This is my family favorite BEST cream cheese frosting recipe! It goes great on Carrot Cake, Red Velvet Cake, and just about any other flavor cake or cupcake you can imagine. I’ve been making this cream cheese icing for years!
If I had things my way, every cake and every cupcake would be be buried beneath a mountain of cream cheese frosting.
Not buttercream — Never rarely buttercream — always and only cream cheese. For someone with such a rampant sweet tooth, it’s alarming the number of times I’ve turned down a slice of cake or a sky-high frosted cupcake because the buttercream just makes my teeth hurt (OK full disclosure I have a buttercream recipe coming up on the blog next month, and it’s delicious, but cream cheese frosting will always win over my heart, even over my favorite chocolate frosting).
While buttercream frostings are usually too sweet, cream cheese frosting I could eat with a spoon, and this recipe is every bit as versatile as buttercream — it’s sturdy, pipe-able, can be dyed, and, most importantly, it’s delicious.
Tips for Making Cream Cheese Icing:
- Make sure that you are using full-fat brick cream cheese, not low fat or spreadable cream cheese (which is usually sold in a tub rather than in brick form).
- I always like to use unsalted butter and add a dash of salt so that I have complete control over the flavor of the frosting. However, if you only have salted butter on hand then just omit the salt called for in the recipe.
- Make sure you allow your cream cheese and your butter to soften before making your frosting! Softening the butter and cream cheese ensure that your ingredients will combine well and be lump free.
- If you intend to pipe your frosting, I recommend sifting your powdered sugar before mixing it into your butter/cream cheese mixture, as small lumps of sugar can clog up your piping tips, especially if you’re using a smaller tip.
Can cream cheese frosting be used for piping?
- Yes! Especially with this recipe because it is nice and thick. Now, this frosting (as with most) is prone to melting in hot weather, but it pipes nicely and as you can see in the photos it holds its shape neatly as well.
How do I make my cream cheese frosting thicker?
- What I love about this recipe is that it already makes a nice thick frosting, but if needed you can add more powdered sugar to make your cream cheese frosting even thicker. I recommend adding about 2 Tablespoons at a time until the desired thickness is reached. Alternatively you can add cornstarch… see more on that below.
Can I add cornstarch to my cream cheese frosting?
- Yup! While this recipe does not call for it, if you need a particularly stiff frosting or are looking to make your frosting thicker without making it sweeter, you can add cornstarch (in fact, I use this technique for my carrot cake cookies). I don’t recommend adding more than a few Tablespoons, so start with just one Tablespoon at a time until desired thickness is reached.
Alright, while (in my humble opinion) cream cheese frosting goes great with everything, there are certain cakes and cupcakes that complement it particularly well. Wednesday I’ll be sharing one of my favorite cupcakes with you — the exact cupcakes seen in the photos above.
Can you guess what flavor they are???
How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter softened (113g)
- 8 oz cream cheese softened (brick-style, not spreadable) (226g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups powdered sugar* (500g)
Instructions
- Combine butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer (or you may use an electric mixer) and beat until creamy, well-combined, and lump-free.
- Add vanilla extract and salt and stir well to combine.
- With mixer on low, gradually add powdered sugar until completely combined.
- Use to frost completely cooled cake or cupcakes.
Tam says
October 15, 2019 at 6:03 amHi, Thanks so much I’m a school student who was looking for an amazing cream cheese frosting recipe (because it is the best thing on the planet duh) and here I got it for my assessment and I know im gonna ace it with this frosting… Thanks once again.
Also can I add sprinkles into the frosting or will they smudge and become a weird colour and can I add popping candy into the frosting as well.
Sugar Spun Run says
October 15, 2019 at 6:28 amHello, Tamara! I am so glad that you enjoyed the cream cheese frosting. Thank you for choosing my recipe for your assessment. You can top the frosting with jimmies or sprinkles, I just don’t recommend that you mix them in. Good Luck! 🙂
yatik says
October 14, 2019 at 12:52 pmI love this recipe and i made at home and it worked. I hope i can be a baker just like u.
Sugar Spun Run says
October 14, 2019 at 1:50 pmThank you so much! I am so glad that you enjoyed the cream cheese frosting. Sending you well wishes on your baking journey! 🙂
Jen says
October 13, 2019 at 9:29 pmHi Sam!
I looooove cream cheese frosting, the others are far too sweet for me. But I see that you make a point of saying that you need to use full-fat cream cheese. I love to use that lower fat Philidelphia for other things, but if that wouldn’t work, do you have any other suggestions for a lower fat approach?
Sam says
October 13, 2019 at 10:43 pmHi Jen! Unfortunately I do not have one. Every time I have made it with low fat cream cheese, the frosting comes out too runny. I’m sorry. 🙁
Lynn says
October 9, 2019 at 12:15 pmI have made a red velvet cake for my daughter’s birthday this weekend and popped it in the freezer whilst I search for the perfect cream cheese frosting recipe. Her twin sister found this one… but we are in the UK and cannot get blocks of cream cheese here, they only come in tubs. Will this still work?
Sugar Spun Run says
October 9, 2019 at 3:54 pmHello, Lynn! Since I am not in the UK, I am not certain how the cream cheese in tubs may be different than what is purchased in the U.S. I would give it a try. If it gets too runny, I would add additional powdered sugar until you get the right consistency. Please let me know how the cream cheese frosting works. 🙂
Debby says
October 7, 2019 at 3:17 pmI was looking for a thicker recipe and found yours. I do have a question, others I have used didn’t call for salt and came out fine even using unsalted, why the salt?
Sugar Spun Run says
October 8, 2019 at 9:58 amHello, Debby! Adding salt helps cut the sweetness but it also enhances the vanilla flavoring! I hope that you enjoy the cream cheese frosting. 🙂
Candace Bradshaw says
October 5, 2019 at 8:41 amI am piping frosting on cupcakes. When I was piping the frosting it seemed to be runny. What do I need to do? I now have gone them in the refrigerator. Thank you.
Sugar Spun Run says
October 5, 2019 at 8:58 amHello, Candace! I am so sorry to hear that your cream cheese frosting is runny. I recommend slowly adding in more powdered sugar to the frosting, mix and add more until the frosting thickens up. You should have small little peaks.
Dina says
October 7, 2019 at 9:31 pmHello, Thankyou for sharing this recipe, I do I agree that buttercream is to sweet I wanted to know if the cream cheese frosting will hold as for I want to make my friend a centerpiece of cupcakes flowers will the creamcheese hold like butter cream does as I use a tube to design into flowers?
Thankyou
Dee
Sugar Spun Run says
October 8, 2019 at 5:51 pmHello, Dina! It really depends on the intricacy of the flowers. This Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe holds up as well as an American Buttercream. I use it often for decorating. However, if you are looking to make very stiff flowers, you will need to add more powdered sugar to get the right consistency (just like you you would for traditional American Buttercream). I hope this helps and I hope that you enjoy the cream cheese frosting. 🙂
Vivian says
October 7, 2019 at 5:55 pmOnce you frost the cake, does it have to be refrigerated? Also could I make this frosting on a Tuesday and serve it and the cake on a Thursday evening? Thanks for your help.
Tania says
October 3, 2019 at 3:05 pmHi! The cream cheese is Philadelphia cheese right? Because in my country doesn’t come this kind of cheese in brick bars, so can I use any kind of full-fat Philadelphia cheese?
Sugar Spun Run says
October 3, 2019 at 3:30 pmHello, Tania! I am not certain how cream cheese is in other countries so I can not say exactly. I do recommend using a any kind of full-fat cream cheese if it is available. I hope that you enjoy your cream cheese frosting. 🙂
Michelle says
October 3, 2019 at 10:48 amThank you for sharing this recipe, I am looking forward to giving it a try for an upcoming baby shower!!! General question, For a strawberry cream cheese buttercream. How many cups of strawberry reduction do you recommend that I can “safely” add to this recipe? Also, if I find that this recipe is too thick how would I go about thinning it? Thank you so much. Thank you in advance for you for advice and time.
Sam says
October 7, 2019 at 3:40 pmHi Michelle! I’m so sorry I missed your comment earlier. The strawberry reduction would certainly thin the frosting, I think even one cup would be far too much, unless you are looking for a very thin frosting. I would add the reduction gradually until you reach the desired consistency, but this will make the frosting quite soft. If you find the cream cheese frosting to be too thick in general I would begin by just adding powdered sugar until your desired consistency has been reached, and then if you add more than is desired you can thin that out by adding a bit of heavy cream or even milk (just a teaspoon or two at a time) until you have the thickness you are looking for. I hope that helps!
Linda says
October 14, 2019 at 9:53 amUse freeze dried strawberries in the cream cheese frosting, not purée. (1cup Measured then finely processed into dust) works perfectly!
Sugar Spun Run says
October 14, 2019 at 2:30 pmGood to know, Lina! Thanks! 🙂
Marie says
September 30, 2019 at 9:41 pmThis cream cheese is to die for!! Sooo yummy and delicious made my own bundtinis with this frosting
Sugar Spun Run says
October 1, 2019 at 6:11 amThank you so much, Marie! I am so happy that you enjoyed the cream cheese frosting. 🙂
Sandy says
September 27, 2019 at 3:34 pmWould cupcakes need to be refrigerated after frosting? I’m making 2 dozen & may not have that much room in my fridge.
Sugar Spun Run says
September 27, 2019 at 7:31 pmHello, Sandy! Cream cheese frosting, alone or on cake or cupcakes, can sit at cool room temperature for up to 8 hours before it should be refrigerated. 🙂
Kim Scott says
October 12, 2019 at 7:41 pmCan i make frosting on a monday put in fridge and pip cupcakes Tuesday also make my cupcakes monday simple syrup and put in fridge and take out Tuesday to decorate
Sam says
October 12, 2019 at 8:51 pmYes that should be fine! Enjoy 🙂
Ulla says
September 21, 2019 at 3:03 pmHi!
Why I can’t use spreadable cheese?
Whats the difference?
Thank uou
Sam says
September 21, 2019 at 3:48 pmHi Ulla! The spreadable cream cheese that is usually sold in tubs is formulated differently. It is too soft to use for this frosting, the cream cheese frosting would be too runny. I hope that helps!
Natalie says
September 26, 2019 at 9:48 pmI want to be a chef and a baker when I grow up. I look up to you! And this was soooooooooo yummy! 👍🏻🤩
Sugar Spun Run says
September 27, 2019 at 6:03 amNatalie, thank you so much! What a wonderful compliment! Best wishes to you, future baker! 🙂
Jesse Douglas says
September 18, 2019 at 12:28 pmHi! I am making a 2-layer, 9″, red velvet cake with a cheesecake layer in between…. should I double this recipe??? TIA!! 🎂
Sam says
September 18, 2019 at 2:08 pmHi Jesse! This recipe will cover a 2 layer 9 inch cake. You may heed a little bit extra to cover the cheesecake layer, but I don’t think you will need to double it. 🙂
Jesse C Douglas says
September 19, 2019 at 5:39 pmThanks! Pics to come this weekend! The frosting is DELICIOUS!!!! 😋
Julie says
September 18, 2019 at 11:18 amLove the recipe and thank you for sharing. My question is how long does the frosting last in the refrigerator?
Sam says
September 18, 2019 at 2:16 pmHi Julie! The frosting should last about a week in the refrigerator. It will probably stiffen and need to sit out a few minutes before it is workable after being in the refrigerator that long. 🙂
Bobbie says
September 17, 2019 at 9:31 pmHi! How do I reduce this recipe to an amount “just right” (not “generously”) for 12 cupcakes? Do I just halve every ingredients on this list? 🙂
Thank you!
Sam says
September 17, 2019 at 9:44 pmHi Bobbie! That’s a really tough question, because it really is a matter of personal preference. You could try cutting it in half, but you may end up short. You could always discard any excess. Sorry I can’t be of more help. I hope you love the frosting. 🙂
Bobbie says
September 17, 2019 at 10:14 pmWow! I *did not* expect that fast reply. Haha. Thank you, Sam! 🙂 If I do end up with more frosting than I intended to, I can always store it in the fridge until my next baking session, right? Do you know for how long can I store it in the fridge (or freezer)?
Sam says
September 18, 2019 at 8:50 amI’m glad I can help, Bobbie! I typically only keep the frosting about a week in the refrigerator. I haven’t frozen it. It may work but the texture may be altered when thawing it.