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.
Sammi
Gorgeous Sam! Thanks so much.
I’m going camping and want to make sure that the cupcakes and frosting hold up.
Would I be best to maybe make them all ahead of time with frosting, chuck them in the freezer and then let the whole 24 of them defrost over a day?
Sam
Hi Sammi! That should work just fine. As long as it doesn’t get really warm it should hold up pretty well for you. 🙂
Melissa
The easiest and best cream cheese frosting that isn’t too sweet! It’s perfection.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Melissa! 🙂
Brandee J
Hi! Is there a way to determine amounts needed for a 3 layer 8 inch round cake?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Brandee! The best bet would be to make one batch + 1/2 batch. 🙂
Mayang
I made this frosting and it’s too sweet for me. 😉 Is there an alternative to make this frosting stiff but not too sweet?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Mayang! I am sorry that the frosting is too sweet for your liking. You can try and refrigerate it for 5-10 minutes. As the butter cools, it’ll help firm up the frosting. You can also add meringue powder to thicken the frosting and keep it stable. I hope that helps. 🙂
Shelia
Everything about this cream cheese frosting is excellent, how do I know, because I’ve made this same recipe for decades the only difference is I always add a teaspoon of whole buttermilk, which gives that extra Tang. I even color it for different occasions it’s my go to frosting.
Sugar Spun Run
It really is one the best out there. 🙂
anita madison
How long do you mix the icing after you have all of the sugar in? Do you use w paddle or whip attachment? Same question for buttercream. Thanks!
Sam
Hi Anita! I use the paddle attachment here. You need to whip it until all of the sugar is combined and the desired consistency is reached. 🙂
Kim
My new favourite cream cheese frosting! Delicious and nice and thick, sturdy enough for piping. Thank you!! Question.. does this frosting freeze well? I’m thinking of frosting a cake and freezing it, will I have any issues when I need to defrost it?
Sam
Hi Kim! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! This should do fine in the freezer. 🙂
Sarah
This is the best cream cheese frosting recipe I have ever made! My whole family loved it. Thank you so much.
Sam
I’m so happy to hear this, Sarah (and I definitely agree with you)! Thank you so much for commenting!
Mel
Hi,
You think I can make this orange flavor by adding orange zest and some orange juice?
Sam
Yes, definitely with the orange zest but be very careful with and use only a tiny bit of orange juice as too much will make the icing runny and could even curdle it.
Mel
Does same go with lemon? I’m so excited to try out your recipe!
Sam
Yup! Enjoy! 🙂
Ashley LATHROP
Can you taste the cream cheese in this recipe? I’m worried about that tinge cream cheese can have. Wondering if whipping cream will work instead.
Sam
Hi Ashley! Yes, you can definitely taste the cream cheese, if you don’t care for the taste I wouldn’t recommend using whipping cream instead, I’d actually refer you to my classic buttercream recipe instead 🙂
Cathy
Just tried your best cream cheese frosting.
It was so good.
Sugar Spun Run
Yeah! I am so glad that you enjoyed it, Cathy! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
kayla
i made it too, it was soo good
Paris
Hello I only have whipped cream cheese (the speradable one) how does this substitute with the brick?
Sam
Hi Paris! Unfortunately it won’t work well. The frosting will be very soft.
Danielle
Can I use salted butter instead of salted?
Sam
Hi Danielle! You can use salted butter, but cut your salt added by 1/4 teaspoon. 🙂
Maria
Will adding icing coloring change any of the texture or taste?
Sam
Hi Maria! As long as you don’t over-mix the frosting or add a LOT of liquid coloring it won’t change the texture. It definitely shouldn’t change the taste. Enjoy! 🙂
Jan Day
Could this be made a day ahead and used to decorate the next day?
Sam
Hi Jan! That would be fine. Just store in the refrigerator in an air tight container. It may need to be stirred briefly before using the next day. 🙂
Jan Day
Thank you! I look forward to trying it this weekend.
Desiree
Hello! I’m wanting to use this to decorate some cupcakes but I need to add coloring. Will they still hold the texture with the gel coloring? Thanks!!
Sam
Hi Desiree! Yes the frosting should hold up just fine. Just stir the food coloring in at the end. 🙂