Easy Cream Cheese Frosting

This easy cream cheese frosting recipe comes together in no time and pairs perfectly with a BUNCH of different desserts. It's incredibly creamy and silky smooth and not sickeningly sweet. It can also easily be thickened to the consistency of buttercream for sharper / more detailed decorating!

how to make cream cheese frosting

Cream cheese frosting is super easy to make and can be summed up in 3 simple steps. Here's a quick little look at how to make cream cheese frosting along with photos of each step, but you can always find the full recipe and ingredient details further down in this post:

1. Cream together butter and cheese. The mixture should be smooth and lump free.
2. Mix powdered sugar in 2 additions. Start with half the sugar and mix it into the butter / cheese mixture until dissolved before adding the remainder.
3. Add the vanilla and salt. Whip everything together until you have a smooth and creamy frosting.

thickening cream cheese frosting

Cream cheese frosting is famous for being a bit on the softer side of things. On one hand, that gives it its signature creaminess, but on the other hand, it can make it difficult to use for piping sharp details or for layering cakes. But there's a solution!

When compared to buttercream, cream cheese frosting is noticeably softer because of the cheese's high moisture content. Cream cheese is made up of about 55% water (but depending on the brand, it could be a slightly lower percent) while butter is typically around 15% water. If you try to cut a cold slice of butter vs a slice of cream cheese, you can kind of feel the difference in firmness.

Instead of adding more sugar and throwing off the sweetness of the entire frosting, the best and simplest trick to getting thick, pipeable cream cheese frosting is to pop it into the fridge. 30-60 minutes in the fridge will allow the butter and cream cheese to firm back up and will set / solidify the entire frosting. This makes it easier to use for stacking heavy cake layers and makes it possible to use it to pipe detailed designs on your desserts.

When chilled, this frosting can thicken to almost the same consistency as buttercream, but you'll still have the delicious flavor and creaminess of cream cheese. This may not always be necessary: depending on the temperature of your home and the specific ingredients you used, you may find the frosting is great to use right away!

FAQs

How much frosting does this recipe make?
This recipe makes about 3 cups of frosting. It's enough to generously frost 12 cupcakes or to regularly frost a 9x13 inch sheet cake. You can also use it to lightly frost a 2 layer cake but it may not fully cover the outside (depending on the size of the cake).

Can I make cream cheese frosting without butter?
Try the frosting in my lemon berry cake recipe! It's deliciously creamy, firm, and stable even without the butter.

How do I color this frosting?
It's always best to use gel or powdered food coloring, especially for more moisture sensitive recipes (like this one). Liquid food coloring is less concentrated, so you'll need to use more to properly color the frosting and this can water down the consistency - so it's best to stay away from liquid food coloring altogether.

Can I add flavoring to cream cheese frosting?
Yes! You can add any of your favorite extracts or baking emulsions to this. You can also add spices like ground cinnamon, ginger, or anything similar. Add any flavorings you'd like along with the vanilla or in place of it when you get to that step.

How long does cream cheese frosting last?
It's best to consume anything made with cream cheese within 4 days.

cream cheese frosting tips

1. Block cream cheese: The best cream cheese to use for frosting is the type that's sold in block or brick shapes. Avoid cream cheese spread as it has a softer consistency and this can impact the final texture of the frosting.
2. Room temperature ingredients: To ensure your frosting whips up into a smooth and velvety delight, make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature before starting. Generally, it takes about 1 hour on the counter for butter and cream cheese to soften but that can change depending on the temperature of your home.
3. Sift the powdered sugar: I know this is a pain, but it makes for an extra silky smooth and creamy frosting! Powdered sugar will clump as it sits in your pantry, so it's always best to sift it to ensure you don't have little lumps of sugar in the frosting.
4. Storing the frosting: Cream cheese can spoil if left out for too long, so anything made with cream cheese frosting should be kept in the fridge (again, for up to 4 days). The frosting will harden once it's fully chilled, so if you'd like to serve it softer, set it out at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. You can leave cream cheese frosting out at room temperature for up to 2 hours (but I would recommend staying under 1 hour during the warmer months).

recipes to make with cream cheese frosting

• Classic Carrot Cake
• Perfect Pumpkin Cake
• Lemon Curd Cake
• Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes

check out these other frosting recipes!

• Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
• Fresh Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
• Espresso Buttercream Frosting
• Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Lastly, if you made this or any of my recipes, be sure to leave a comment and review below! I love hearing your thoughts! Also tag me on Instagram @eatsdelightfulblog so I can see what you're making.

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Enjoy!