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.
Bernadene
Hi, I was looking for a new cream cheese recipe and I found yours..I just took out of the oven a blueberry coffee cake and will be putting it on that..as soon as it cools I will be making it..I know it will be yummy because as you said everything is better with cream cheese frosting on it.
Thank you for posting your recipe..will let you know how it turns out..I’m not worried because I know it’s going to be so yummy…
Sam
Thank you so much, Bernadene! I hope it is delicious! 🙂
Aarti
Hi. So I tried the recipe, the taste is quite good, but it’s very runny and I am not able to pipe roses out of it. I think it could be because I let the cream cheese stay at room temperature for quite some time…around an hour or so. I had refrigerated it before. Do you think that could be the reason?
Sam
Hi Aarti! If you cream cheese was to the point of almost melting this could cause the issue. You can see the tips in the post itself for how to thicken the frosting. 🙂
Linda Kissel
Sam,
Im going to try your carrot cake recipe.
Thanks!
Linda Kissel
Sam
I hope you love it, Linda! 🙂
Nancy stein
Love you recipe it is so yummy. I have a quick question after I have frosted my cupcakes should I cover them with foil and refrigerate them or plastic wrap? It needs Refrigeration correct?
Sam
Hi Nancy! It should be refrigerated if not eaten within several hours. I typically stick them in a container deep enough that the frosting won’t get messed up and then cover them with foil or plastic wrap. Foil is a little easier to take on and off but plastic wrap will keep out more air. 🙂
Rose
I am
Doing this recipe right now… lol… instead of vanilla can I put lemon flavor?
Sam
Hi Rose! The lemon is going to be a little more potent so if you do substitute it I would start with less. 🙂
Nancy stein
Thank you so much. They came out so well and I just refrigerated The Leftovers in the Deep container like you suggested
Sam
Yay! I’m so glad they turned out. 🙂
Meileen Donesa
Hello Ms. Sam,, im looking for a creamcheese frosting and luckily i found your recipe,, i would like to try this on my banana cake for my grandson’s birthday this coming sept 23, i like to ask if what size of cake can be frost by this recipe? My baking size is only 8×5 round,, or should I only make a half recipe of this for the size of my cake?
Sam
Hi Meileen! If it is a 5 inch deep 8 inch round pan you will need most of this recipe so I wouldn’t worry about cutting it down. I typically frost a 2 layer 8 or 9 inch cake and my pans are 2 inches deep. 🙂
Richard
Will this frost a four layer 6” round cake? I’m using two 6” round pans and slicing in half to make four layers.
Sam
Hi Richard! Honestly I am not sure. I think it could come pretty close depending on how heavily you apply the frosting. 🙂
Juanita
Hi Sam! I love akl your recipes! I’m wondering if I can store the cream cheese frosting and how can I do it so it will last longer.
Thank you!
Juanita
Sam
Hi Juanita! I am so glad you have enjoyed everything so much! You can store this frosting in the refrigerator for a few days wrapped up tightly so it doesn’t dry out. You will probably need to let it soften a bit at room temperature and then maybe give it a stir before you can pipe or spread it. 🙂
Wendy
I used this on cinnamon rolls yesterday I didn’t think about refrigeration do you think they are still safe to eat
Sam
Hi Wendy! I think they’ll be fine, but you won’t want to leave it out too much longer. 🙂
Kaari
Does this recipe make enough to frost a 9×13 cake? Or should I double the recipe? Sounds amazing. I’m getting ready to put this on a banana cake.
Sam
Hi Kaari! Yes this makes enough to frost a 9 x 13. 🙂
Sasha K.
Hi, would this recipe work with granulated sugar as well, or only powdered sugar?
Sam
Hi Sasha! Unfortunately granulated sugar won’t turn out quite the same. 🙁
Elaine Garvey
I cut back on the powdered sugar when making this – used about 2 1/2 cups. Turned out great. Used with your carrot cake cupcake recipe (reduced sugar in that one a little too). Delicious! Great recipes.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Elaine! 🙂
AnnA
Hi. Can i add food coloring to this frosting?
Sam
Sure thing! You can stir it in at the end. 🙂
AnnA
Thank you soooo much for quick response!!!
Kim
Hey there! Just wondering if this would freeze well? I’m thinking of icing and ice cream
Cake with this!
Sam
Hi Kim! I think it will freeze just fine. 🙂
Dawn
I made your cream cheese frosting a few weeks ago on top of your carrot cake cupcake recipe. Both were delicious! With the leftover frosting I made some chocolate cupcakes a few days later and added peanut butter to that leftover frosting. It turned out delicious. I frosted my chocolate cupcakes with the peanut butter cream cheese frosting! You are my go to for all my baking recipes!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Dawn! I am honored to be your go to. ☺️
Mussarat
Hi I made the cream cheese frosting its quit runy please help me i haven’t done it before
Sam
You may need a little more powdered sugar. If you used spreadable cream cheese it may make the frosting thin too. I hope this helps. 🙂
Kait
SO good, and prefect to pipe. I doubled the recipe and did half as is here and the other half I added a 1/2 cup of peanut butter. Would recommend! My finished product is in the fridge, and I noticed the frosting hardened quite a bit. If I take it out now and let it come to room temp am I fine??
Sam
Hi Kait! Yes the frosting will harden a bit in the refrigerator. You can let it warm up by sitting at room temperature and it should be spreadable again. You may need to stir it briefly after it warms back up. 😊
EMELYN SANCHEZ
Hi Sam,
Can I smooth this frosting with a hot spatula and viva paper method? I always use this method for my cakes. I have two request for cream cheese frosting and is worrying me that I could not use heat and viva paper.
If this frosting cannot be smoothed with heat, can you please suggest other of your cream cheese frosting recipes?
Thanks,
Em
Sam
Hi Emelyn! I honestly haven’t tried it with this recipe. I have read about people doing this with a cream cheese frosting that crusts. This will crust if you put it in the refrigerator for a few minutes, so I think it could work. If you do try it I would love to know how it turns out. 🙂