Hi, my name is Kate (“Hi, Kate!”) and I’m addicted to cream cheese frosting. Addicted. Like…we should not be left alone together because I will inevitably do something that will make me feel shameful and sad that the workout I did that morning will count for nothing and then some.
I have the power to make this amazing frosting. I’m going to give you those powers. But you have to remember that with great power comes great responsibility, and you can say that yourself again and again as you lick the beaters. And the spatula. And I squeeze some from the icing bag onto your finger. Because that’s what happens with this frosting.
For the longest, longest time, I could not find a recipe for cream cheese frosting that I liked. I knew what I wanted–the stuff swirled on top of the boutique cupcakes, not too sweet, something kind of like creamy, spreadable cheesecake.
I wanted a really distinct cream cheese flavor, but every recipe I found called for so much butter and sugar that the cream cheese flavor was completely overwhelmed.
And then I found this recipe. And my life was changed. For better or worse I can’t say, but, at least in my book, this is the perfect cream cheese frosting.
If you’re not super crazy about cream cheese or if you like sweeter frostings, this might not be your thing, but if you love that thick, creamy, cream-cheesy frosting on carrot cakes and snack cakes (like pumpkin or apple or banana) and cinnamon rolls and your finger, this one’s for you.
The ingredients aren’t any different than other cream cheese frosting recipes–cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla (or almond) extract. The difference is the proportions–this calls for way more cream cheese and cuts down on the butter and powdered sugar.
You might ask, Kate, can I use light cream cheese? Absolutely. Your frosting will be a tad bit softer, but it still won’t help when you eat it all.
Place all the ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.
Beat together the ingredients until light and fluffy.
Keep the ingredients a little on the cool side–like not quite softened to room temperature. That will prevent the frosting from getting too soft.
Add the powdered sugar…
And then you’re done.
Which is part of the danger–I’m only 5 minutes away from reckless abandon. Slather it onto cupcakes, these sugar cookies, this carrot cake, sandwich it between graham crackers, or your favorite cinnamon rolls, or skip the streusel and swirl it onto these muffins…
Whatever you use it on, enjoy!
Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 8- ounce packages cream cheese light works fine, although it will yield a slightly softer frosting at almost room temperature
- 1/2 cup salted butter at almost room temperature
- 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract or both
Instructions
- Whip together the cream cheese, butter, and extract until light and fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar and whip until smooth and fully incorporated. Refrigerate any leftovers (or anything you’ve frosted that doesn’t get eaten immediately).
Questions & Reviews
My oldest made it “uncool” to like cream cheese and cream cheese frosting, and the notion has spread like wildfire through the other 5 kids (eyeroll). I, like you, am the main creator and consumer of cream cheese frosting in my house.
I have been waiting for your take on cream cheese frosting for like a year. I have a dangerous addiction too! I love to put it on graham crackers, and I have some graham crackers that need eatin’.
Oohhhh..that looks good – I love that it uses salted butter!
Uh-oh… my husband rarely make desserts anymore unless there is cream cheese involved. I mean, why make dessert without the world’s most splendid ingredient?! Can’t wait to try this version. Thank you!
This also recipe also tastes good if you substitute the cream cheese for mascarpone 🙂
Wow, your blog, the recipe and all the comments make me want to make it NOW! I can’t wait to try this one.
Sounds great! What size decorating tip do you use to get the frosting to look so perfect on the cupcakes? Do you have any special tips/tricks when frosting them? Mine always look like a 2-year-old frosted them – which, I must say, never stops me from eating them. 🙂
You are a godsend. My husband and I love the Rhodes cinnamon rolls for lazy Saturday/Sunday morning breakfasts but the package of rolls only comes with two packets of cream cheese frosting, 12 rolls… and we bake it in groups of four. So our last batch of rolls requires store bought in a can cream cheese frosting because I haven’t found a simple and good cream cheese recipe. Now I need to go buy more rolls so I can try out this recipe!
Who needs cake. Graham crackers dipped in it is my secret addiction. It is the best when you can find the graham cracker sticks plain or cinnamon!
Pinning this RIGHT NOW so that I have it handy when I make my husband a carrot cake to make up for how bad I messed up on his actual birthday. TMI? He loves cream cheese frosting so I’m thinking a hommade carrot cake with homemade cream cheese frosting will get me back into good graces 🙂 These are my hopes.
Oh, Mandi, I totally know about screwing up the actual birthdays, lol! A few years ago, we were deaaaaaaad broke and so my present was going to be making a TON (like hundreds) of the sugar cookies with glace icing on the blog and surprising him at work. It took days and days of planning and baking and decorating. When I was taking them out to the car, the box bottomed out and they fell all over the ground. So not only did he get no REAL presents because we had no money, but he didn’t get any cookies, either. And the KICKER was that his stupid special birthday dinner didn’t happen, either, because I was so preoccupied by the cookie disaster. It was bad.