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.
Cream Cheese Frosting
This is my all time FAVORITE Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe! Just 5 ingredients!This recipe will cover either one 2-layer 8″ or 9″ cake, 24 cupcakes, or generously frost (as much frosting as in the photos) 12 cupcakes.Please see note regarding thickness
Prep: 10min
Total: 10min
Yield: 24
Serving Size: 1 /24 batch
Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 /24 batch, calories 146 kcal, Carbohydrate 20 g, Protein 1 g, Fat 7 g, Saturated Fat 4 g, Trans Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 21 mg, Sodium 56 mg, Sugar 20 g
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))
Instruction:
- 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.
The BEST Cream Cheese Frosting
This is the BEST Cream Cheese Frosting recipe that’s not overly sweet but full of vanilla flavor and can be made ahead of time! Easy to make and perfect for frosting any cakes or cupcakes. I share tons of tips and reveal the SECRET INGREDIENT below.
Prep: 10min
Total: 10min
Yield: 1
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese, (at room temperature (brick-style, not spreadable))
- 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, (at room temperature)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla paste (or extract)
- 2 cups (250 grams) powdered sugar, (sifted (don’t skip sifting!))
Instruction:
- {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla on medium-high speed until very light, creamy, and smooth. On low speed, gradually add in the sugar and beat until fluffy. If you need a stiffer consistency for decorative piping, add more powdered sugar.’, ‘name’: ‘In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla on medium-high speed until very light, creamy, and smooth. On low speed, gradually add in the sugar and beat until fluffy. If you need a stiffer consistency for decorative piping, add more powdered sugar.’, ‘url’: ‘https://handletheheat.com/best-cream-cheese-frosting/#wprm-recipe-29747-step-0-0’}
- {‘@type’: ‘HowToSection’, ‘name’: ‘Serving, Storing, and Make Ahead:’, ‘itemListElement’: [{‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘Cream cheese frosting, alone or on cake or cupcakes, can sit at a cool room temperature for up to 8 hours before it should be refrigerated.’, ‘name’: ‘Cream cheese frosting, alone or on cake or cupcakes, can sit at a cool room temperature for up to 8 hours before it should be refrigerated.’, ‘url’: ‘https://handletheheat.com/best-cream-cheese-frosting/#wprm-recipe-29747-step-1-0’}, {‘@type’: ‘HowToStep’, ‘text’: ‘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. Bring to room temperature and re-whip with an electric mixer before using.’, ‘name’: ‘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. Bring to room temperature and re-whip with an electric mixer before using.’, ‘url’: ‘https://handletheheat.com/best-cream-cheese-frosting/#wprm-recipe-29747-step-1-1’}]}
