Every baker should have a perfect cream cheese frosting in her back pocket. From carrot cake to red velvet cake, and everything in between this recipe for the best cream cheese frosting is the only one you’ll ever need!

Cream Cheese Frosting

I don’t mean to brag, but this cream cheese frosting recipe is the best one you will ever have. Hands down. As in, I’ve eaten a LOT of cream cheese frostings in the my lifetime and I can tell you without a doubt that this one takes the cake. It’s perfectly smooth, fluffy, creamy, not too sweet, and ever so slightly tangy. It’s how do you say….perfect?

What is cream cheese frosting?

Now don’t judge me, but I’m actually not a huge classic buttercream person. It can be so overpoweringly, make-your-teeth-hurt sweet, and honestly I could totally live without it. *But* cream cheese frosting is a whole different story. If I could, I would literally frost every cake with it. Most often, I do. Hehe. It’s sweet and creamy with the perfect amount of tang to cut traditionally super sweet buttercream. It’s basically the superior homemade frosting and it’s absolutely scrumptious.

Most importantly it’s super simple and easy to make!

What do you need to make homemade cream cheese frosting?

This sweet and tangy frosting only requires 5 ingredients that you probably already have in your fridge!

• • Cream Cheese: Well DUH. We always use Philadelphia cream cheese when it comes to cream cheese frosting (not sponsored, just true). It is truly a superior cream cheese and will give you the creamiest, dreamiest frosting of all time.
  • Butter: Frosting tends to be a pretty buttery treat, so we always like to use a higher quality butter like Vermont Creamery. It really will make the difference and is so worth it when it comes to homemade frostings!
  • Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar is the base for homemade frosting recipes, working to both thicken and sweeten the icing.
  • Vanilla: Make sure you’re using a good, high quality vanilla extract. We love Rodelle!
  • Salt: Okay, so I debated whether to even include this in the 5 count because salt is basically not an ingredient, but it is so so important to not leave out the salt in your baked goods! Salt will help to cut some of that sweetness and deepen the flavor profile.

How to make the best cream cheese frosting ever

This homemade frosting is pretty darn easy to make, but it never hurts to break it down. So let’s look at it step by step to take any guess work out!

Step One: Place the room temperature butter in a stand mixer fit with the whisk attachment. Beat together until homogenous and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Step Two: Scrape down the bowl. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

And, THAT. IS. IT.

This easy cream cheese frosting comes together in literally 5 minutes and tastes straight from a bakery!

Tips for perfect cream cheese frosting

• • Make sure your cream cheese and butter are at true room temperature: I cannot stress enough just how important this step is! If the butter and cream cheese are not the same temperature your frosting can get lump, or worse, it can split. We like to leave our cream cheese and butter out for at least 3 hours before using them in this homemade frosting!
  • Use the whisk attachment: The whisk attachment is your best friend in homemade frostings. As it beats it whips air into your frosting giving you the fluffiest frosting ever.
  • Trust your gut: Or rather, your tastebuds! Frosting is one of the most forgiving treats to make. If it’s starting to taste too sweet for your liking, stopping adding sugar. Likewise, if you want more vanilla or a little extra salt add a little bit more in at a time to your taste!

What can you frost with cream cheese icing?

As previously stated I would literally eat this frosting by the spoonful every day. You can quote me on that. But, I must say, it does pair beautifully with some of the most delicious cakes.

• • Pumpkin Cake
  • Carrot Cake
  • Vanilla Cake
  • Red Velvet Cake
  • Banana Cake
  • Chocolate Cake

Whatever you smother this easy cream cheese frosting on is sure to be delicious. Happy frosting eating, my loves! Enjoy every last spoonful 🙂