Caramel Whipped Cream Is The Topping Your Fall Cakes Need

Besides colorful leaves and warming bowls of soup, many autumn lovers ring in this cozy season by baking their favorite seasonal treats. Next to pumpkin bread and carrot muffins, for extra decadent desserts, you may want to amp up your usual topping of choice to match that quintessential fall mood. If you're looking for a delicious frosting for your next cinnamon apple sheet cake or pumpkin cupcakes, then change up your standard whipped cream recipe. While traditional homemade whipped cream is made by beating sugar, cold heavy cream, and vanilla, you can easily give your whipped cream a flavor more reminiscent of the autumn season. 

Out of all the classic fall flavors — besides cinnamon, pear, and maple — caramel tends to be a flavor that adheres well to the associated spices of your most loved fall desserts. You can easily transform your standard whipped cream recipe into a caramel topping by simply adding some pre-made caramel sauce directly into your next batch of homemade whipped cream. All you need to do is think ahead and make a delicious batch of homemade caramel sauce to have at the ready. This way, when you make your next autumnal dessert rich with the warming spices of the season like cinnamon and nutmeg, you already have the key ingredient necessary to make a specialized seasonal topping.  

If you're intrigued by imbuing your classic vanilla whipped cream recipe with caramel, first you need to follow the steps to make your own homemade caramel sauce. The first step is to make the essential base of this sweet treat topping: a golden brown sugary syrup. To do so heat sugar, salt, and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Using a saucepan with a heavy base helps maintain consistency in the heating process. Once your sugar mixture smells of buttery caramel and turns a rich tan color, remove from heat and slowly add in the cream. From here, all you need to do is incorporate some butter, stir the mixture well, and pour the caramel sauce into a clean jar.  

When it comes to making caramel-enhanced whipped cream, waiting until your caramel sauce has cooled completely is essential. Since cream is primarily composed of fat, keeping the mixture cold through the whipping stage is key and ensures those precious fat molecules will sustain a more solidifying texture. Whip unsweetened heavy cream with a hand mixer until you begin to see small amounts of definition along the surface. Then add a drizzle or two of caramel and continue to mix until peaks form. In just a handful of minutes, you're left with buttery and sweet caramel whipped cream which happens to be the versatile topping of the season, perfect for all of your fall-inspired treats.  

While making your own caramel sauce isn't terribly complicated, the truth remains that it does come with a fair share of potential mishaps. Luckily, you can make a more simplified version of caramel whipped cream with just cold heavy cream and store-bought caramel sauce. Whichever way you decide to procure that delectable caramel sauce is up to you. However, always make sure to taste test any store-bought varieties before adding to whipped cream. By doing so, you have better control over the sweetness factor of this one-of-a-kind topping.

Now that you know how easy it is to make caramel whipped cream, this decadent topping can be added to more than just your next serving of pumpkin dump cake. This sauce can be drizzled over a simple helping of ice cream and fruit, and you can also add this delectable whipped cream to your grandma's apple pie or your signature cranberry mascarpone cheesecake this holiday season. Most importantly, if your current lineup of autumn-inspired desserts calls for a little something extra, use caramel whipped cream to give your favorite treats a sophisticated boost of buttery rich caramel.