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.
Ayo
Hi,
I baked a vanilla, Oreos cake and chocolate cake to use this cheese cream frosting to layer it. I hope it goes well and I will like to ask how long it can stay I. Room temp
Thanks
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Ayo! Your cake sounds delicious! I hope that it is a hit. Cream cheese frosting can sit out at room temperature for upto 2 hours, after that it will need to be refrigerated. 🙂
Lisa
Just used this tonight on your white cake recipe. I’m making a flambe pear topping for moms bday tomorrow so i flavored half with almond vanilla and orange and the other half w almond vanilla n caramel. Couldn’t keep my kids out of it… just FANTASTIC! Thanks!
Sugar Spun Run
That sounds FANTASTIC, Lisa! I am so glad that you all enjoyed it. I hope that your mother does as well. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Jordan
Omg!!! I had an early evening craving for cake w/ cream cheese frosting & used this frosting recipe for my yellow cake because I didn’t feel like running to the store. And I declare!!!! I will never buy cream cheese frosting from the store again! It was so creamy & tasted absolutely amazing!!! My family loved it!!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you and your family loved it, Jordan! Thank you so much for trying my recipe. 🙂
Misha Estolas
I really love this recipe!! Im just wondering if can you put a food coloring on this type of frosting? And its okay for designing a cake right? Thank you ❤️
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Misha! Yes, you can add food coloring to this frosting. The cream cheese has a slight yellow hue that may not give you the brightest in colors so keep that in mind. Happy decorating! 🙂
Wendi
I am going to be frosting a 3 layer 6″ rounds for a birthday cake. Is this stable enough decorated a cake with my bench scraper for smooth sides and will it hold up if it sits out for a couple hours?
You had me at “stable/sturdy”
Thanks!!
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Wendi! It will work well for a 6″ layered cake and should hold up to the bench scrapper just fine. Since it is cream cheese based it should not be left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours. I do have a chocolate frosting that would work as well and that can be left out longer. 🙂
Mj
Hi! Can i double this recipe? Would it come out just as good or should i just do 2 batches?
Sam
Hi MJ! You can certainly double this recipe. I do it all the time. 🙂
Jana
Hello! I’m planning to make some cupcakes for an event Friday morning, and I will frost them the day before. Do you think it would be better to leave them at room temperature, refrigerate them, or freeze them after the frosting is on? I’m planning to pipe a fairly large swirl on each one and want to make sure it holds its shape and doesn’t develop condensation. Luckily it’s winter. Normally I wouldn’t attempt with cream cheese frosting but these are red velvet cupcakes, and your promise of stable frosting gave me hope!
Sam
Hi Jana! You shouldn’t have any issues with condensation if you make these the day before hand and stick them in the refrigerator in an air tight container overnight. 🙂
Beth
Would this make enough icing for a double layer cake?
Sam
Hi Beth! It will ice a 2-layer 8″ or 9″ round cake 🙂
Melissa Coker
This is by far the best cream cheese frosting I’ve ever used. I’m always baking cakes and cupcakes for family and friends and everyone always asks for me to make this frosting. So thank you so much for sharing your awesome recipe ☺️❤️
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed it, Melissa! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Sabrina
Hi,
What Specific brand of cream cheese do you recommend?
Thanks!
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Sabrina! I typically buy Philadelphia Cream Cheese. 🙂
Sabrina
Thank you for that. Is it the Philadelphia in the small tubs that you use? If not do you think it would be okay because that’s the only one I can seem to find in all my grocery stores!
Sugar Spun Run
It usually comes in an 8 oz block and can be found in the refrigerator section at the grocery store. Any brand will do. The cream cheese in the tub should work ok for this recipe as long as it is not whipped. 🙂
Juanita
My Great Niece is in town and it happens to be her Birthday. I found out her favorite cake is Chocolate with cream cheese frosting. This is the first BD cake I have made for her so it was very important it came out rockin! She and her family raved over the cake especially the frosting. Thank you for your recipe, thank you for posting it.
Nerry Lennon
Hi Sam,
Your recipe is exceptional. How I wish I can post a picture of my beautiful roses on my carrot cake so you can see just how great they came out. I was looking for a cream cheese frosting recipe that would hold roses and yours is perfect for it. Thank you for sharing your recipe with the world. I am truly grateful.
Nirmala
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Nerry! I am so glad that you enjoyed the cream cheese frosting and that it was perfect for creating roses. To share a photo you can tag me on Instagram (@sugarspun_sam) or post a photo on my Facebook Group. I’d love to see your final creation. Thanks again for trying my recipe. 🙂
Wendy
Omg this is exactly what I always wanted in a cream cheese frosting but couldn’t quite nail down. I only made a half batch because I made 12 cupcakes and normally don’t like a lot of frosting but I’m seriously regretting it. I could just eat this frosting alone. Thanks so much!!!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the cream cheese frosting, Wendy! Thank you so much for commenting. Next time you will know to make extra for yourself. lol 🙂
K
Hi! This frosting is amazing. Do you have any reccomendations for a high-heat/humidity adaptation? Thanks so much!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the cream cheese frosting, K. Unfortunately, I can’t provide you any high heat recommendations. Icing is tricky in such conditions.
Ann
Hi! I love your cream cheese frosting and I want to make it a head of time for an event I have this weekend how long will it last in the refrigerator? Or should I freeze it and take it out the night before to defrost?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Ann! The frosting can be made and transferred to an airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Enjoy! 🙂