Cream Cheese Frosting
This cream cheese buttercream frosting is the perfect accompaniment to any dessert. The frosting is easy to make, and you can use it as a filling or topping for cakes, cupcakes, and other desserts. It is thicker than most cream cheese frostings and pipes well. Make sure you add the cream cheese last to ensure it is thick and pipable.
Servings: 2 cups
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar sifted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces cream cheese block style
Instructions
- Add the butter and powdered sugar to a mixing bowl. Start the mixer on slow speed then increase the speed to medium high. Beat until smooth and creamy.
- Add the vanilla extract and salt. Mix well.
- Add the cream cheese and beat on medium high speed until well blended.
Notes
Use block-style, full-fat cream cheese. Tub cream cheese, reduced-fat versions, and Neufchâtel have higher water content and will make the frosting softer and runny.
Add ingredients in the listed order. Cream cheese has more water than butter, so adding it last keeps the frosting thicker. By coating the sugar in butterfat first, you prevent the sugar from pulling moisture out of the cream cheese and loosening the frosting.
Adjust sweetness to taste. This method makes a thick frosting without needing a ton of powdered sugar, but you can add more if you like it sweeter.
Yields: Enough to frost 24 cupcakes with a simple swirl, 10–12 cupcakes with a tall swirl, one 13x9-inch cake, or one double-layer 8- or 9-inch cake (double the batch to add frosting between layers).
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Bring to room temp before using.
Freeze: Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge, then re-whip until smooth.
Nutrition
Serving: 1tablespoon | Calories: 77kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 62mg | Sugar: 7g
