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.
Bakin'Blue
Hi, I’m new to baking and I want to make a layer carrot cake for my brother’s birthday next week. I have a few questions in making it
• Is it possible to achieve that consistency by manually whisking it?
• Instead of flavoring it with vanilla, I kinda wanna make it into a lemon flavored frosting (cause I can’t find cream cheese for now). If I make it as lemon frosting, how would I incorporate that?
Thanks
Sam
It is possible to whisk it together manually. The important part is you get everything creamed together in the beginning. The frosting may not be as light and airy but it is possible to do by hand. I actually have a lemon cream cheese frosting on my lemon cupcakes you could use. 🙂
Bakin'Blue
Oh and um can I use vanilla concentrate instead of extract on the cake batter?
Anyway thank you so much for answering! Your recipes are amazing and easy to follow, I’m looking forward to learn more 😁
Sam
Vanilla concentrate is going to be a lot stronger in flavor so if you use it you will need significantly less. 🙂
Bakin'Blue
I’d like to thank you so much for being patient 😊 and for the recipe because it tasted reaaally good!! It’s very moist and delectable, I loved it! I was nervous at first because I used a 7×9 pan with just a little more baking time, but it worked! Looking forward for more of your amazing recipes, thank you 🤗
Sugar Spun Run
You are more than welcome! I am so glad that you enjoyed it! 🙂
Nataly Aleman
Carrot Cake Cupcakes?
Sam
Carrot Cake Cupcakes 🙂
EBONI T CARMAN
Hi Sam,
I’ve kinda gotten myself into a pickle when I volunteered to make a red velvet unicorn cake for my cousin’s 9th birthday. I’m hoping you can help me because I’ve been obsessing over how to get this done. This recipe looks great for frosting that can hold up with piping and coloring, but will it hold up for about a day and a half under fondant? I was planning to make this cake, wrap it in fondant and transport it (about 3 hour drive) to my aunts house the night before the party. Do you think the frosting will hold up during all that time? Should I refrigerate it? I’m so confuse lol. Thanks in advance for any advice you can give.
Sam
Hi Eboni! The frosting will hold up under fondant as it is a pretty sturdy frosting but I do recommend keeping it refrigerated as much as possible. You don’t want it getting really warm so maybe stick it in a cooler for the drive? I hope this helps. 🙂
Eboni
Hi Sam! Didn’t actually end up using the fondant ( making it was harder than i thought) though the frosting came out amazing and held up very well! I got rave reviews on the frosting!
Sam
I’m glad it worked well for you! 🙂
Betsy
Hi, I don’t see a red velvet cake recipe. I made your amazing chocolate cake for my 3 year olds bday and my husband wants red velvet for his. Do you have one and I missed it?
Thanks!
Sam
Hi Betsy. I have one coming soon! 🙂
Betsy
Crossing my fingers you have it before next Wednesday 🙂
Sam
Hmmm I’m not sure I will have it out that soon. I think I’ll be able to finish it by the week after. Sorry. 🙁
Nataly
I can’t wait to try this recipe!!! I have been on a search for the best cream cheese frosting recipe and this recipe is starting to look like it!!! I will comment when I have done it! This just looks so good!!! Can’t wait to try it!!! Thanks Sam!!!
Sam
I hope you love it! 🙂
Rory
Can I use Salted butter and omit actual salt?
Sam
Yup! Enjoy 🙂
Ramsha
Hi i m making a unicorn cake but don’t want butter cream so was looking for cream cheese frosting to pipe the color full icing your recipe looks perfect but can we add color to this recipe as unicorn cake has lots of colors … thanx
Sam
Hi Ramsha! Yes, this frosting is great for coloring 🙂
Chris
Hello, would there be a way to make this a peanut butter cream cheese icing? I’m not sure how adding PB would alter the consistency.
Sam
Hi Chris! Adding peanut butter here will work. It’s really a matter of taste as to how much to add. 🙂
Margarette
Will the frosting freeze? I’m making it for a cake this week but anticipate extra for a cake next week. Should I keep it refrigerated in an airtight container or freeze it?
Sam
Hi Margarette! I typically only recommend keeping the frosting for about a week. I haven’t frozen it before, but I believe cream cheese frosting freezes rather well. To thaw it you would just want to let it thaw in your refrigerator. Good luck! 🙂
Bridget
Hi! I used this recipe for a cake I made for a friend. Everyone loved it! I want to use it for my daughter’s birthday cake but we are going away for her birthday so I’d have to make the frosting 3 days in advance (The cake itself will be frozen) will this recipe keep?
Sam
Hi Bridget! The cream cheese frosting should freeze rather well. If you just refrigerate the frosting and wrap it tightly it should last for 3 days as well. 🙂
carrie
hi sam! i cant wait to try this recipe! but i have just a few questions before that. does beating my butter on high speed for about 5mins (just like making buttercream) help to make it fluffier and hold its shape better rather than directly creaming it with
the cream cheese? im really looking to cut down as much sugar as i can but rather worried that it will get all melty after I pipe it. do advice thank you!
Sam
Hi Carrie! I don’t think this would make the buttercream hold its shape better, to make it fluffier you can beat the frosting for longer once everything is combined but this will make it softer/more melty, unfortunately.
Cheryl
Hi,
Can i add some flavorings?
Sam
Hi Cheryl! I do add vanilla here. If you wanted to substitute that out for some different flavors you can certainly try. I would air on the side of caution and use less than you would if using vanilla because a lot of other flavors can be very potent. Enjoy! 🙂
Elizabeth
This is my second time using this frosting recipe because it’s simple yet tasty. The first time I used it I had made a 4-Layer Carrot Cake for my mom’s birthday and doubled the frosting recipe. Today, I made a 4-Layer Strawberry Crumb cake for my boyfriend’s birthday. This time I tripled the recipe but instead of 12 cups of powdered sugar I used one 32oz bag. The strawberry cake and the crumbs on the cake are already sweet so I didn’t want the frosting to be too sweet. The frosting came out just as good as the first time.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Elizabeth! Those are some really big cakes. 🙂
Sarina La
Hi! Just came across your recipe and would love to try for tomorrow. I have a couple questions. My biggest problem with frosting is how long and how fast to beat the butter and cream cheese. I feel like I tend to over mix? Either way, it ends up kinda runny and doesn’t hold the shape nicely. Of course i use the block full fat cream cheese and our room temp is 70 degrees.
Sam
Hi Sarina! If the frosting is runny you may just need to add a little extra powdered sugar here. 🙂
Sarina Lafuente
Yeah i took a chance and just made it. I used about 3 cups of powdered sugar and it was the best frosting I’ve made. Thank you!
Sam
That’s awesome! I’m so glad it turned out for you. 🙂
Ava
If I pipe these on cupcakes and put them in the fridge for later (4 hours later) do I need to cover the cupcakes before putting them in the fridge. Will the cupcakes be ok without a cover. And what should I use as a cover?
Sam
Hi Ava! If the cupcakes aren’t completely covered I would find a way to cover them. The refrigerator tends to dry cupcakes out very quickly. If it’s not super hot and humid in your house the frosting will be ok at room temperature for a few hours. If I have to store my cupcakes that have piped frosting its typically in a very deep container so the frosting doesn’t get smashed. 🙂