Cream cheese frosting is one of those recipes everyone needs in their back pocket, and this is my go-to family favorite recipe. Whether you're spreading it thick on a red velvet cake, swirling it high onto carrot cake cupcakes, or using it to turn a boxed mix into a sheet cake that tastes from-scratch (one of my favorite mom hacks of all-time), this is a frosting recipe that'll make people think you're a pro.
And let's be honest: there's nothing worse than running out of frosting halfway through icing your cake. That's why I made this a double-batch recipe. It gives you plenty to work with so you never have to scrape the sides of the bowl and pray it stretches.
This is my tried-and-true cream cheese frosting recipe, scaled up to cover layer cakes generously or to frost enough cupcakes for the class birthday party. It's rich and creamy with that perfect balance of tangy and sweet and has just the right consistency for spreading, yet it's sturdy enough for piping as well.
Once you try it, I promise it'll become your go-to favorite frosting.
As I mentioned, using a homemade frosting to top a box mix cake or cupcakes is one of my favorite semi-homemade shortcuts. If that's your jam too, then I bet you'll love so many of my other recipes like my chicken and flat dumplings that uses both rotisserie chicken and frozen dumplings.
Or, my egg roll in a bowl Trader Joe's hack recipe uses a bagged shredded slaw mix saving you loads of time you'd normally devote to chopping. Finally, my Red Lobster chicken cobbler is a reader favorite that uses both rotisserie chicken and boxed biscuit mix for the topping.
Enough about that though, let's get to why you're here in the first place: cream cheese frosting!
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Ingredients
Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this easy frosting recipe:
- salted butter
- cream cheese
- pure vanilla extract
- kosher salt
- powdered sugar
- heavy cream
(See recipe card for quantities.)
Instructions
Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to get started!
- First, beat the butter and cream cheese at medium speed with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and salt.
- Then, gradually add the powdered sugar until the frosting is thick and spreadable, adding heavy cream at the end to loosen if necessary.
Hint: If you don't plan on using the frosting right away, refrigerate it until ready to use. Let it soften at room temperature or beat with an electric mixer until it reaches spreading consistency.
Substitutions
Check out these substitution ideas in case you need to make some adjustments:
- Butter - I like to use salted butter to balance out the sweetness of the powdered sugar but if all you have is unsalted, that's okay. Just add an extra pinch of salt.
- Cream cheese - For this recipe, I recommend full-fat cream cheese. You can also use low-fat cream cheese, aka Neufchâtel cream cheese for a slightly lighter version, but the frosting may not be as thick. I don't recommend using whipped cream cheese. It has air whipped in and can make the frosting runny.
- Vanilla extract - Want an ultra vanilla-y frosting? Swap in vanilla bean paste for stronger flavor. To make this taste like wedding cake frosting, add a little almond extract instead.
- Heavy cream - If you don't have heavy cream, half-and-half or whole milk will work. Use those sparingly though--they will create a thinner frosting.
Variations
Want to change things up? There are so many ways to do that! Here are some thoughts:
- Chocolate cream cheese frosting - Reduce the powdered sugar by ½ cup and use ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder instead.
- Citrus cream cheese frosting - Lime, orange and lemon cream cheese frosting are all so delicious. Add in fresh zest plus 1 tablespoon of citrus juice instead of the heavy cream. You also may want to check out my lemon raspberry cream cheese icing recipe. It's as delicious as it is pretty.
- Cinnamon cream cheese frosting - Add a dash of cinnamon to this for a fall-inspired frosting.
- Peanut butter cream cheese frosting - Whip in some creamy peanut butter for a fun nostalgic treat!
- Maple cream cheese frosting - Check out the maple frosting I made for these bacon cupcakes. I use maple extract for the ultimate breakfast-inspired treat. I also use a similar type frosting for glazing my pumpkin cinnamon rolls.
Equipment
Here's the equipment you'll need to make the best cream cheese frosting recipe:
- measuring spoons
- dry measuring cups
- large bowl
- electric hand mixer or heavy-duty stand mixer
Storage
To refrigerate: Store leftover cream cheese frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Let it sit at room temperature until it reaches spreadable consistency.
To freeze: Transfer the frosting to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then beat briefly with a mixer to restore the texture.
Tasty Tip
Always start with room temperature butter and cream cheese to avoid lumpy frosting.
Frequently asked questions
You sure can! Store it in the fridge for about a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. You'll need to let it sit at room temperature (once thawed, if frozen) to allow it to soften up to spreadable consistency.
Absolutely! I suggest spooning it into a piping bag and then refrigerating to let it set up. After piped, if you're not serving the cake or cupcake right away, you may want to store it in the fridge.
Not at all. Milk or half and half work too--they'll just make the frosting a tad bit looser than the heavy cream.
For sure. If you're making a single layer cake, sheet cake, or small batch of cupcakes you can easily cut the recipe in half.
It could be that, or if it's a hot day or your kitchen is warm that could make the frosting runny too. Refrigerate it for 20-30 minutes or add more powdered sugar if need be to make a thicker frosting.
This could have happened for a couple of reasons--maybe you didn't start with room temperature cream cheese or butter. Or, your powdered sugar may have needed to be sifted. If you've already mixed things together, don't worry. Pulse the frosting in a food processor--that'll help smooth things out.
Easy peasy. Just add a pinch more salt--especially if you used unsalted butter instead of salted.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this easy cream cheese frosting:
🍽Get the recipe
Double-Batch Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Equipment
- measuring spoons
- dry measuring cups
- large bowl
- hand mixer or heavy-duty stand mixer
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- 2 (8-ounce) blocks cream cheese, softened
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
Instructions
- Beat the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl with a hand mixer or a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until creamy.
- Beat in the vanilla and kosher salt.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, until the frosting is fluffy and spreadable, adding the heavy cream towards the end to loosen if needed.
Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips
When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:
- Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
- When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
- I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
- When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Food safety
Finally, don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe:
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat or eggs
- Wash hands after touching raw meat or eggs
- Don't leave leftovers sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Lily says
I really liked how easy it was to spread and how it did not tear up the cake. It also tasted great straight from the spoon.
Brianne says
This is great frosting. I used it on my banana cake, and we all loved it.
Beth says
This is the best cream cheese frosting I've ever made. I've never been able to make it this good before.