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.
Amy
Had to make adjustments as we don’t have ‘brick style cream cheese’ in the UK. Used a tub of full fat philadelphia soft cheese with no issues. Also used only 200g icing sugar for slightly less sweetness.
It was perfect, definitely the best I’ve used, and will come back to it next time I need a cream cheese frosting. Make 1 batch and it was enough for a 4 layer 6 inch cake with a semi-naked finish + a couple of tablespoons left over. It would have piped easily too, had I needed to
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the frosting, Amy! Thank you so much for the feedback with the cream cheese! I really appreciate it. 🙂
Sandra
Could have been just as good with half stick of butter
Michelle
Hi, may I know how long this recipe would last in the fridge?
Sam
Hi Michelle! It should last in the refrigerator for about a week in an air tight container. It will need to thaw out a little bit at room temperature before it is workable again. 🙂
Zakiya
This recipe is amazing! It’s my go-to cream cheese frosting recipe, the only addition which I prefer to include is a tablespoon or 2 of lemon juice which gives it a lovely zesty flavor and balances the sweetness. Thank you so much for sharing!!
Sam
I’m so happy to hear this, Zakiya! Thank you for commenting!
Pat Glauer
Made this today for my husband’s birthday cake and used your suggestion of fresh lemon juice! Delicious and such a bright flavor!
Christine
Do you think you can attach fondant decorations to the outside of the cake without them sliding off?
Sam
Hi Christine! I have never tried it, but I think it would work. 🙂
daffodill29
i love the idea on making it thiker it definetly helped
Ingrid
Delicious frosting and easy to spread. I added a tablespoon of cornstarch to help firm it up. Turned out great.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the frosting, Ingrid! 🙂
ida
Hi! This recipe looks great, can you suggest how I would turn it into a chocolate cream cheese frosting?
Thanks!
Sam
Hi Ida! I actually have a chocolate cream cheese frosting recipe. 🙂 Enjoy!
Ida Baer
Oh super! Looks fabulous! I’m making it right now to frost a hedgehog cake I’m making for my 29 year old daughter– she loves hedgehogs!
Sam
I hope it goes well! 🙂
LL
Perfect! I didn’t add salt but instead lemon essential oil and half a small lemon rind and it’s heavenly!
Sam
I love lemon! I am so glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
JOYCE Munroe
This is a simple and excellent Cream Cheese Frosting recipe. It’s the first time I’ve made this frosting and it was a major success, meaning it tastes wonderful, quick to make and I will bookmark it for the future!
Sam
I’m so happy to hear that this frosting was such a success for you, Joyce!! Thank you for commenting! 🙂
Tiffany Rego
Hi Sam,
How much cream cheese frosting would I need in order to frost your vanilla cake recipe?
Sam
One batch of this cream cheese frosting will give you enough to frost the cake. If you want to decorate it (like pipe decorations on top or around the bottom) I’d increase the recipe by 50%. I hope that helps! 🙂
Veronica Collmar
Can you substitute something else with the powdered sugar so it isn’t that sweet?
Sam
Hi Veronica! Unfortunately I don’t have a good recommendation for making this frosting less sweet. I’m sorry! 🙁
Roberta Salgado
Hi Veronica! I made it. It isn’t over sweet. Taste more creamcheese and butter.
Laura Gillert
If made the day before does this need to be refrigerated
Sam
Hi Laura! It will need to be refrigerated if you make it a day ahead of time. When you go to use it, let it sit out for a little while to allow it to become workable again. It will get pretty stiff in the refrigerator. 🙂
John M
Hi Sam! Does this type of frosting can stand at slightly hot room temperature for hours? I am planning on putting it on my banana cupcakes for a birthday, which will be held outdoors. Thanks!
Sam
Hi John! It is going to be slightly more prone to melting than a buttercream would. I wouldn’t want it to be in a room much higher than 75F. I hope this helps! 🙂
Pam thompson
Can this be easily doubled? I’m trying to figure out how much icing it would take to ice 60 carrot cake cupcakes for a wedding ahower.
Thanks!
Sam
Hi Pam! This recipe is good for doubling, I do it all the time. 🙂
Lisa
I am really excited to try this recipe! Do you think I will be able to “spatula paint” onto a cake with it? Thanks!
Sam
Hi Lisa! I have done something similar with this frosting before.