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
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter softened (113g)
- 8 oz cream cheese softened (brick-style, not spreadable) (226g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ 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.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Maria
Hello! Is the 500g sugar fixed or can I put less? We don’t have a sweet tooth in the family but I love baking desserts.
Sam
Hi Maria! The amount isn’t a fixed amount, but if you reduce the sugar the frosting will be a little runny so it’s not really recommended to cut the sugar.
Carol
Will this recipe be ok for a 9 by 13 pan?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Carol! Yes, this should be fine for a 9″ x 13″ pan. Enjoy! 🙂
Kenani
Can this be frozen?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Kenani! Yes, cream cheese frosting can be frozen, although it can take a bit of work to get the original texture back. 🙂
Christa
For how long can it be frozen? Is it best to thaw gradually occasionally whipping it?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Christa! It can be frozen for up to 3 months if stored in an airtight container. I recommend thawing the frosting overnight in the fridge. I hope this helps. 🙂
Megan
This recipe is my go-to now… But I also add a teaspoon or two of bourbon 😉
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the cream cheese frosting, Megan! Bourbon would be a great add-in for sure. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Elece Green
Fabulous recipe–WAY TOO SWEET! 2 cups of confectioners sugar at the most.
Sugar Spun Run
I am glad that you enjoyed the recipe, Elece! I am sorry if it is too sweet for your taste bubs. 🙂
Cathy Nguyen
Which brand of butter did you use? Actually to be honest. Which is the best butter brand to use if you’re baking? Every time I bake I always wonder which is the best butter
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Cathy! For this recipe, I used Challenge Unsalted Butter. In a lot of my cookie recipes, I use European Butter for a richer flavor. I hope that helps! 🙂
Monica
I only have salted butter on hand will it ruin the flavor to use it instead of unsalted?
Sam
Just leave out the salt that the recipe calls for and it will be perfect. Enjoy! 🙂
Arlene
Love this frosting it’s good on top of sweet potatos instead of marshmallows try adding a little maple syrup to the frosting too 😋
Sugar Spun Run
That is such a great tip, Arlene! I will have to try that for sure! 🙂
Megan
How long would this hold in the refrigerator?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Megan! The frosting can be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. 🙂
Komal
Does cream cheese contains salt?
The one which I bought has salt. Can I use it for frosting?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Komal! I typically buy Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese and according to the list of ingredients, it does contain salt. 🙂
Diana
How far in advance can I make this?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Diana! You can make it a few days in advance and it should be fine. 🙂
James c Lyke
It literally takes as long as putting ingredients in a bowl and whipping with an electric mixer and BAM!
(Might be a good idea to put cream cheese and butter out to soften an hour [+/-] before hand)
Helen
Why cheese block and not the spreadable kind?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Helen! 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!:)
Helen O'Brien
Thanks, I think I can only get the spreadable kind will it *really* matter!?
Sam
Unfortunately I do not think it will turn out with the spreadable kind, that kind includes other ingredients in it that will make the batter too runny. I’m sorry, Helen 🙁
Dawn Lambert
Would you also use this recipe to fill pumpkin rolls?
Sam
Yes, I have! If you prefer a silkier frosting you can use a bit less sugar or whip in a Tablespoon of heavy cream.
Mignon Field
This recipe is always my go to for frosting (other than your chocolate frosting recipe)! Perfect to top any delightful treat! Thank you so much!
Mignon
Meridian, Idaho
Sugar Spun Run
I am so happy that you enjoy it, Mignon! Thanks for using my recipe and for your comment. 🙂
Danielle
How I add rumchata? If so how much would you recommend? 🙂
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Danielle! I recommend starting by adding one tablespoon of Rumchata at a time until you get the right flavor and consistency. Enjoy! 🙂