Easy Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe for Cakes and Cupcakes

If you’re looking for an easy cream cheese frosting recipe that’s creamy, tangy, sweet, and easy to adjust, this is the one to keep handy. This is homemade cream cheese frosting for cakes and cupcakes and so much more. It only takes a few minutes to make and works beautifully on cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and more.

I love that you can make a small batch for a dozen cupcakes or cookies, a medium batch for a cake or a dozen piped cupcakes, or a larger batch when you’re frosting a layer cake or a crowd. You can also adjust the consistency depending on what you’re making, keeping it soft and spreadable or adding a little more powdered sugar for a thicker frosting that’s easy to pipe.

And if you love cream cheese frosting as much as I do, you’ll appreciate how easily this recipe goes from carrot cake and red velvet cake to chocolate cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, cookies, and just about anything that needs a creamy, tangy frosting.

Flavors

You can add flavors to it to make it fit the dessert you’re adding it to. Make it amazing, be creative. Cinnamon, almond, mint, berry flavor extracts and so much more.

Cream cheese frosting is just so delicious, great for cake, drizzle over top of date nut loaf, or just about any baked items you can think of.

Can you make cream cheese frosting ahead of time?

Yes. Cream cheese frosting can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated. Let it soften slightly before using, and whip or stir it until it’s smooth enough to spread or pipe.

Why is my cream cheese frosting lumpy?

Cold cream cheese and butter are usually the culprit. Let both come to room temperature before mixing. Your existing post specifically recommends allowing them to sit out for about 30 minutes.

How do you make cream cheese frosting thicker?

Add powdered sugar a little at a time until the frosting reaches the consistency you want. This is especially helpful when you want to pipe the frosting onto cupcakes or cakes.

How do you make cream cheese frosting less sweet?

You can balance the sweetness with a small amount of salt. Your recipe already mentions this, so I’d make that tip more prominent.

Can you use cream cheese frosting for piping?

Yes. For a thicker frosting that holds its shape, use the higher end of the powdered sugar range and adjust as needed. Chilling the finished frosting can also help it firm up.

Which my cream cheese frosting recipe would work amazingly well with! And when you combine it with my carrot bundt cake, it’s a win-win.

Apple Cake Recipe and just look at the caramel drizzle

Some people think the topping on the cake is the best part. No matter if you think the cake is the best part, this frosting can be made thin like a glaze, thick to pipe in swirls and such, or somewhere in the middle to place dollops as I’ve made on these cupcakes.

I recently made cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, and everyone asked if there was more frosting… I’m not sure exactly where they were going to put more frosting, but they wanted it!

Maybe they’d eat it off a spoon, it really is yummy.

Yes, I put plenty of frosting on the cupcakes.

They just wanted me to then serve frosting… Had I known prior I would have served frosting “shots”.

And if you’re looking for more than carrot cake to enjoy it on… I have plenty of other delicious treats that go well with this frosting recipe, such as Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes or my Chocolate Red Wine Cupcakes, and be sure to take a look at these if you love coffee!

But it’s not just for cake! Cookies and scones can be livened up with cream cheese frosting too!

Espresso Frosting

Baker’s Note: You’ll want to be sure the cream cheese and butter are at room temperature. It doesn’t mix well when it’s cold and will produce a lumpy texture. Placing the butter and cream cheese on the counter for 30 minutes before you plan on mixing the frosting is what I recommend.

For mixing, I use a beater blade and stand mixer, but any mixer will work. Use what you have on hand.

Now let’s get to it!

Place the room temperature cream cheese in the bowl of a mixer and whip it until it’s smooth, then add the butter and whip again until combined and smooth. 

Reduce speed to low and gradually add in the powdered sugar to avoid a powdered sugar cloud. 

Next, drizzle in the heavy cream as you increase the speed slowly, once combined, add in the vanilla extract. 

Whip it on high. The frosting should be fluffy, smooth, and silky, if not, continue to whip. 

Next, a consideration for salt – you can add a little more salt to balance the sweetness.

If you prefer a sweeter frosting then leave it as is.

Red Velvet Pancakes with Cream Cheese Glaze Icing

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

For chocolate cream cheese frosting:

If you want to turn this into chocolate cream cheese frosting, it’s an easy adjustment. Reduce the powdered sugar and replace it with cocoa powder.

Reduce the powdered sugar by:

• Small batch: 1/4 cup
• Medium batch: 1/2 cup
• Large batch: 1 cup

Then add the same reduced amount of cocoa powder to the recipe. For instance, for a small batch, add 1/4 cup cocoa powder, and so on.

Frosting recipes can be easily adjusted. If you want the frosting thinner, perhaps to pour over a bundt cake, reduce the powdered sugar and add a little more heavy cream.

If you need it thicker, you can add more powdered sugar. This is helpful if you’ll be piping it on.

A Note on Hot Weather

The warmer the temperature is, the softer this frosting will be. There are a few things you can do to help.

You can add more powdered sugar to make the frosting a little thicker. You can also refrigerate the frosting to lower the temperature, which will help it stay firmer. Or, go ahead and frost the cake, cupcakes, or cookies and place them in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm up the frosting.

If you’re looking for a thinner cream cheese “glaze,” be sure to take a look at this recipe.

Inquiring minds would like to know!

Can I Mix This by Hand?

You could. It will take some muscle to whip it up, but it can be done.

I don’t recommend melting the cream cheese or butter. Just let them sit at room temperature for a while so they soften naturally.

You’ll need a good whisk like this one. Use a large bowl to mix everything. The extra surface area makes it easier to spread the ingredients around and blend them well.

What About a Non-Dairy Option or a Cream Cheese Free Option?

Cream Cheese Alternative Frosting Recipe

I don’t often use substitutes, but you can use dairy-free cream cheese, and it works just as well.

Or I have an Alternative Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe. It’s amazing!

What’s the Difference Between Buttercream Frosting and Cream Cheese Frosting?

Buttercream is richer and smoother, while cream cheese frosting is lighter in richness and incredibly creamy.

Both are great options, and I happen to have other great frosting recipes, like this American buttercream recipe and a delectable Italian buttercream frosting.

Glassine Cupcake Liners are great for the least amount of crumbs on a cupcake liner

More cream cheese frosting ideas:

• Lemon 13×9 Cake
• Red Velvet Cake 13×9
• Espresso Frosted Cupcakes

Print Recipe

cream cheese frosting

delicious silky smooth tangy and sweet cream cheese frosting recipe, easily adjustable with these instructions

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Total Time5 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: frosting

Servings: 8 -30 servings

Author: Diane Schmidt – createdbydiane.com

Ingredients

Small batch (spread with a spatula over 12 cupcakes, 1 small cake, 1 dozen cookies)

• 2 oz cream cheese room temperature
• ¼ cup 2 oz butter, room temperature
• Tiny pinch salt if using unsalted butter
• 2-4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Medium batch recipe (pipe frosting on 12 cupcakes, fill and top 8” cake, spread over 13×9 cake)

• 4 oz cream cheese room temperature
• ½ cup 4 oz butter, room temperature
• Pinch of salt if using unsalted butter
• 4-6 cups powdered sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk heavy cream whips up nicer and thicker
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Larger recipe 24-36 cupcakes, or 2 or 4 layer cakes

• 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
• 1 cup butter 8 oz, ½ pound, room temperature
• Pinch of salt if using unsalted butter
• 8-10 cups powdered sugar
• 2-4 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• The ingredient list gives a range of powdered to add depending on how soft or thick you’d like the frosting, to slather with a spatula or pipe on. For spreading on a cake or cupcakes you can use less powdered sugar, the frosting will be soft, if you want it thick to pipe on or to create a peak at the top of spreading on desserts more powdered sugar will allow that. Add 1/4-1/2 cup more than the beginning measurement and mix well to create the consistency you will prefer to work with, If the frosting gets too thick, add a little more heavy cream and mix well.
• Be sure the cream cheese is at room temperature, it doesn’t mix well when it’s cold (it will be lumpy)
• Placing the butter and cream cheese on the counter for 30 minutes before you plan on mixing the frosting is what I recommend.
• I use a beater blade and stand mixer, but any mixer will work.
• Place the cream cheese in the bowl of a mixer and whip it until it’s smooth, then add the butter and whip that until it’s smooth.
• Pour in the powdered sugar, and begin mixing on low, drizzle in the heavy cream as you increase the speed slowly as the frosting mixes.
• Add in the vanilla extract.
• When all the powdered sugar is combined you can whip it on high.
• The frosting should be fluffy, smooth, and silky.
• If you need it thicker, you can add more powdered sugar. This is helpful if you’ll be piping it on.
• This is where the salt comes into consideration, you can add a little more salt to balance the sweetness.
• *If you do not like salt, do not add it.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

• Add cocoa powder to the recipe and reduce the powdered sugar by that amount, (small batch 1/4 cup, medium batch ½ cup, large batch 1 cup)
• Frosting recipes can be easily adjusted, if you want them thinner, maybe to pour over a bundt cake, reduce the powdered sugar and add a little more heavy cream, or add some warm water to the frosting to thin it so it’s more of a thick glaze.
• *The warmer the temperature is the softer this frosting will be, there are a few things you can do, add more powdered sugar to make it a little thicker,
• You can then apply the frosting and put the cake/cupcakes. Cookies in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm the frosting up (all the mixing softens it and “warms it up”).