Cream cheese frosting is one of those classic frosting recipes that never goes out of style. It's tangy, lightly sweet, fluffy, and the perfect partner for everything from my red velvet cake recipe and carrot cake with pineapple to soft cinnamon rolls and pumpkin spice cake.
This homemade cream cheese frosting pipes cleanly, spreads beautifully, and doesn't end up runny if you follow a few simple rules. If you've ever struggled with cream cheese frosting that's too soft or grainy, these tips will help you get perfect results every time.
Quick Glance at the Recipe: Cream Cheese Frosting
- Recipe Name: Cream Cheese Frosting
- Why You'll Love It: Tangy, fluffy frosting that pipes beautifully and won't turn runny. My favorite for red velvet cake!
- Time and Difficulty: 15 minutes | Easy, perfect for beginners
- Main Ingredients: Full-fat brick cream cheese, unsalted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, salt
- Method: Soften, whip on low, add sugar a cup at a time
- Texture and Flavor: Smooth, fluffy, and pipeable with a tangy, lightly sweet flavor
- Quick Tip: Use the whisk attachment on LOW speed so your frosting stays smooth and never breaks
Jump to:
- Quick Glance at the Recipe: Cream Cheese Frosting
- What Makes This Cream Cheese Frosting So Good⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- How To Make Cream Cheese Frosting Step-By-Step
- Cake Batter and Frosting Calculator
- Cups of Batter Needed
- Cups of Frosting Needed
- Common Cream Cheese Frosting Problems To Avoid
- Final Thoughts
- Cream Cheese Frosting FAQs
- More Frosting Recipes To Try
- Ready To Master Cake Decorating?
- Leave Me A Review⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Recipe
What Makes This Cream Cheese Frosting So Good
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I've made a lot of buttercream frostings over the years, but cream cheese frosting will always be my favorite frosting for certain cakes. The problem is that it can get runny, grainy, too thick, too thin, and so on. I've perfected this technique so it's pipeable every time, never grainy, and the flavors are perfectly balanced.
- Brick cream cheese, not tub. Tub-style cream cheese has extra water and turns your frosting runny. Full-fat block cream cheese gives you that tangy flavor AND structure.
- The whisk on LOW speed. This is my secret to super smooth cream cheese frosting. It keeps the frosting creamy with way less chance of it breaking or curdling.
- Soft but cool ingredients. Cold doesn't like to mix with warm. Your butter and cream cheese both need to be softened so they blend into a smooth, lump-free base.
- Sifted powdered sugar. No little white dots in your frosting. Ever.
- Easy to adjust. Add a cup more powdered sugar for a thicker frosting, or a splash of heavy cream for a softer one.
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
The secret to cream cheese frosting that stays fluffy and pipeable is using the right ingredients and making sure your cold ingredients are softened before mixing. I always recommend weighing your ingredients with a digital kitchen scale for the most accurate results. No powdered sugar? Try my cream cheese frosting without powdered sugar.
- Full-fat brick cream cheese: This provides the tangy flavor and structure of your frosting. Always use block-style cream cheese rather than tub-style, which contains more water and can make your frosting runny. I prefer the classic taste of Philadelphia cream cheese.
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and helps stabilize the frosting so it holds its shape when piping. Make sure your butter is softened.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting. You can adjust the amount depending on how thick you want it. If you need a sturdier frosting for piping flowers or stacked cakes, try my crusting cream cheese frosting.
- Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and depth so your frosting doesn't just taste sweet. Orange or lemon extract is a fun swap too.
- Salt: A pinch balances the sweetness and brings out the tangy cream cheese flavor.
- Heavy cream (optional): A tiny splash loosens the frosting if you want it softer. Too much liquid can break your frosting, so go slow.
How To Make Cream Cheese Frosting Step-By-Step
Before you start, soften your cream cheese by cutting it into four cubes and microwaving it for about 15 seconds. Soften your butter by leaving it out for a few hours, or cut it into cubes and microwave it for 10 seconds. It should be soft enough to leave a fingerprint, but still cool to the touch.
- Sift your powdered sugar and set it aside. Skip this and you could end up with little white dots in your frosting that won't mix out.
- Mix your softened butter in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment on low speed until smooth and lump-free.
PRO TIP: Cold doesn't like to mix with warm. If your butter is soft but your cream cheese is still cold, you'll end up with a lumpy, separated mess. Make sure both are softened before you start.
- Add your cream cheese in small pieces while mixing on low until it's completely smooth.
- Add your powdered sugar one cup at a time on low speed, then mix in your vanilla and salt.
PRO TIP: Use the whisk attachment, not the paddle. The whisk makes your frosting creamier and there's less chance of it breaking or getting curdled. Just keep the mixer on LOW.
- Adjust the consistency. Too thick? Add a tiny splash of heavy cream. Too soft? Add a little more powdered sugar.
- Mix just until combined, then spread or pipe. Overmixing softens cream cheese frosting fast.
PRO TIP: If your kitchen is warm, chill your frosting for a few minutes before frosting a layer cake. It pipes beautifully once it's chilled slightly.
Cake Batter and Frosting Calculator
Select an option below to calculate how much batter or frosting you need. Adjust the servings slider on the recipe card to change the amounts the recipe makes.
Choose a pan type
Choose a cake pan size
(based on 2" tall cake pan)
Choose a cake pan size
(based on 2" tall cake pan)
Cupcake Tin Size
Choose number of pans
Cups of Batter Needed
8 cups
Cups of Frosting Needed
5 cups
Note: measurements are estimated based off the vanilla cake recipe using standard US cake pans and sizes. Measurements used are for 2" tall cake pans only. Your results may vary. Do not overfill cake pans above manufacturer's recommended guidelines.
Common Cream Cheese Frosting Problems To Avoid
- Using tub cream cheese: Spreadable cream cheese has extra water and stabilizers that make your frosting runny. Always use full-fat brick cream cheese.
- Mixing cold and warm ingredients: Cold cream cheese and soft butter won't blend, and you'll get lumps. Soften both first.
- Overmixing: Cream cheese softens quickly, so mixing too long makes your frosting lose its structure. Mix on low just until combined.
- Skipping the sifter: Unsifted powdered sugar leaves little white dots that won't mix out.
- Adding too much liquid: Extra heavy cream, extracts, or liquid food coloring can break your frosting. Use gel food coloring and add liquids a tiny bit at a time.
- Putting it under fondant: Cream cheese frosting is too soft for fondant. It makes the fondant sweat and melt.
Final Thoughts
This classic cream cheese frosting is my go-to when I want a frosting that feels special without being fussy. It's an easy recipe made with simple ingredients, delivers that tangy cream cheese flavor every time, and works for just about any favorite cake. Whether you're spreading it with a spatula or piping it onto sweet treats, this is a great recipe to keep in your back pocket. It's especially good piped on my best chocolate cupcake recipe.
Need something sturdier for piping flowers or a stacked cake? My crusting cream cheese frosting is the one to use. And if you love that tangy flavor, you have to try my brown butter cream cheese frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting FAQs
Can I use cream cheese frosting under fondant or on a tiered cake?
Cream cheese frosting is not a good choice under fondant. It's very soft and makes the fondant sweat and melt where they touch. For a stacked or tiered cake, use a more stable cream cheese frosting as the filling and cover the outside in regular buttercream.
Should I use this or your crusting cream cheese frosting?
Use this one for frosting and filling layer cakes, cupcakes, cake jars, and cinnamon rolls. Use the crusting cream cheese frosting when you need something sturdier, like piping flowers or covering a stacked cake.
How do I make chocolate cream cheese frosting?
Add ¼ cup of sifted cocoa powder when you add your powdered sugar, or more if you want a deeper chocolate flavor.
Can I put ganache over cream cheese frosting?
Yes! Cream cheese frosting makes a great filling or frosting under a ganache drip. Just make sure your cake is chilled well before you pour the ganache over it.
Can I freeze cupcakes frosted with cream cheese frosting?
Yes, you can freeze them. The liners might pull away from the cupcakes a little when you defrost them, but they'll still taste great.
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Recipe
Equipment
- Stand mixer with whisk attachment (or electric hand mixer)
- Sifter
- Piping Bag
- 1M Piping Tip
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- 8 ounces unsalted butter (1 cup) softened and slightly warm
- 16 ounces cream cheese (2 cups) softened and slightly warm
- 36 ounces powdered sugar (8 cups) sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or orange or lemon extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Before you begin: Soften your cream cheese by cutting it into four cubes and microwaving it for about 15 seconds. Soften your butter by leaving it out for a few hours, or cut it into cubes and microwave it for 10 seconds. It should be soft enough to leave an imprint with your finger. Cold does not like to mix with warm, so if one is soft and the other is cold you'll end up with a lumpy, separated mess.
Make the Frosting
- Sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl and set it aside.
- Add the softened butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or use an electric hand mixer) and mix on LOW speed until smooth and lump-free.
- Add the softened cream cheese in small cubes and mix on low until smooth and completely combined.
- Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time on low speed. If you want a thicker frosting, add an extra cup of powdered sugar.
- Add the extract and salt. Vanilla is classic with cream cheese, but I love using orange or lemon extract for a unique taste.
- If the frosting is too thick, add a tiny splash of heavy cream. If it's too soft, add a little more powdered sugar. Mix just until combined, because overmixing softens the frosting.
Surama says
you're amazing! thank you!
Surama says
Can I put ganache on top of this cream cheese frosting? I want to make a chocolate cake, frost it with cream cheese frosting and cover the top with chocolate ganache and a drip. I love your videos and recipes! Thanks in advance!
Elizabeth Marek says
Absolutely, cream cheese frosting makes a great filling for cakes. Make sure you chill the cake well before covering in ganache
Mark says
Every time I make cream cheese frosting it is really thin and not stiff enough. How do I stop it from being runny
Elizabeth Marek says
Cream cheese frosting is a very soft frosting. You can use more powdered sugar but then it becomes very sweet. https://sugargeekshow.com/cream-cheese-frosting/
Jane says
This cake is amazing! I made it and it was love at first bite. I copied it by hand into my blue recipe ledger.
I plan to make it again and again.
Thank you for this delicious recipe.
Nami says
How can you make this a chocolate cream cheese frosting?
Elizabeth Marek says
You could add sifted cocoa powder
KAMRAN HAZRATI says
Hey quick question...its about the cream cheese frosting...in the video you specify to use the paddle attachment but int the written recipe it says whisk. Do this make a big difference? Which is preferred? Thanks for your time! Love your site!!!
The Sugar Geek Show says
I think the whisk makes the frosting creamier and less chances of it breaking or getting curdled.
Iwona Helms says
Could you please convert this recipe to metric? thanks!
The Sugar Geek Show says
All recipes have a metric option right under the ingredients, just check the metric box 🙂
Kait says
Can this recipe be used for a 3-tier wedding cake or would you recommend the crusting cream cheese?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Cream cheese frosting is not great for using under fondant and it's very soft. The stable cream cheese would be much safer as a filling and then regular buttercream on the outside
Kelsey says
This was so tangy and delicious! It went perfect with my spice cake!
Andrea says
I feel like a dummy. Why not under fondant?
The Sugar Geek Show says
The cream cheese frosting is just really soft and causes the fondant to sweat and melt when it's in direct contact
Linda says
Is the salt used to cut the sweetness? Also, can cupcakes iced with this be frozen?
The Sugar Geek Show says
The salt is for flavor 🙂 Yes you can freeze them but the liners might pull away when you defrost them
Chris says
In my country (Greece), we have no cream cheese in blocks, but only the spread version, which is lower in fat. Can I put more butter or sugar to strengthen it?
Can I do something between the buttercream alternative and this recipe (to put sugar, but not that much)? Maybe a cup of sugar to a mix of 16oz cream cheese - 4 cups buttercream?!
The Sugar Geek Show says
I really don't know, I'm not familiar with those ingredients. Best option is to just give it a try and see if it works with the ingredients that are available to you
Kelly says
You mentioned above making cream cheese frosting with swiss meringue buttercream, is there any reason you couldn't use the easy buttercream for the same effect?
The Sugar Geek Show says
You can definitely use easy buttercream 🙂
Kim R says
Could I use this recipe and stick chocolate bark onto it? (Like a tree stump cake) Will the chocolate stay put or slide off?
The Sugar Geek Show says
As long as it wasn't too thick I think it would work
Marian says
Can you add color to cream cheese frosting as well? I want to make the banana cake but with different color frosting. Thank you
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can, any gel food coloring will do