My Favorite Cream Cheese Frosting
This Post May Contain Affiliate Links. Please Read Our Disclosure PolicyCream Cheese Frosting might be my favorite way to decorate a cake. I love the tangy sweetness it adds to almost any cake. Today, I’m sharing my favorite Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe. I think you’re going to love it as much as I do.
As I was working on a cake recipe today, it struck me that I don’t have some of my favorite go-to recipes on the blog. You know, those basic recipes that you rely on over and over again. For some reason I assumed that “easy” things like a frosting recipe weren’t “post worthy.”
However, to make sharing recipes easier, and to give you some tried-and-true recipes for your own cooking adventures, I’m going to start posting more of my go-to recipes. I’m kicking things off today with My Favorite Cream Cheese Frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
If I could only eat one frosting for the rest of my life, it would be cream cheese frosting. (Well, that or the frosting my aunt makes, but we’ll save that for another day.) There’s just something about a really good cream cheese frosting that gets me every time. Maybe it’s the blend of tangy cream cheese, rich butter, and subtle sweetness.
How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese, butter, and salt until light and smooth. This will take about five minutes.
Blend in the vanilla and almond extract. Beat to combine.
Add the confectioner’s sugar slowly, about one cup at a time, and mix until smooth.
Note: While this recipe probably won’t need it, you can add a splash of milk for a thinner frosting.
Of course, this frosting works great on things like red velvet cake and carrot cake, but I’ve used it on plain vanilla cake as well.
I also like that you can adjust the flavoring to make the frosting even more complex. In the fall and winter, cinnamon and nutmeg can give it a seasonal touch. For a touch of spring freshness, you could add some grated lemon zest.
This is a recipe that you can use for lots of things and make in lots of ways. I hope you like it as much as I do.
How to Use this Cream Cheese Frosting:
You can use this frosting on any cake you love. These are a few of my favorite cake recipes:
- Strawberry Coconut Cake
- Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
- Ultimate Coconut Cupcakes
- Frosted Carrot Cake Cookies
- Red Velvet Cupcakes
- Strawberry Rhubarb Cake
This truly is perfection on any cake. Happy Baking!
Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe:
Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 packages (8 ounce each) Philadelphia cream cheese softened
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 6 cups confectioner's sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese, butter, and salt until light and smooth. This will take about five minutes.
- Blend in the vanilla and almond extract. Beat to combine.
- Add the confectioner's sugar slowly, about one cup at a time, and mix until smooth.
- Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, to achieve desired consistancy.
Can you freeze part of this for a later recipe?
I don’t like to freeze anything with cream cheese.
xo Michael
Hi Michael!
Unfortunately, English is not my native language, so I am confused by the translation of some ingredients.
You have written:
6 cups confectioner’s sugar
Do I understand correctly that you need six cups of powdered sugar to make this cream?
1 Cup powdered sugar = 400 grams
6 cups = 2400 grams???
Is that correct?
Powdered sugar, also called confectioners’ sugar, right?
Thanks!
I’ve been using this recipe for the past 4 years. The almond extract takes it up a notch vs other recipes. I use it with cookie cake, chocolate cake and, my favorite, pumpkin bread. It’s the best frosting recipe!
This is now my go-to recipe. Great flavor and so easy to make.
Love this frosting! I did add some peanut butter in a little bit a half-and-half to make some peanut butter frosting, which was fabulous. Already for Easter brunch now !
Love that idea! I’m a big fan of peanut butter, so I’m sure that was amazing!!
xo Michael
Can I substitute the kosher salt with table salt?
I personally prefer the flavor or kosher salt in general. I don’t really use table salt.
xo Michael
liked this one!
Hi Michael. Will this frosting hold between cake layers when used under fondant?
It does hold between cake layers, but I have not used it with fondant. It may, but I can’t say for sure.
xo Michael
I love cream cheese frosting. I discovered that it is even better if you add about four ounces of white chocolate, melted then cooled to the mixture. It pipes beautifully if chilled a bit. Also, I’ve done chocolate cream cheese icing by adding 4 ounces of dark chocolate, melted and cooled.
Is this recipe good for piping?
I use it for piping and I feel it works just fine. However I don’t do anything fancy / special.
xo Michael
This is a beautiful delicious icing! Love the how fluffy it is! Makes a lot of icing. I have enough to ice some cupcakes too.
Love it! And a lot of frosting is never a bad thing. 😉
xo Michael
I love the thought of adding hazelnut creamer to the frosting. What a great idea! Thank you, Michael.
I love cream cheese frosting because if it’s flexibility also. I add nutmeg, cinnamon and use hazelnut coffee creamer in it to make an amazing frosting for pumpkin ginger cupcakes. Yum!
Do you use two 8oz packs of cream cheese or 8oz total? Thanks
Two packages of cream cheese. 🙂
xo Michael
I was immediately wondering the same thing – it’s a little confusing on the recipe because the context is not written consistently for these two ingredients:
– 2 packages (8 ounces) Philadelphia cream cheese, softened (this is 16 oz TOTAL)
– 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened (this is, as listed, 3 sticks TOTAL)
I feel it would be more clear if you added the word “each” (8 ounces EACH).
Should cakes finished with this cream cheese frosting be refrigerated?
Yes, it is recommended. Remove from the refrigerator about 30 – 60 minutes (depending on the outside temperature) before serving. Great question!
xo Michael