Oh how I love this flavorful Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe, and it is SO easy to make!

As far as I'm concerned, it is one of the most addictive frostings out there, I just can't resist that creamy frosting deliciousness!

Whether you're frosting classic cakes like Red Velvet or Italian Cream, or a good old standby like your favorite Go-to Carrot Cake Recipe or Spice Cake, you just cannot go wrong with this cream cheese buttercream recipe on hand. It would be a crime to use anything else! ;0)

How to Make Easy and Delicious Classic Cream Cheese Frosting

*You can find the full, printable recipe below but here is a quick rundown!

Cut the slightly softened butter into slices and mix until softened and smooth.

Cut the slightly softened cream cheese into pieces and add to the butter, beating at low to medium speed until well combined.

Add the vanilla and powdered sugar (be careful to add the powdered sugar bit by bit or turn down the mixer so that you won't create a cloud of powdered sugar in your kitchen! ;0)

Increase mixing speed and beat just until fluffy.

This frosting will pipe best if used while still chilled. You can make it in advance, refrigerate and when ready to use let it soften slightly (avoid microwaving) and remix.

Cakes that taste amazing with Cream Cheese Frosting

The best part about cream cheese frosting is that it perfectly complements SO many different types of cake. Here are just a few of our favorites!

Red Velvet

Carrot

Strawberry Cake,

Lemon Cake,

Italian Cream Cake

Pumpkin Cake

Chocolate Cake ...and SO many more!

FLAVORED CREAM CHEESE FROSTINGS

Not only do we love Classic Cream Cheese Frosting, we love flavored cream cheese frostings as well! There are so many amazing cream cheese frostings in our recipe section that you must try! Here are a few favorites, but for the full roundup, check out our Cream Cream Frosting Roundup further down!

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Cherry Cream Cheese Frosting

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting

Helpful Hints for Working with Cream Cheese Frosting

We've been swirling & filling our cupcakes and cakes with this frosting for years but as is often the case with Cream Cheese Frosting, it is a bit on the soft side.

If you need a thicker consistency, you can add additional powdered sugar in small amounts until you reach the desired consistency.

If your Cream Cheese Buttercream becomes increasingly soft as you pipe, to the point that it no longer holds it's shape, just pop it in the refrigerator for a minute.

This could be caused by a super warm kitchen, or warm hands against the piping bag. Either way, a few minutes in the fridge will work wonders. (Just not too long or it'll become too firm!) Oh the joys of cake decorating!

If you plan to do a lot of piping, you can find a link to another favorite Cream Cheese Frosting recipe towards the bottom of this post, which is a bit firmer due to a higher proportion of cream cheese in the recipe.

Roundup of Cream Cheese Frosting Recipes

Don't miss our roundup of the BEST Cream Cheese Frostings and Fillings! You can find them here: Roundup of our favorite Cream Cheese Frostings and Fillings

My Cake School Cake Recipes, Online Cake Tutorials, and More!

We have over ten year's worth of tried and true cake and frosting recipes in our Recipes Section! Make sure to scroll through and see if you find a new favorite!
If you are learning about cake decorating, hop over to our ever-growing Free Tutorials Section.

Or, if you are interested in accessing our entire collection of hundreds of cake decorating tutorials, you should consider becoming a member of My Cake School!
Memberships are $30/year and will give you access to every video we’ve made for as long as you are a member. You can find the joining details here: Joining Information for My Cake School. We would love to have you!

Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

Name: Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients: 2 sticks ,1 cup, (226g) unsalted butter, slightly softened; 2 (8oz) packages cream cheese (total weight 452g) I use full fat cream cheese. Using reduced fat or the spreadable cream cheese will cause the frosting to be too soft. Soften very slightly.; 2 teaspoons (8 g) vanilla extract; 1/2 teaspoon salt (2g) optional - it will cut the sweetness, popcorn salt is best to use because it is fine and dissolves faster; 6 to 6 1/2 cups (690g to 747g) powdered sugar

This classic Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting tastes amazing! It is silky smooth, super flavorful, and tastes perfect with red velvet cakes, spice cakes, chocolate cakes, and more!

Ingredients

2 sticks ,1 cup, (226g) unsalted butter, slightly softened
2 (8oz) packages cream cheese (total weight 452g) I use full fat cream cheese. Using reduced fat or the spreadable cream cheese will cause the frosting to be too soft. Soften very slightly.
2 teaspoons (8 g) vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt (2g) optional - it will cut the sweetness, popcorn salt is best to use because it is fine and dissolves faster
6 to 6 ½ cups (690g to 747g) powdered sugar

Instructions

Cut the butter into slices and add to the bowl of your mixer. Beat on low to medium speed until the butter is softened and smooth.
Cut the cold cream cheese into pieces and add to the butter, beating at low to medium speed until incorporated. If you are using a hand mixer you may need to soften the cream cheese a bit more.
Add the vanilla. Gradually add the powdered sugar beating on low speed until blended. Cover the bowl with a towel to keep down the cloud of powdered sugar.
Increase mixing speed and beat until fluffy. Don't over beat or it will become too soft. If it becomes too soft, just refrigerate a short while to firm it up a bit.
This frosting will pipe best if used while still chilled. You can make it in advance, refrigerate and when ready to use let it soften slightly (do not microwave) and remix.
Will frost a 3 layer 8 or 9 inch cake.

Another Version of Cream Cheese Frosting- Our Pipeable Recipe

Did you know that we have another Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe? You may also like this Pipeable Cream Cheese Frosting, which contains even more cream cheese and therefore is a bit firmer. We love them both!