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Cream cheese frosting is a baking classic!
It's perfect for practically any cake and any leftovers are great dolloped onto some freshly cut fruit.
VIDEO! How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream Cheese Frosting
Swaps & Suggestions for Cream Cheese Frosting
This is the basic recipe, you can reduce the amount of butter if you want a bit more tang, and increase or decrease the sugar according to your taste. Dress up with ginger, vanilla bean, or coconut flakes.
Here are some fun variations!
- Add 1/2 a cup of unsweetened cocoa powder and a pinch of salt for a chocolate cream cheese frosting
- Mix freshly grated or dried, flaked coconut to the frosting to make a coconut frosting
- Intensify a vanilla frosting by adding some scrapings from a fresh vanilla bean to the frosting
- Add some blueberry syrup for blueberry cream cheese frosting
- Add a tablespoon of Amaretto or a quarter teaspoon of almond extract for an almond flavored cream cheese frosting
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How to Make This Frosting Thicker
If the frosting is too thin, beat in powdered sugar one tablespoon at a time. It may require more powdered sugar than you'd think, so be patient.
Do You Have to Refrigerate Cream Cheese Frosting?
If your kitchen is around 70°F, then you can leave desserts with cream cheese frosting sitting out for up to a day. If your kitchen is warmer, or your dessert has been out for a while, refrigerate it.
How to Store & Freeze
Refrigerate leftover cream cheese frosting in a tightly covered container for up to one week. Let it soften on the counter 15-30 minutes before spreading. Freeze cream cheese frosting for up to 2 months. (Try leftovers sandwiched between graham crackers and frozen like ice cream sandwiches. Divine!)
Use Cream Cheese Frosting with These Recipes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick, 4 ounces, 115g), room temperature
- 8 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese (1 package, 224g), room temperature
- 2 to 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar (also known as confectioner's sugar), sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Method
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Beat the cream cheese and butter together:
Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter together until completely smooth, about 3 minutes on medium speed. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl to ensure that the mixture is mixed evenly.
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Beat in vanilla extract and powdered sugar:
Beat in the vanilla extract. With the mixer running on low speed to start, slowly add in 2 cups of the powdered sugar.
Powdered sugar has cornstarch in it that will thicken the frosting as well as making it sweet. Add more powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time to the frosting until you get your desired level of sweetness and thickness.
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Spread or pipe the frosting to decorate:
Use a blunt knife or spatula to spread the frosting, or spoon the frosting into a piping bag to decorate your cupcake or cake.