How to Make the Best Ever Cream Cheese Frosting
Save RecipeTop your cakes, cupcakes, donuts and more with the ultimate cream cheese frosting.
Hi Bold Bakers!
My Cream Cheese Frosting recipe is truly the king of all frostings! Add a slather of cream cheese frosting 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 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.
You will find my 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.
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 best cream cheese frosting a go!
Use my cream cheese frosting recipe on:
- 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!
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 🙂