Brownies with Caramel Buttercream
These Brownies with Caramel Buttercream are a luscious combination of two classic dessert flavors, caramel, and chocolate.
This Caramel Brownies Recipe has a double dose of my favorite dessert ingredient: Caramel!! Bits of soft caramel in the brownies and caramel sauce in the buttercream make for some rich and memorable brownies!
Why You Must Make these Double Caramel Brownies
Chocolate and sugar are such an integral part of my blog. I had some leftover chewy Werther’s caramels wanted to put them to use. Fudgy brownies seemed like the perfect vehicle for them.
Then I thought of my children, the poor deprived kids. They’ve had to put up with unfrosted brownies for years. For ages, they preferred the frosted brownies from a box to my homemade version. Can you imagine????
It was time I gave them a special treat. And I had some homemade microwave caramel sauce in the fridge…wouldn’t that be terrific added to a vanilla buttercream?? OK, I was set. I started whipping up these Caramel Brownies with Caramel Buttercream.
Easy Caramel Brownies Recipe
Well, this caramel brownies recipe was a resounding success. Katie helped me lick the frosting bowl clean…and when Nick, my youngest, got home from work, he dived right in…and sang their praises, too. He and I are the caramel lovers in the family.
You have the option of adding Rolos, a chocolate and caramel candy, to the individual brownies if you want to get fancy or just pile on a thick layer of this exquisite caramel laced buttercream. Trust me, these Caramel Brownies with Caramel Buttercream are terrific either way!
More Decadent Caramel Desserts
- Southern Caramel Cake from Grandbaby Cakes
- Ganache Topped Caramel Bars
- Easy Caramel Brownies
- Caramel Cheesecake
- More of the Best Dessert Recipes
Caramel Brownies with Caramel Buttercream
A double dose of caramel in these brownies, both in the brownies and buttercream frosting!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, cut into 8 pieces
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup premium caramel bits (or caramel squares cut into tiny pieces)
- 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
For buttercream:
- 2/3 cup butter, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup caramel sauce (homemade or store bought), at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons of milk, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Line a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with non-stick foil or regular foil sprayed with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- Place butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave gently until butter and chocolate are melted (30 seconds x 3, stirring in between sessions). Let cool to room temperature.
- Stir sugar into chocolate till combined. Whisk in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla. Fold in flour and salt.
- Mix in caramel bits and chocolate chips. Spread batter into prepared pan
- Bake until a cake tester comes out of the center with just a few moist crumbs, 35-40 min. Cool completely on rack.
- To make the frosting, put butter into a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat till butter is pale and fluffy. Add in caramel and vanilla and mix till combined.
- Carefully mix in powdered sugar. If the buttercream is too dry, add a tablespoon or so of milk till you reach desired consistency (mine was fine without any milk).
- When brownies are cool, spread with a nice thick layer of icing (you may not need to use all the icing). Alternatively, remove brownies from the pan using foil. Cut into squares and pipe on a star of icing.
Note: Chill brownies before cutting for neater brownies.
Yield: 16 brownies
Total time: 2 1/2 hours including cooling time.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1 brownieAmount Per Serving: Calories: 510Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 261mgCarbohydrates: 82gFiber: 1gSugar: 75gProtein: 4g
54 Comments on “Brownies with Caramel Buttercream”
I so love caramel — even more if it comes in brownies. This dessert looks absolutely fantastic, Liz!!! Have a great summer day!
Liz, You have to stop doing this to me! Every time I look at my Bloglovin feed you’ve got something there to entice me – lol! Caramel buttercream – oh my Lord!
Chocolate brownie with caramel frosting…that’s a match made in heaven!
Oh my goodness, that looks AMAZING Liz! Give me a big glass of milk and I’m a happy camper. Delicious!
Nah, not one bit am I feeling sorry for your kids. Your kids would have eaten more brownies than any others I know. And I do love caramel and chocolate. I just don’t think we can buy caramel bits down here. Love your styling of these brownies xx
Caramel in fudgy brownies sound absolutely scrummy!! xx
Lizzy,
You’ve done it again. I could eat a dozen right now. These look wonderful.
I hope you win the Dixie Crystals contest. I’m excited for you.
Annamaria
Classic combo Liz kicked up a notch! Love the colors too!
Oh yum! These looks wonderful and the dishes are fabulous too!
i think this would be taste lovely…….
eversince i’ve got a weight issue, i prefer low calories whipped cream instead of butter cream for my cake Liz
Drooool…caramel and chocolate are always amazing together (I just inhaled a few caramel stuffed chocolates today. I can see my waistline expanding before my eyes). These brownies look fabulous, Liz. You’re the best mom ever for coming up with that luscious icing to satisfy the kids!
I love brownies and you always come up with some of the best versions I’ve seen. I love the icing on these. I think I would end up eating it with a spoon though – it would never make it as a topping.
Liz,
Those brownies look divine. Yup chocolate and sugar are a great pair.
With all these brownies under your belt you still keep out-brownying yourself lol. These sounds awesome with caramel.
Liz,
I can’t wait to make these wonderful sins! WOWWwwww. X
Meant to write scrump-delicious.
Looks like I’ve got stiff competition =) But I win either way because I am a happy recipient of this scrimp-delicious recipe!
P.s. Glad your kids are no longer deprived, Liz =)
These look sensational! Can’t wait to try them, but just one quick question for all us Brits – what on earth are premium caramel bits?! Are they like hard toffee?
Claire, they are small bits of chewy caramel candy…about the size of chocolate chips. Here is a link to the brand I bought here in the states:
http://www.target.com/p/kraft-premium-caramel-bits-12-oz/-/A-13302189 (http://www.target.com/p/kraft-premium-caramel-bits-12-oz/-/A-13302189)
If you can find a chewy caramel candy, I’d just cut it up into small pieces and use that instead. Hard toffee bits would be yummy, too.
Yes please to caramel + caramel!
These sound fabulous!!! Pinning for sometime in the future 🙂
We’d love to have you share them at our SUPER SUNDAY Link Party:
http://whoneedsacape.com/2013/07/super-sunday-party-5/
Lori
Whoneedsacape.com
Not Your Average Super Moms!