How to Make the Best Ever Cream Cheese Frosting
Save RecipeMy light and fluffy cream cheese frosting is perfect for cakes, cupcakes, donuts and more. Tried and true, this is the best cream cheese frosting.
Hi Bold Bakers!
My Cream Cheese Frosting recipe is truly the king of all frostings! Add a slather of it anywhere and I think you will agree it improves any cake or dessert. Learning how to make this recipe is a must for you Bold Bakers — spread it on classics like my Best-Ever Carrot Cake, Crazy Cupcakes, donuts and so much more.
How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting
Besides being absolutely delicious, my Best Ever Cream Cheese Frosting is incredibly simple to make. In one bowl, combine a little butter and cream cheese until soft and fluffy. Then, add in your powdered sugar and a dash of vanilla for smooth and creamy bliss. Once your ingredients have been combined, you’ll discover rich, thick and perfectly balanced frosting. This frosting is light in flavor from the soft and tangy cream cheese and complimentary of any dessert.
What desserts go well with Cream Cheese Frosting?
I can think of endless ways to use this frosting. Make it for my 3 Layer Microwave Red Velvet Cake, spread it across a slice of my Best Ever Banana Bread, dollop it onto your cupcakes and smear it over your carrot cakes. The frosting is always my favorite part, so if you’re like me, you must give my recipe a go!
How to store Cream Cheese Frosting?
You will find my Best Ever Cream Cheese Frosting recipe is super easy to work with and beautiful. This light, fluffy, and shiny frosting is absolutely convenient as it can be kept in the fridge until ready for use. This can be covered and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Can you Freeze Cream Cheese Frosting?
I like to vacuum seal extra frosting and freeze it! You can always transfer your frosting to an air-tight container and pop it in the freezer. This will keep frozen for up to 3 weeks. To use from frozen, allow the frosting to thaw in the fridge until it’s soft. After thawing just give the frosting a good whip up with a spatula then use as directed in my recipes.
Use This Recipe With These Desserts!
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My light and fluffy cream cheese frosting is perfect for cakes, cupcakes, donuts and more. Tried and true, this is the best cream cheese frosting.
- 5 cups (1 lb 4 oz/ 575g) powdered sugar, sifted lightly to remove any lumps
- 2 cups (16oz/454g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- ½ cup (4oz/115g) butter, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high cream together the cream cheese and butter.
- Once light and fluffy add in the powdered sugar and vanilla and whip until it is smooth and creamy.
- This can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Meet Gemma
Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, and I’m passionate about sharing my years of experience to show you how to make game-changing baking recipes with over-the-top results! Join more than 1 Million other Bold Bakers in the community for new video recipes every week!
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Hi Gemma,
Thank you so much for this recipe, my frosting came out beautiful. It was a little soft when i made it but after refrigerating it overnight it was great the next day.
However, it wasn’t stiff enough to pipe, do I need to add more sugar?
Thanks
Laura
Hi Laura,
This is an issue when you use a tub of cream cheese, which is a little softer than the block we get here.
Try reducing the amount of cheese next time, that will do it. I would not be inclined to increase the sugar. There are suggestions to stabilize it too, using a touch of cornstarch/cornflour, (1 teaspoon) arrowroot, or even gelatin.
I hope this helps,
Gemma 🙂
Gemma, do we use confectioners sugar (the one with cornstarch in it) or just regular powder sugar would do?
For this is suggest confectioners sugar here 😀 Enjoy!
Hi
Made this icing & it turned out great. Better than icing I’ve tasted on shop bought cakes. Just wanted to know if you can freeze the icing.
Hi Sal,
Good, I am happy that this recipe was good for you.
This type of thing is best made fresh. That is not to say that it cannot be frozen, it can. If you freeze it as a mix then it will be best to whisk it after it has defrosted, that will make it easier to spread.
I hope this is of help,
Gemma 🙂
Ma’am can I use homemade cream cheese instead packaged one.?? Which you showed in ur other video.
Yes, of course, enjoy!
Hello Gemma Ma’am… It’s Vanessa here…
This recipe is over the top… I tried it for the first time and it went really great….I also added a bit of melted bitter sweet chocolate and Everyone loved it…
I’m making it again but I think I messed up something because it turned out to be very lumpy…. Do you’ve any solution for that because I don’t want to waste all the sugar and dairy….
Thanks….
Hi there, if you find it to be lumpy you can blend it until smooth. Give it a try and let me know how you go!
Thank you very much for the advice Ma’am….. It turned out to be great as always…. Thanks to you🙂
Hello
What are the measurements of butter and
sugar if using 180gm of cream cheese?
Hi, here’s the recipe – https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/best-ever-cream-cheese-frosting/ enjoy!
How many cupcakes will this recipe cover please?
I would say 12-14 ;D
Hi Gemma!
I’m looking to make this for your best carrot cake ever(Yummy!) And was wondering if this recipe would yeild enough to frost the cake. I rarely frost my cakes due to lack of required ingredients but his I most definitely can try. Thanks in advance!
Hi,
Yes absolutely. this makes enough to cover a large cake.
Happy Baking,
Gemma.
What is the best Frosting for a Mud cake
Thanking you Heather.
Hi Heather,
YUMMY! mud cake, mmmmm!
I think the best frosting for a mud cake is Ganache. However, you can easily use this one (https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/chocolate-fudge-frosting/) it is a bit more traditional for this delicious cake,
Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma,
Can you use granulated sugar instead of powdered sugar for this frosting?
Hi Anaya,
For frosting you always need to use powdered sugar as it dissolves really well and makes a fluffy frosting. Granulated sugar won’t dissolve.
Hope this helps,
Gemma.
Hi Gemma,
How many cups of frosting does this recipe yield?
Hi Charu,
it makes roughly 4-5 cups.
Best,
Gemma.
Hi Gemma,
What kind of butter is used in cream cheese frosting? Salted or unsalted?
Bhawna,
I use salted butter, but that is not the usual choice. Most people will use a sweet butter, an unsalted one for this recipe.
Thank you for baking with us,
Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma. I followed your recipe, but my cream cheese frosting came out runny like condensed milk. Im baking your microwave carrot cake for my Mom’s 60th and made the frosting tonight to keep in the fridge over night. Will it thicken in the fridge and be ready for decorating and piping tomorrow night? Im worried 🙁
Oh no! Yes it will thicken over night in the fridge. Also tomorrow if you need to you can add more powdered sugar to ticket it.
Hope it turns out well.
Gemma.
Thanks Gemma :). I will upload my final masterpiece picture tonight 😀 Very excited!!
Haha! Yes, you do that, we love to see your masterpieces, all good!
Gemma 🙂