All of the tangy cream cheese flavor you love in the classic frosting, but sturdy enough to be piped and hold it’s shape. This decorator’s cream cheese frosting is the best parts of buttercream and cream cheese frosting combined.
It has been at least a week since I last shared a frosting recipe with you, so it is overdue! This frosting is worth the wait.
It has the tang of cream cheese but it is perfect for piping into swirls, rosettes, shells and more.
There are a few kinds of cake that just beg to be slathered with cream cheese frosting. Carrot cake and banana cakes are two obvious choices, but cream cheese also goes well with chocolate cake and many more.
The problem is the standard cream cheese frosting isn’t great for doing much more than spreading over the cake. It is soft and doesn’t hold it’s shape well.
It is absolutely delicious, but not great for piping. And for frosting lovers like myself, sometimes a little bit of frosting spread on top of a cupcake isn’t enough.
(It’s never enough!) Bring on the fluffy swirls of frosting!
Luckily this recipe allows you to have the best of both worlds. It pipes like an American buttercream dream but has that familiar cream cheese taste we love.
The final product does form a slight crust, especially if chilled, that makes transportation a lot easier. It also helps it hold up to a little more warmth than a standard cream cheese frosting.
For even more stability, you could substitute some shortening in for some of the butter. The higher melting point always helps to keep things a bit more resistant to temperature.
You can definitely taste the cream cheese in the final product without any help. If you feel like it needs a little more though, a teaspoon of cream cheese emulsion will help drive the flavor home.
After several batches of this frosting in the past month, I can assure you that this frosting will be a hit. You’ll see it featured on some pretty cookie stacks I’m sharing and also some super fun summer cupcakes.
Go ahead and make a practice batch of frosting now so you’ll be ready for those when I share them!
Frequently Asked Questions
Does cream cheese frosting get hard in the fridge?
Yes, so if you frosting gets soft, just pop it in the refrigerator for a bit to stiffen up. Chilling your frosting will help it remain stable for transportation and will help to set any decorations you made.
Can you use cream cheese frosting in place of buttercream?
The traditional cream cheese frosting doesn’t have the same texture as buttercream, so you can’t use it to make intricate decorations. This recipe combines the flavor of cream cheese frosting with the texture of buttercream so you can use it the same way you would your favorite buttercream.
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a review in the recipe card below!
Cream Cheese Frosting for Decorating
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3½ cups powdered sugar (1 pound)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 Tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon cream cheese emulsion optional
Instructions
- Beat together butter and cream cheese until super smooth and creamy.½ cup butter, 4 ounces cream cheese
- Add salt, powdered sugar, vanilla and cream cheese emulsion if using. Mix until combined.¼ teaspoon salt, 3½ cups powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon cream cheese emulsion
- Add a tablespoon of milk and continue to mix for at least 2 minutes. Adjust final consistency with more milk or powdered sugar.1 to 2 Tablespoons milk
- Spread or pipe immediately or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Michelle VanVolkenberg
Tuesday 6th of August 2024
Hi Carlee! I have 12 dozen wedding cupcakes to make a an 8 inch double layer cake to make can I make ahead and freeze the frosted cupcakes and for how long?
Carlee
Tuesday 6th of August 2024
I have frozen frosted cupcakes for up to a couple of months before. If you have good containers, it works quite well. You'll want to be careful that there isn't anything in your freezer that could cause smells or flavors to seep into the cupcakes. And when you take them out of the freezer, try to defrost them slowly. You can put them in the fridge overnight and then transition them to room temperature. Otherwise, if they come out of the freezer into the warm house, you could end up with condensation making things a little soggy or weepy. That is a big order! Good luck and have fun!
Ruthie
Friday 3rd of May 2024
Thank you for putting the measurements into the method so I don't have to scroll up and down to follow the recipe. I can't wait to try this!
Carlee
Friday 3rd of May 2024
You're welcome! I hope you love it!
Dana
Friday 5th of January 2024
Hi! I am looking forward to trying this frosting. Do the cupcakes need to be refrigerated with this frosting? How long can they stay at room temperature before the frosting start to go bad? For example, I am planning on making them on a Thursday but the party is on Saturday. Thanks!
Carlee
Friday 5th of January 2024
I would refrigerate them. They can sit out for a while, but I wouldn't leave them out for a couple of days. Put them in a container with a lid if you can to keep the cupcakes from drying out.
Sandra
Saturday 11th of November 2023
Thanks so much Carlee. I love the info in the notes!......
Carlee
Saturday 11th of November 2023
Yay! I am glad the notes were helpful.
V
Sunday 20th of August 2023
I need enough for frosting to do just a swirl for approx 300 or so brownie bites, how many batches would I need to make?
Carlee
Sunday 20th of August 2023
This recipe makes about 3 cups of frosting. So if we assume you'll use about a Tablespoon on each brownie bite, you could do 48 brownie bites with each batch. So you will need about 6 batches. Depending on the size of your brownie bites, you might not need a whole Tablespoon for each. But that will give you a starting point to estimate.