can add a pinch of salt.
You can use any type of caramel sauce that you enjoy eating on its own. Both homemade and store-bought caramel sauces work well. If you prefer a deeper caramel flavor, opt for a richer, darker caramel.
This buttercream can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Make sure to keep it in an airtight container. You can also freeze it for up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight when ready to use and re-whip before using to ensure it's smooth.
If your buttercream is too runny, chilling it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes can help. After chilling, re-whip it to restore its fluffy texture. This usually happens if the ingredients were too warm during mixing.
Caramel Condensed Milk Buttercream Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- 500 g (2 ⅕ cups) butter softened, salted or unsalted
- 395 g (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup (½ cup) caramel sauce or dulce de leche
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prepare the Butter: Place the butter in a medium mixing bowl. Use a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer to mix for 3-5 minutes. Aim for a lighter color and fluffier texture.
- Add Condensed Milk: Incorporate the entire can of sweetened condensed milk. Mix at medium speed for 1-2 minutes, or until well combined.
- Mix in Caramel: Add the caramel sauce to the butter mixture. Mix for another 1-2 minutes until the buttercream is silky smooth. Adjust the caramel to taste, if desired, and mix again.
Rachel West says
Unsalted butter or regular butter?
Fay says
I prefer unsalted so I can control the amount of salt I add if I want to turn it into salted caramel buttercream.
Rachel West says
Beautiful!!!
Fay says
Thank you!