It’s perfect for practically any cake and any leftovers are great dolloped onto some freshly cut fruit.
Video: How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting
Swaps and Suggestions for Cream Cheese Frosting
This is the basic recipe. You can reduce the amount of butter if you want a bit more tang, and increase or decrease the sugar according to your taste. Dress up with ginger, vanilla bean, or coconut flakes. Here are some fun variations!
Add 1/2 a cup of unsweetened cocoa powder and a pinch of salt for a chocolate cream cheese frosting Mix freshly grated or dried, flaked coconut to the frosting to make a coconut frosting Intensify a vanilla frosting by adding some scrapings from a fresh vanilla bean to the frosting Add some blueberry syrup for blueberry cream cheese frosting Add a tablespoon of Amaretto or a quarter teaspoon of almond extract for an almond-flavored cream cheese frosting
You can also refrigerate the frosting to help it thicken a bit. Tightly cover or add to a piping bag and seal. Chill for 30 minutes.
Adjusting the Sweetness
Tweak the sugar level in this recipe to suit your tastes. You can make the frosting with as little as 1 cup of powdered sugar, but the frosting will be thinner. Add more powdered sugar for a sweeter, thicker frosting.
Do You Have to Refrigerate Cream Cheese Frosting?
If your kitchen is around 70°F, then you can leave desserts with cream cheese frosting sitting out for up to a day. If your kitchen is warmer, or your dessert has been out for a while, refrigerate it.
How to Store and Freeze
Refrigerate leftover cream cheese frosting in a tightly covered container for up to 1 week. Let it soften on the counter 15-30 minutes before spreading. Freeze cream cheese frosting for up to 2 months. (Try leftovers sandwiched between graham crackers and frozen like ice cream sandwiches. Divine!) When storing frosted desserts like cakes, cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Let sit on the counter for about 30 minutes before serving.
Use Cream Cheese Frosting With These Recipes
Red Velvet Cupcakes Carrot Cake Coconut Cupcakes Apple Carrot Cupcakes Carrot Cake Cupcakes
This recipe makes enough frosting to generously frost a single layer 8 or 9-inch cake or the top of a 9x13 cake. It’s enough to generously frost or pipe 12 to 18 cupcakes or minimally frost 24 cupcakes. Double the recipe to frost a double layer 8-inch cake or a 3-layer 6-inch cake. Once combined, scrape down the sides of the bowl and increase the speed to medium, beating just until well-combined and creamy. If needed, add more powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time to the frosting until you get your desired level of sweetness and thickness.
