Cream Cheese Frosting
This post may contain affiliate links, read our disclosure policy.
This simple Cream Cheese Frosting only takes a couple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen!
Growing up I was not a fan of cream cheese frosting. And then, as an adult), I tried it again and oh em gee. Life changed! I am all in on this cream cheese frosting recipe now! My husband had a similar revelation with Brussels sprouts recently. Turns out they’re quite yummy!
Save this recipe!
Save this recipe! Enter your email below and we’ll shoot it straight to ya!
I consent to receive email from this site 💌
Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream Cheese Frosting
Click the button above to save this recipe!
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- Butter – I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – I love a lower moisture butter like Kerrygold. Typically it’s European butters, but lately I’ve seen some American butters with lower moisture content available. The reason being, there’s less water and more flavor. And flavor is what we’re all about. You can always make whipped butter if you’re going for a lighter flavor or wanting to increase volume.
- Cream Cheese – This is not the time to go on a diet. Get the thick and creamy full fat stuff. And not the whipped stuff. You want your cream cheese dense and delicious.
- Vanilla – I implore and beg you to use real vanilla extract in this cream cheese frosting recipe. Please, and thank you.
- Sugar – For the sugar you’ll want to get confectioners sugar, also called powdered sugar. In a pinch, you can make powdered sugar from regular sugar in a food processor, but it’s definitely easier to just buy a bag at the market.
What is Cream Cheese Icing?
Cream cheese icing is a slightly tangy icing made with cream cheese (think cheesecake-ish) perfect on carrot cake, red velvet cake, and in pastries! Cream cheese frosting is not typically as sweet as traditional icings. It’s also super easy to jazz up. We love this pumpkin spice cream cheese frosting made by adding a few extra spices.
Can Cream Cheese Frosting be used for piping?
Yes, cream cheese frosting can be used for piping! The key here is just to make sure that the frosting has enough body. Depending on where you are making this (I’m in super humid Florida), you may need to add extra powdered sugar to give it a thick enough consistency for piping.
Do you have to refrigerate a cake with cream cheese frosting?
You do not have to refrigerate a cake with cream cheese frosting. At least not right away. You can keep a cake on the counter (assuming your home is cool) for about two days, or in the refrigerator for up to six days. Even if it’s iced with cream cheese frosting.
My mother will balk at reading this, and you definitely need to use your own judgement and comfort level, but this is how we operate in our home.
If you’re storing your cake in the refrigerator, you will want to make sure it’s fully iced (not a naked cake with icing only between the layers), because the refrigerator will draw out the moisture and make the cake drier.
Can you freeze cream cheese icing?
Yes, you can freeze cream cheese frosting. You can also freeze cake. The caveat is that you’ll want to freeze them separately. Don’t freeze iced cupcakes or a whole iced cake. Freeze them separately and then once the cake and cream cheese frosting have thawed, put them together.
What kind of cake goes with cream cheese frosting?
Cream cheese icing goes so well with several types of cakes and pastries! It’s a great addition especially if you want to cut the sweetness a little bit.
- Pumpkin spice cake – I make this all year, pumpkin season be damned.
- Pumpkin mug cake – For when you don’t want to share. P.S. it’s totally grain free!
- Carrot cake – Such a classic, made super easy by starting with a box mix.
- Chocolate cream cheese pastry – A total show stopper. YUM.
- Poke cake with strawberry jello – Swap out the cool whip!
- Blueberry muffins – Okay, not technically cake.
Not in the mood for cake? Try it on these crescent roll cinnamon rolls!
More Recipes with Cream Cheese
Suggested Tools
- Kitchenaid stand mixer – I love this mixer so much. I don’t use it as much as I should, but it comes in so handy for making big batches of cream cheese icing or for shredding chicken.
- Electric handheld mixer –
- Small mason jars – We store our leftover icing in these small mason jars. We also use them as cups sometimes!
- Piping set – I’ve only recently started learning how to pipe icing, and it’s so fun! This set has a ton of cool tips to try and is highly rated. Yay!
Get our FREE Easy Casseroles Ebook!
Follow us below!Use #mamalovesfood on Instagram!
How to make Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- With an electric mixer or stand mixer, whisk together butter, cream cheese, and vanilla.
- Add powdered sugar, one half cup at a time. Beat until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Allow to set in the refrigerator (about 15 minutes) and ENJOY!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
Share it with me on Instaram and use the hashtag #mamalovesfood and follow on Pinterest for even more!
Cream Cheese Frosting
Click the button above to save this recipe!
originally published 9.17.15
Get Our Free Easy Casseroles ebook!
Recipes in your inbox
(your email will never be sold!)
Let’s Connect!
Tag #mamalovesfood on Instagram!
First these look amazing and I think I”ll need to make them ASAP. Second you mention that the icing is Cinnamon Icing, but there”s no cinnamon listed in the icing ingredients; is this a mistake or is truly just a plain vanilla icing? Just thought I”d check 🙂
the word cinnamon doesn’t appear anywhere in the post. but i’m sure it would be delicious if you added it. this is a recipe for cream cheese icing 🙂
RICURA, NECESITABA ESTA RECETA, MUCHAS GRACIAS. YO AÑADI VAINILLA BLANCA.
You didn’t say when to add the vanilla.
fixed, sorry!
One for the recipe box for sure! Such a great, versatile frosting!!!
An additional cup of powdered sugar for a stiff icing, wont that make it too sweet? Are we looking for stiffness or taste, Im sorry Im confused. I dont want it too sweet that the kids cant eat it but also would like it stiff enough to pipe it. Curious what others did…..
The extra confectioner’s sugar won’t make it too sweet. Delicious either way. 🙂
Easy to prepare and was not too sweet. Perfect for carrot cake❣️ Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Hi
If I want to add the crushed pineapple. is it just a small can plus the juice or should I drain the juice?
Thank you
Silvia
Drain the juice 🙂
how much cocoa would you use to make chocolate frosting?
I’ve never tried turning this into a chocolate version, but we do have a delicious chocolate frosting recipe here: https://www.mamalovesfood.com/chocolate-frosting-buttercream/
if using for cookies, would I need to store the cookies in the fridge because of the cream cheese?