Everyone needs a reliable cream cheese frosting recipe for all kinds of cakes and desserts, from red velvet cake and carrot cake to pumpkin spice bread, macarons, cupcakes, cookies, and more! Today, I’m sharing my favorite version—it’s smooth, firm, and perfectly balanced in sweetness. Plus, it’s incredibly easy to make!
Equipment
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment or a bowl and hand mixer
- Rubber spatula
Ingredients
- 113 g (1 US stick) unsalted butter (softened) – or 2 sticks for stiffer buttercream
- 250 g (2 cups) powdered sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt – add one more pinch for stiffer buttercream
- 226 g (1 8-oz block) cream cheese
- ½ – 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional; not included this time)
Instructions
- Whip room-temperature butter, salt, and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment until fluffy. Start at low speed to avoid powdered sugar scattering, then gradually increase to medium-high speed. Whip for about 5 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to clean the bottom and sides of the bowl and paddle for even mixing.
- Add cold cream cheese (let it sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes to soften slightly) and whip at high speed until incorporated. For fluffier frosting, whip at medium speed for a few more minutes. The frosting thickens the more you whip. For a glossier, softer frosting, stop whipping sooner. Clean the bowl and paddle on the way.
To make it stiffer:
Add one more stick of butter and a pinch of salt. Keep the other ingredient amounts the same. After adding the cream cheese, whip for about a minute at medium speed to avoid over-whipping. With more butter, too much whipping will make the frosting too airy.
Tips for Success
- Use room-temperature butter to blend well and avoid a runny frosting. Cold butter doesn’t mix smoothly with the other ingredients.
- Add all the powdered sugar at once with the butter. When making multiple batches, pulse the stand mixer on and off at low speed to prevent the sugar from scattering.
- Cold cream cheese makes stiffer frosting, while room-temperature cream cheese results in a softer frosting. Whip at medium-high speed to ensure a smooth texture.
- Be careful not to whip too long after adding the cream cheese, as it can become too airy.
- If you don’t have a stand mixer, use an electric hand mixer instead.
Yield
One batch of this recipe is enough for about 12 cupcakes or a 6-inch cake. Double or adjust the recipe as needed!
