This cream cheese frosting is literally THE BEST you’re going to try. It’s rich, creamy, tart and has the perfect level of sweetness. It’s a great stable cream cheese frosting too, making it ideal for piping!
What makes this cream cheese frosting the best?
Okay I know everyone says their version of something is the best. BUT, I have to say that I don’t think I’ve tried a cream cheese frosting that tastes better than this one.
The secret? LEMON JUICE! With the addition of fresh lemon juice (yes – it must be FRESH!), there’s an added layer of tartness. It adds an incredible depth of flavour and is the perfect combo with cream cheese for this buttercream!
Did you know I also have a chocolate cream cheese frosting recipe! It’s equally as good, and you can find it here.
Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting
This recipe will require:
– Unsalted butter: You’ll need the butter to be at room temperature, and I would highly recommend using unsalted butter as it results in a less harsh tasting buttercream.
– Icing/confectioners’ sugar (also called powdered sugar)
– Cream cheese: for a more stable frosting you want to use a firm, full-fat cream cheese. They sometimes come in a brick.
– Vanilla essence/extract
– Fresh lemon juice: This is going to add a wonderful tart flavor to the frosting and helps cut through the sweetness.
How to make this frosting
This cream cheese frosting comes together SO EASILY!
You want to start off by creaming your butter in a large mixing bowl for a few minutes using an electric mixer, until it’s light and fluffy. This is going to give your frosting a lighter texture.
Next you want to add in your icing/confectioners sugar in 3 batches, whilst mixing on a low speed. This is going to ensure that our icing sugar doesn’t go everywhere!
Then add in your cold cream cheese, vanilla essence or vanilla extract and fresh lemon juice. Mix on a medium high speed just until the frosting is smooth. Avoid over-mixing as this can result in a less stable frosting.
And that is it! You should end up with a smooth cream cheese frosting 🙂
Commonly Asked Questions
Can I use this frosting for cake decorating and layer cakes?
If you’re making a simple 2 layer cake, then yes it can be used as a frosting for the inside and outside. However, as with most cream cheese frostings it will soften up slightly at room temperature making it less stable. Because of this, for cakes with 3 or more layers, I would recommend using this frosting only as a filling.
Below is an example of my red velvet cake recipe (2 layers), which I frosted with this cream cheese frosting. It held together well as it was only 2 layers, but I imagine if I added more layers then I may run into some problems with layers sliding off!
Can I pipe with this cream cheese frosting?
ABSOLUTELY! So the trick to getting a firm enough consistency is using cold, firm cream cheese (not the spreadable type). This will give you a nice pipeable consistency that’s great for cakes and cupcakes.
If it’s really hot where you live, and your frosting is starting to soften up after some time, simply place it back into the fridge for about 30 minutes, and then rewhip it. It should be back at a nice pipeable consistency.
How do you make cream cheese frosting thicker or more stable?
There are a few ways you can increase the stability of this frosting or make it a bit thicker.
– Add in more icing/powdered sugar (if you don’t mind a little extra sweetness). Add in a tablespoon at a time and taste test as you go.
– Secondly, you can add in some cornstarch to thicken up the frosting. I would add in about 2 tablespoons max, otherwise it can start to impact the taste/texture of your frosting.
– You can also add in meringue powder or arrowroot powder. About 2 teaspoons of each per batch of frosting.
How do you store cream cheese frosting?
Because this frosting contains cream cheese, proper storage is important to maintain its texture and prevent it from spoiling. It will be okay to leave out at room temperature for the day (as the sugar in the frosting prevents the cream cheese from spoiling too quickly), but after that it should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight.
Can you freeze cream cheese frosting?
Yes, you can freeze cream cheese frosting to extend its shelf life. Freezing cream cheese frosting is a good way to preserve it for later use, especially if you have leftover frosting that you don’t plan to use immediately. Simply place it in an airtight container and freeze for upto 3 months.
It’s important to note that although cream cheese frosting does generally freeze quite well (due to the high fat content), sometimes freezing can slightly alter the texture, and it may become slightly softer or grainy after thawing. However, re-whipping can usually help improve its texture.
What can I use cream cheese frosting for?
Cream cheese frosting can be used for so many different flavoured cakes! Some of my favourite options are my spice cake recipe, carrot cake recipe and red velvet cake recipe.
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Print Pin VideoIMPORTANT: For accuracy, I would recommend using the gram measurements provided, as those are the exact quantities I use. Cup measurements are given as estimates (based on US cup measurements) to make it easier for those who do not have a scale.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter - room temp
- 4½ cups (570 g) powdered sugar - also known as confectioners/icing sugar. Use more for a thicker frosting (see note 1)
- 1½ cups (335 g) cream cheese - cold, firm type (see note 2)
- 1½ tsp vanilla essence/extract
- 1½ tbsp lemon juice - must be fresh
Instructions
- To a large bowl add in unsalted butter and using an electric mixer (hand or stand mixer are both fine - use the paddle attachment if using a stand mixer) cream for a few minutes on a medium high speed until it's light and fluffy.
- Add in the powdered sugar in 3 batches while mixing on low. Ensure that each batch of powdered sugar is mixed into the butter well before adding in the next batch.
- Next add in your cold cream cheese, vanilla and fresh lemon juice and mix on a medium speed just until the frosting is smooth. Avoid over-mixing (see note 3). If using a stand mixer, you may need to mix on a high speed to get everything nice and smooth (see note 4 if your frosting is lumpy).
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only as they are automatically calculated by a third party application. Actual values may differ based on brands and types of products used.
158 Comments
Assalamualaikum mk, hope all is well on your side, may a big mistake, added too much of lemon juice, confused tablespoon with cups, the frosting is very runny, will it be possible to advise what can be done with it now, or if possible how can I adjust to get frosting back, is it okay to just add Cornstarch too it? Also it tastes very lemony, a bit bitter. Stored the runny frosting in the fridge hoping something can be done, doesn’t go to waste
Wassalaam Runtimeeror! 🙂 Oh no I am so sorry to hear about the miscalculation with the frosting! You could add more powdered sugar (this will make it stiffer and combat the bitter lemon taste), a bit of cornstarch (for thickening) and a bit more cream cheese will also help to make it less runny (I would add this last after playing around with the powdered sugar and cornstarch). Hope that helps! 🙂
Hi MK
My name is Carol. I’m from South Africa Capetown and came across your cheese cake frosting. I’m using a roasting pan size dish. To make a slab cake. How much ingredients do I use to make the frosting please
Regards Carol
Hi Carol! 🙂 If your pan is roughly 9×13 inches, then I would recommend halving the recipe 🙂
Much love from NZ to South Africa!
Hi MK
I’m just using frosting to fill my 4 layer 8 Inch cake what measurements would I need, TIA 🙂
Hi Karren! 🙂 If it’s just being used as a filling (which I would recommend for a 4 layer cake), then I think half the recipe should be enough 🙂
Second time I make this recipe, I personally never liked carrot cake but your recipe makes me love it ! .
Ohhh I am so so happy to hear that! 😀 So glad you enjoyed the carrot cake 🙂
My 10 year old daughter selected this red velvet cake recipe to make for my birthday. This was her first ‘all by myself’ baking. Both cake and icing recipes were extremely easy to follow. The finish product was amazing! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Aww yay! So so happy to hear the cake turned out wonderfully and that the recipe was easy enough for your daughter to follow 🙂 looks like you have a talented baker in the family!
Happy Birthday April 🙂
Hi, why do you not put salt and use unsalted butter in this icing?
Hi Zoe! 🙂 For this frosting I found that the cream cheese provides enough flavor that salt is not needed. I prefer to use unsalted butter when baking because this then allows you to control how much salt you want in your baked goods (you can balance the flavors out a bit better this way). Hope that helps! 🙂
Hi ,
I love your recipes , they are amazing . My family loved the red velvet cake . Just wondering if this crème cheese frosting will be able to hold a layer cake ? I need to make a red velvet cake for 50 people . If I use this recipe for crump coat and for the whole cake decorations, will it hold ?would it be better to keep creamy cheese layers and butter cream in the outside for stability. It’s cold weather in Sydney now . So outer temperature will be ok. It’s going to be min 5 -6 layer 8 inch cake . Please advise . Thank you
Hi Linta 🙂 So happy to hear you’re loving the recipes! When it comes to a layer cake that has more than 2 layers, I would recommend using the cream cheese frosting as a filling as you’ve suggested above and use a more stable buttercream for the crumb coat and final coat 🙂 this just helps to ensure everything holds well. Hope that helps and much love from NZ to Australia! 🙂
My cousin did a similar recipe for my wedding cake in QLD in November Brisbane. She cream cheese the layers but didn’t go to the edge of each layer as she left a few millimetres then she crumbed with white chocolate the whole cake so the white chocolate would fill in the millimetres to seal the cake preventing it from melting. Then applied white chocolate to all the cakes, each cake had 3 layers but was a bit different to this recipe.
the recipe is similar but the method is what matters, you need a stand mixer to beat cold butter cut into cubes out of the fridge with icing sugar as the icing sugar will coat the butter absorbing the liquid while keeping it cold. Then she added milk powder, cold cream cheese out of the fridge (while it is beating you dump the whole block into the bowl while it mixing) and lastly vanilla extract.
The wedding cake was on display in the aircon for around 8 hours.
She had to use cream cheese for the cakes as 2 out of the 4 were Lemon, Carrot and walnut as they were her father’s favourite cakes, as he had passed away before the marriage.
Hi. Thank you so much for posting your recipe. Can I add cornstarch to make the frosting more stable because it is really hot at my place? Does cornstarch affect the taste? Will the frosting form a crust as buttercream frosting with or without cornstarch?
Hi Celina! 🙂 You’re so welcome – glad you enjoyed it 😀
Yes you could add a bit of cornstarch, though not too much otherwise this can lead to a unique texture when you eat the frosting (not necessarily a good one so best to avoid it). Due to the cream cheese in the frosting, this frosting doesn’t crust and I believe is unlikely to crust even with cornstarch 🙂
Alternatively, you could add more powdered sugar if you’re okay with a slightly sweeter frosting, as this will add extra stability as well. Hope that helps! 🙂
I made this frosting for the lemon cake and it was wonderful. It turned out exactly as I expected it to 😊
For your frostings in general, I’m just wondering if I can reduce the amount of sugar, or if that will screw with the consistency and stability. Our family generally doesn’t eat sugar or processed food, so when I make a cake ( I always use your recipies) they are an AMAZING TREAT, but the one thing we would love is a slightly less sweet frosting. It’s so good I want to eat more of it without the sweetness getting in the way of the enjoyment! We usually end up scraping quite a bit off, but if I don’t frost the whole cake then it will get dry.
Hi Jasmine! So happy to hear you loved the recipe 😀
In terms of the frosting/s, you could reduce the powdered sugar by about 1/4 cup (30g) max for the cream cheese frosting, but I wouldn’t recommend anymore otherwise the frosting will become loose 🙂. For buttercream frostings that don’t have cream cheese, you could reduce the sugar a little more (by up to about 1/2 – 1 cup). It will make the frosting a bit softer, but if it’s not for business purposes (like selling cakes) then it will be fine 🙂
Hope that helps and thank you so much for the feedback 😀
Yes and yes!! This is delicious! Saved in my recipe book for life, thanks MK!
Haha awesome! So happy to hear you loved the recipe Eileen 😀
Maybe a silly question, but would this frosting work well being colored with food coloring?
Not silly at all! 🙂 Yes you could add gel colors to this frosting, and I would add it in when adding in the cream cheese 🙂