Creamy, tangy, and not too sweet, this is my personal best cream cheese frosting recipe for cupcakes, layer cakes, and sheet cakes. Plus a few flavor variations: matcha, whiskey, vanilla bean, citrus, chocolate, and beet ombré.
Cream cheese frosting: great frosting or greatest frosting?
Today I'm sharing everything you ever wanted to know about cream cheese frosting: how to make it, how to use it, and how to store it, plus some flavor variations. If you have more questions, please ask in the comments below!
Ingredients:
Classic cream cheese frosting is made with few ingredients: cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar plus the flavorings of your choice – vanilla, salt, lemon juice or zest, or perhaps a spoonful of matcha, maple syrup, or whiskey. I once made a recipe for chocolate cream cheese frosting which I need to revisit! (UPDATE: I've added the chocolate cream cheese frosting recipe below, with ombré inspiration from Cloudy Kitchen!)
For silky smooth cream cheese frosting, it's important to choose a cream cheese that contains some gums or stabilizers rather than an artisanal cream cheese with a crumbly consistency. My preferred brand is Organic Valley. For butter, anything will work, though I prefer a richer, European-style butter such as Straus, Vermont Creamery, or Organic Valley European-Style Cultured Butter. I prefer the richer taste of organic powdered sugar (aka confectioner's sugar) such as Wholesome Sweeteners brand. Do be sure to sift organic powdered sugar as it tends to be clumpier than its conventional counterpart.
Over the years I've tried many different ratios of these ingredients. The ratio I settled on is one part butter, two parts cream cheese, and two parts sugar by volume (i.e. 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar) plus a touch of salt and vanilla, and sometimes a squeeze of lemon. Most cream cheese frostings call for 2, 3, or even 4 cups of sugar for these amounts, but I prefer a not too sweet cream cheese frosting. I like to really taste the rich butter and tangy cream cheese. That said, you can absolutely add more sugar if you like a sweeter frosting. The powdered sugar, which is very finely ground sugar mixed with a little cornstarch, helps the frosting emulsify and fluff up in addition to providing sweetness.
What's the key to silky smooth cream cheese frosting?
First of all, make sure your butter and cream cheese have warmed to room temperature. Too cold and you'll get lumpy chunks in your frosting, or the frosting might appear broken or curdled due to the ingredients not being in emulsion (think oil and vinegar). Too warm and your frosting will be too soft and weepy. To quickly soften cream cheese and butter, cut them into 1-inch chunks and place them on a large plate or quarter sheet pan (lined with parchment paper for easy clean-up if you like) and let them sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes.
I prefer to make my frosting in a stand mixer, but an electric beater will probably work as well. Or make it the old-fashioned way using a bowl, wooden spoon, and your mighty arm strength. First beat the butter and cream cheese on medium-low speed until smooth and incorporated, then add the butter and flavorings, beating until smooth. Finally, increase the mixer speed to medium-high for a minute or two to aerate the frosting.
If your frosting looks slightly broken or curdled when you're finished, this could be due to too-cold ingredients that haven't come into emulsion. If your bowl feels cold to the touch, let the ingredients warm up a bit more and try beating it again to see if it comes together. If your frosting is still broken, add more sifted powdered sugar by the tablespoon; this sometimes brings it back together. (You can add a squeeze of lemon if it starts to taste too sweet.) If neither of these tactics bring your frosting back together again, slather it all over that cake and rest assured that everyone will still go crazy for it.
Cream cheese frosting vs. cream cheese icing: which is it?
Cream cheese frosting is often called, synonymously, cream cheese icing. The terms icing and frosting are used interchangeably in the US, with frosting being the more common name for the fluffy cake topping shown here. Buttercream is another name for the same thing. But in European countries, icing is usually thinner and glossier, with a higher ratio of sugar. Whether you call this cream cheese icing or frosting, you'll definitely call it delicious.
What to do with your perfect cream cheese frosting?
Besides licking it off the spoon, here are some of my favorite uses for this easy cream cheese frosting recipe and its variations:
- Gluten Free Carrot Cake (with a vegan cream cheese frosting option)
- Gluten Free Red Velvet Cake (all natural!)
- Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Matcha Cream Cheese Frosting {gluten free}
- Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
- Gluten Free Banana Cake
- Chocolate Banana Cupcakes
- Cinnamon Buns (Pumpkin or Sweet Potato)
- Gluten Free Persimmon Cake with Whiskey Cream Cheese Frosting
- Spiced Banana Date Cake from Snixy Kitchen
- Teff Flour Pistachio Cardamom Cake from Heartbeet Kitchen
- Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes from Foolproof Living
- Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Kumquat Cream Cheese Frosting (from Alternative Baker)
- Pumpkin Bread
- Any spice cake such as apple, pumpkin, or gingerbread
Can cream cheese frosting go bad? AKA how to store your cream cheese frosting:
Food safety regulations specify that dairy products can only sit out at room temperature (i.e. the danger zone where bacteria happily flourish) for 2 hours. Realistically, it's unlikely that harmful bacteria will grow in cream cheese frosting if left out for several hours since it's full of bacteria-inhibiting sugar and fat. But if you want to be extra safe, make sure the total time that your dairy is out (including warming it to room temperature, making the frosting, and decorating and serving your cake) is under 2 hours. This frosting will taste and feel best in your face when eaten at room temperature, so if storing your befrosted goods in the fridge, be sure to let them sit out for 30 minutes before nomming to soften the frosting.
What are your favorite uses for cream cheese frosting?
Tell me in the comments below!
*Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this less-sweet frosting recipe, I’d love to see. Tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.*
Cream Cheese Frosting
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 8 ounces (225 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 8 tablespoons (113 g) lightly salted or unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (100 g) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter
- squeeze of lemon juice, optional
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with an electric beater or wooden spoon) combine the cream cheese and butter. Beat on medium-low speed until smooth and combined, 1-2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl and paddle as needed.
- Sift the powdered sugar into the cream cheese mixture and add the vanilla and salt. Beat the frosting on low speed to combine, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice.
- Taste the frosting, adding a squeeze of lemon if you want to sharpen the flavors. Use right away, or store refrigerated airtight for up to 1 week. If chilled, let soften to room temperature before using.
Notes
Nutrition
Aysegul says
I am in awe of you and this. Stellar!
PS: Heading to the supermarket now to get some cream cheese!! Cause I am making me some "creme" (yeah, I am super fancy like that) cheese frosting. 😂
Alanna says
Thank you for helping me organize this post dear friend! <3
Emily R says
Thank you for all your experimenting! I really liked the level of sweetness in this cream cheese frosting. Do you have any idea on how to make a peanut butter variation? Peanut butter powder maybe?
Alanna says
So glad you like it! I bet you could just add 2 or 3 tablespoons peanut butter to the frosting and add more sugar if needed to taste? Please let me know if you experiment!
Manaswee says
In awe of this cream cheese frosting. I am surely gonna try it coz it’s less sweet and ombré effect is to die for
Alanna says
Aw, thank you! Please let me know how it turns out.
Myth says
I have an issue with really sweet frosting. I don't like sickly sweet things that make my teeth hurt. This stuff was perfect though. My husband's new favorite as well. And he is very picky about his sweets. Is definitely going to replace buttercream in our kitchen. This recipe was very easy to use. I look forward to trying all these fun variations.
Alanna says
This comment made my day! I can't stand overly sweet things either, and that's exactly what inspired me to develop a less sweet cream cheese frosting. :)
Pat Strong says
Just used your cream cheese frosting on gluten free chocolate cupcakes. I took the easy way out and used a Betty Crocker gluten free cake mix. What a great combination! Both the cupcakes and the frosting were super easy to make. I loved the fact that the frosting had just the sweetness I like. I piped the frosting (star) and the cupcakes looked and tasted amazing. The frosting made all the difference.
Alanna says
Thanks so much for the note - I'm so glad you like the frosting!
Gabby says
I used a little less than a cup and it was plenty sweet! Thank you!
Lauren C says
Just want to thank you for this recipe! I hate overly sweet frosting and unfortunately a lot of the frosting recipes out there are too sweet for me. I once saw a cream cheese frosting recipe that calls for 5 times as much cream cheese than this one! This one is just right :P
I added some homemade strawberry jam and omitted the vanilla, and used this as my matcha macaron filling, delicious!
Lauren C says
oops I meant 5 times as much sugar!*
Alanna says
Gahhh, that is way way way too much! I'm so glad you liked this formula! I can imagine how good strawberry jam tastes here - like strawberry cheesecake?!
Becky says
Tasted lovely but soo runny =( not sure what I did wrong, even added some more icing sugar to try and thicken it up but no joy. Luckily had made cupcakes so could just tip inside the space left In the case.
Alanna says
That's so strange! What kind of cream cheese did you use? Is it possible the ingredient were just too warm and soft? Did the frosting firm up in the fridge?
Kim Amerson says
I made this with my young boys and had the same outcome. It was so runny. The cream cheese was full fat Philadelphia, and I used European butter. It came out so runny. We tried to put it back in the fridge to firm up before piping, but no luck. I added about 1/4 cup more cream cheese and it made it able to be piped.
Kseniya says
Delicious! Just made it for an almond flour vanilla cake and had to keep from eating all the frosting while the cake cools. This recipe is a keeper. Thank you so much!
Alanna says
I'm so glad you liked it – and that I'm not the only one who has a hard time saving the frosting for the cake!
Kim says
I need to frost two 9" carrot cake rounds that are rather thick. Would you suggest doubling this recipe to cover? I searched for lower-sugar alternatives for my cake - the one recipe that came with it called for 16 oz of cream cheese and 4 1/2 c of confectioners sugar(!!!) My teeth can't handle that. LOL! Thanks in advance!
Alanna says
OMG that is WAY too much sugar - blech! I'm so glad you found this recipe haha. Let me know how you like it!
Kim says
I just saw the end where you suggested doubling - sorry! Also, did you know that when you scale your recipe up or down, the grams area does not change with the updated measurements in ounces? I bake with grams, so that's important. Thanks again for the recipe!
Alanna says
Yes, that is an annoying feature of this recipe plugin. I've been meaning to just turn that function off, so thank you for the reminder - I'm so glad you caught that before making the recipe! I also bake with grams - it's so much more efficient and accurate. Kudos!
Rajinder Bharaj says
Ive just made this and I too ended up with custard on the first attempt. My gut instinct was to whip the butter first which I did on the second attempt and worked perfectly.
Thank you great top have a cream cheese recipe that is not sickly sweet.
Alanna says
Huh, that's so interesting! I wonder why that happened? I'm so glad you got it to work the second time around. Thank you very much for sharing your technique!
Kim Amerson says
This is a great idea! I always whip my butter alone first before mixing in the cream cheese or sugar! I’ll have to do it next time! by the way, your stuff is so amazing! Just love this beet red velvet cake!
SC says
I searched online for a less sweet cream cheese frosting and landed here. Oh my! This is the best cream cheese frosting I've ever tasted - there's no looking back. I used it on a vanilla bean cake and it was a great hit with my family. I also used confectioners sugar instead of powdered sugar and that made it so easy to frost and held its own on a hot day. Thank you!
Jen61 says
Confectioners sugar and powdered sugar are the same thing. 🙂
Mia says
Hi ,
Love the recipe. i wanted to ask before i try to make this - Does this recipe make the frosting stiff enough to pipe through different piping nozzles to decorate, and hold its shape?
Thank you
Alanna says
Hi Mia, it absolutely does! If the frosting is too soft right after you make it, pop it in the fridge for 15 minutes or so to firm it up.
Angela says
Wow I've been making cream cheese frosting all wrong before! I've always thought that it was too sweet but that it needed a lot of powdered sugar for the frosting's structure. This is the best cream cheese frosting recipe I've ever made and it paired perfectly with my carrot cake!