A simple cream cheese frosting recipe that has the perfect combination of sweetness with a little tang. Made from just 4 ingredients, this recipe is perfect for carrot cakes, cupcakes, banana cakes and more.
Let me start off by telling you this cream cheese frosting recipe is AMAZING!
There is no other frosting that compares to the creamy, smooth, sweet, tangy and deliciousness that is cream cheese frosting.
Plus it's super versatile... I LOVE to decorate my classic banana cake with it.
But it's also delicious with my favourite vanilla cupcakes (they're so light, fluffy and moist... all at the same time).
And of course, you can't have a hummingbird cake or a carrot cake without cream cheese frosting - it would be crazy to frost them with anything else!
Now if you're anything like me, you're going to fall in love with this recipe so much that you'll be eating it straight from the bowl (it happens every time here!)
But make sure you leave enough for decorating your cakes and cupcakes... or just make a double batch and keep half for yourself! Now there's an idea!
What You Need
The best thing about cream cheese frosting is that you only need 4 INGREDIENTS!
Note: please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method.
- cream cheese - I recommend using full fat cream cheese (not light or spreadable). Personally I like Philadelphia brand the best, but you can use an alternative brand if you prefer. Ensure that the cream cheese you buy is in a rectangular slab-like shape (not in a spreadable tub).
- butter - I prefer to use salted butter as it cuts through the sweetness of the sugar. However, unsalted butter works just fine in this recipe too.
- vanilla extract - choose a good quality vanilla extract if possible as the flavour of the vanilla really does come through in the cream cheese frosting. Some pure vanilla extracts can be quite expensive, so just choose the best one that you can afford.
- icing sugar (powdered sugar) - also known as confectioners sugar. Sift your icing sugar before using for a smooth and creamy frosting. You can slightly increase or decrease the amount of icing sugar used to vary the sweetness as well as the thickness of the frosting (more sugar will make the frosting sweeter and thicker - great for piping onto cupcakes).
One Bowl Recipe
Forget about lots of fancy equipment - all you need is one bowl!
You can either use:
- hand beaters and a mixing bowl
- a stand mixer
- or a Thermomix
Note: please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method.
Step 1 - Beat The Cream Cheese And Butter
Beat the cream cheese and butter on high speed for at least 3 minutes. The longer you beat, the lighter, creamier and fluffier your cream cheese frosting will be.
Scrape down the bowl occasionally.
Step 2 - Beat Through The Sugar And Vanilla
Add the sifted icing sugar (powdered sugar) and the vanilla extract. Start by mixing on low then increase to high speed.
Mix for a further 3 minutes - again, the longer the better!
Tips For Making Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream cheese frosting is SO easy to make... but here's a few of my top tips for ensuring it's perfect every time!
- Use full fat cream cheese – I ALWAYS recommend using full fat cream cheese (not light, skim or spreadable). It has a far better texture, sets firmer and is just far better for baking or in frosting. I like to use Philadelphia brand.
- Use room temperature ingredients – It's important that your cream cheese and butter are at room temperature before beating. This helps them to easily mix into a smooth and creamy (lump-free) frosting.
- Sift the icing sugar (powdered sugar) - sifting the sugar will give you the best lump-free frosting!
- Add a little milk if the frosting is too thick – I very rarely find this to be a problem, but if you do happen to find the frosting is too thick, add up to a tablespoon of milk and mix through.
- For piping thickness - add extra sugar and beat until you have your desired thickness. Pipe the frosting onto all of your favourite cupcakes!
- Store in the fridge - this frosting can start to melt when kept in warm temperatures. Once frosted with cream cheese frosting, I recommend keeping your cakes and cupcakes in the fridge and then removing them 30 minutes before consuming to allow them to come to room temperature. This ensures that the frosting holds it's shape.
FAQ
Yes absolutely! You can pipe it onto all of your favourite cupcakes! I recommend sifting the icing sugar to avoid any lumps blocking the piping bag. Add a little extra icing sugar until the frosting texture is thick enough to pipe and hold it's shape.
The butter is what yellows the cream cheese frosting slightly. Butters range from quite pale yellow/white to bright yellow. Choose a pale yellow/white butter for the whitest cream cheese frosting (in Australia, Lurpak is quite good).
Store in the fridge and consume within 3 days.
Cakes That Taste Delicious With Cream Cheese Frosting
Let's face it... cream cheese goes well with everything! But here's a few of my favourite recipes to add it to:
- Banana Cake - this classic cake is perfect for afternoon tea
- Hummingbird Cake - the banana, pineapple and pecan flavours perfectly match the cream cream frosting
- Carrot Cake - an old fashioned favourite!
- Vanilla Cupcakes - these are by far my favourite (and most popular cupcakes!)
- White Chocolate & Raspberry Muffins - there's no better combination than raspberry, white chocolate and cream cheese frosting!
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Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 250 g cream cheese full fat
- 115 g butter
- 360 g (3 cups) icing sugar powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Conventional Method
- To make the cream cheese frosting, beat the room temperature cream cheese and butter on high speed until smooth, pale and creamy (approximately 3 minutes).
- Add the sifted icing sugar and vanilla and mix on low speed, slowing increasing to high speed for 3 minutes.
Thermomix Method
- To make the cream cheese frosting, add all of the frosting ingredients to a clean Thermomix bowl and mix for 30 seconds, Speed 5 or until smooth.
Notes
- cream cheese – I recommend using full fat cream cheese (not light or spreadable). Personally I like Philadelphia brand the best.
- butter – I prefer to use salted butter as it cuts through the sweetness of the sugar. However, unsalted butter works just fine in this recipe too.
- vanilla extract – choose a good quality vanilla extract if possible as the flavour of the vanilla really does come through in the cream cheese frosting.
- icing sugar (powdered sugar) – also known as confectioners sugar. Sift your icing sugar before using for a smooth and creamy frosting.
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