Cream Cheese Frosting
Learn how to make lusciously creamy, sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting at home! It's so easy. This recipe as written yields 1 2/3 cups, or enough frosting for one 9" round or square cake layer, or 12 cupcakes. Multiply as needed (times two for a double-layer cake or 9x13" sheet cake, and so on).
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- No separate cook time
- Yield
- 1 serving
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- 1
You can make this frosting with a hand mixer or stand mixer, in a food processor, or by hand with a whisk in a mixing bowl (don’t skimp on the size).
- 2
To start, combine the cream cheese and butter. Beat the cream cheese and butter together until they are fully blended.
- 3
Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, then stir the mixture with a spoon until the powdered sugar is incorporated (or else powdered sugar will fly everywhere!). Finally, whip the frosting until it’s nice and fluffy.
- 4
Use the frosting immediately, or store it in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 5 days. Before using, let it warm to room temperature for about 15 minutes and briefly rewhip before using.