Best 13 Basic Cream Cheese Frosting Recipes

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Whether you're a seasoned baker or just starting out, there's nothing quite like the decadent smoothness of a classic cream cheese frosting. This versatile frosting can elevate any cake, cupcake, or dessert to a new level of deliciousness. While there are many variations on this timeless recipe, we'll be focusing on the basics in this article. With a few simple ingredients and a bit of patience, you'll be able to whip up a creamy and flavorful frosting that will impress your friends and family alike.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING



Cream Cheese Frosting image

You know that no cake, cupcake, bar or cookie is complete without the perfect layer of cream cheese icing or frosting. Luckily, our spreadable and creamy homemade recipe is ready in just 5 minutes with 4 simple ingredients. Sweet with just the right amount of tang, this from-scratch Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe is the perfect finish for carrot cake, red velvet cupcakes, pumpkin-spice bars and more. Soon you'll be adding this cream cheese frosting recipe to everything on the dessert tray and more.

Provided by By Stephanie Wise

Categories     Dessert

Time 5m

Yield 32

Number Of Ingredients 4

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar, plus more as needed

Steps:

  • In large bowl, beat softened butter and cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed 2 to 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally, until smooth and creamy.
  • Stir in vanilla, then stir in powdered sugar. Add more powdered sugar as needed until frosting is a thick spreadable consistency.
  • Spread or pipe frosting on cooled cake or cupcakes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 170, Carbohydrate 21 g, Cholesterol 25 mg, Fat 2, Fiber 0 g, Protein 0 g, SaturatedFat 6 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 85 mg, Sugar 20 g, TransFat 0 g

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING



Cream Cheese Frosting image

Try Martha Stewart's quick and easy cream cheese frosting recipe. Cream cheese frosting is a delicious delight atop cupcakes and a favorite on pumpkin cake, carrot cake, and more.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Dessert & Treats Recipes

Yield Makes about 2 cups

Number Of Ingredients 4

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Steps:

  • Place cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl. Using a rubber spatula, soften cream cheese. Gradually add butter, and continue beating until smooth and well blended. Sift in confectioners' sugar, and continue beating until smooth. Add vanilla, and stir to combine.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING



Cream Cheese Frosting image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     dessert

Time 15m

Number Of Ingredients 4

4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer. With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar a cup at a time until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract.

BASIC CREAM CHEESE FROSTING



Basic Cream Cheese Frosting image

This recipe delivers a basic cream cheese frosting using just butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla.

Provided by JJ

Categories     Desserts     Frostings and Icings     Cream Cheese

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 4

½ cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Steps:

  • Beat softened butter and cream cheese until well blended.
  • Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until creamy.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 291.5 calories, Carbohydrate 40.4 g, Cholesterol 41.1 mg, Fat 14.3 g, Protein 1.5 g, SaturatedFat 9 g, Sodium 110.9 mg, Sugar 39.3 g

EASY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING



Easy Cream Cheese Frosting image

This is a simple recipe for delicious cream cheese frosting. It has less powdered sugar than most recipes. That's one reason it tastes so good.

Provided by live_love_cook

Categories     Desserts     Frostings and Icings     Cream Cheese

Time 15m

Yield 15

Number Of Ingredients 4

½ cup butter
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners' sugar

Steps:

  • Heat butter in a microwave-safe dish in microwave on high for 7 seconds. Transfer butter to a bowl and beat with cream cheese and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until mixture is nearly fluffy, about 5 minutes. Gradually stir confectioners' sugar into cream cheese mixture to make a smooth frosting. Store in refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 160.5 calories, Carbohydrate 17 g, Cholesterol 28.7 mg, Fat 10.1 g, Protein 0.9 g, SaturatedFat 6.4 g, Sodium 77.4 mg, Sugar 16.5 g

PERFECT CREAM CHEESE FROSTING



Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting image

Vegetable cakes (such as carrot and zucchini) are the perfect platform for swoops of this tangy Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Dessert & Treats Recipes

Time 10m

Yield Makes 6 cups (enough to frost an 8-inch layer cake)

Number Of Ingredients 4

2 pounds cream cheese, softened
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Steps:

  • Beat cream cheese, butter, and 1 cup sugar with a mixer on medium speed until combined. With machine running, add remaining 2 cups confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, and beat until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes more.

EASIEST CREAM CHEESE FROSTING



Easiest Cream Cheese Frosting image

Make and share this Easiest Cream Cheese Frosting recipe from Food.com.

Provided by Monkeygirl1628

Categories     Dessert

Time 10m

Yield 2 2/3 cups frosting

Number Of Ingredients 4

2 (3 ounce) packages cream cheese
1/2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups sifted powdered sugar

Steps:

  • In a mixer bowl beat together the cream cheese, butter or margarine, and vanilla till light and fluffy.
  • Gradually add the powdered sugar, beat till smooth.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 1236.9, Fat 56.9, SaturatedFat 35.9, Cholesterol 161.7, Sodium 436, Carbohydrate 181.4, Sugar 176.8, Protein 5.2

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING FOR FLAG CAKE



Cream Cheese Frosting for Flag Cake image

This not-too-sweet frosting is used to make our Flag Cake. It's also a star atop cupcakes and carrot cake.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Dessert & Treats Recipes

Yield Makes 7 cups, enough for Flag Cake

Number Of Ingredients 4

1 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
1 pound confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Steps:

  • Place butter and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high until fluffy. Reduce speed; add confectioners' sugar and vanilla, beat until well combined.

SIMPLE CREAM-CHEESE FROSTING



Simple Cream-Cheese Frosting image

This simple cream-cheese frosting is the perfect accompaniment for a number of tasty desserts.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Dessert & Treats Recipes

Yield Makes enough for 24 cupcakes

Number Of Ingredients 5

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 pound (4 cups) confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 to 3 tablespoons strained raspberry jam
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Steps:

  • Beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and then jam and vanilla; mix until smooth.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING I



Cream Cheese Frosting I image

Great on pumpkin bars or cookies.

Provided by A. Schreier

Categories     Desserts     Frostings and Icings     Cream Cheese

Yield 16

Number Of Ingredients 5

6 tablespoons cream cheese
⅓ cup butter, softened
1 ¾ cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Steps:

  • Mix all ingredients thoroughly and spread on cooled bars or cookies.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 107.9 calories, Carbohydrate 13.3 g, Cholesterol 17.4 mg, Fat 6.1 g, Protein 0.5 g, SaturatedFat 3.8 g, Sodium 43.8 mg, Sugar 12.9 g

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING



Cream Cheese Frosting image

This smooth, versatile cream cheese frosting has a delicate vanilla flavor. The woman who made the wedding cake for our daughter, Leanne, and her groom, Billy, used this recipe. It's also excellent on carrot cake. -Sharon Lugdon, Greenbush, Maine

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 10m

Yield about 3 cups.

Number Of Ingredients 5

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt, optional
3-3/4 to 4 cups confectioners' sugar

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla and, if desired, salt until fluffy. Gradually beat in enough confectioners' sugar to achieve desired consistency. Store in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 234 calories, Fat 9g fat (6g saturated fat), Cholesterol 27mg cholesterol, Sodium 109mg sodium, Carbohydrate 38g carbohydrate (35g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 1g protein.

CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING



Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting image

The delicious cream cheese buttercream frosting recipe is a great addition to Angie Dudley's Cupcake Pops.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Dessert & Treats Recipes     Cake Recipes     Fillings & Frostings     Buttercream Frosting Recipes

Yield Makes enough for about 50 cupcake bites

Number Of Ingredients 4

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Steps:

  • Place cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until creamy, about 30 seconds.
  • With the mixer on low, slowly add sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowls as necessary.
  • Add vanilla and increase mixer speed to medium. Blend until frosting is fluffy, about 1 minute.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING



Cream cheese frosting image

Whip up this easy cream cheese frosting for icing classic bakes like carrot cake, cinnamon buns, chocolate cake or cupcakes

Provided by Good Food team

Categories     Afternoon tea, Dessert, Treat

Time 15m

Yield Will cover a 18cm cake (approx 8 people)

Number Of Ingredients 4

100g butter , softened
1 tbsp orange juice (optional)
100g icing sugar , sieved
200g full fat cream cheese

Steps:

  • Beat the softened butter to a soft and even consistency. Add the orange juice, if using, then the icing sugar. Cream until you have a smooth, soft buttercream consistency.
  • Add the cream cheese and work it in - don't beat it in, just slowly mix with a wooden spoon. Depending on how soft the mixture is, you may want to put it in the fridge for 10 mins at this point. If it's runny, it will firm up again. It should be spreadable and not run off the cake.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 206 calories, Fat 16 grams fat, SaturatedFat 10 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 13 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 13 grams sugar, Protein 1 grams protein, Sodium 0.4 milligram of sodium

Tips:

  • Use softened cream cheese. This will make it easier to mix and will help to prevent lumps.
  • If you don't have a mixer, you can make cream cheese frosting by hand. Just be sure to cream the butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy.
  • Add flavorings to your frosting to taste. Some popular options include vanilla extract, lemon zest, and cocoa powder.
  • If you want a thicker frosting, add more powdered sugar. If you want a thinner frosting, add more milk.
  • Cream cheese frosting can be used to frost cakes, cupcakes, and cookies. It can also be used as a filling for pies and pastries.

Conclusion:

Cream cheese frosting is a delicious and versatile frosting that can be used to decorate a variety of desserts. It's easy to make and can be customized to your own taste. So next time you're looking for a tasty frosting, give cream cheese frosting a try!

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