This truly is the BEST CREAM CHEESE FROSTING! It is light and fluffy and is the perfect frosting to go with your red velvet, carrot or hummingbird cakes!!
I truly LOVE cream cheese frosting!!! This time of year it really is required for all the amazing desserts. There are red velvet cakes, and carrot cakes and hummingbird cakes to frost and enjoy! Cream cheese frostings have more depth to the flavor than a traditional buttercream frosting. It’s like frosting a cake with a cheesecake. I mean really, what could be better than that?!?!?!?!
The basic ingredients of a cream cheese frosting don’t really vary much but the way you make it can really determine if it’s the best cream cheese frosting or a lumpy flop. There are three critical steps that you must not skip! First, your ingredients have to be room temperature. If the butter and cream cheese are still cold you will have a lump mess on your hands and no one wants that. 🙂 Second, whip, whip, whip. Just because the ingredients are mixed together doesn’t mean your frosting is done and it’s time to turn off the mixer. Start by mixing the butter and cream cheese together before you do anything then once it’s nice and smooth and fluffy start to add in your confectioners’ sugar. Third, the confectioners’ sugar much be sifted. Don’t just cheat and whisk it. It has a tendency to clump and form small balls of sugar. When you sift you make sure that there are no little clumps and you won’t have little lumps in you frosting.
There you have it. It’s so simple to make but please, please do your cakes a favor and do it the right way, you’ll be soooooo glad that you did when you have that slice of cake or just lick the bowl like me. 🙂
- 16 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer beat together on medium speed the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy
- turn down the speed of the mixer and slowly add in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go
- once all the sugar and vanilla is incorporated, turn up the speed to medium high and beat for 2 minutes, until frosting is light and fluffy.
- refrigerate until ready to use
Delicious frosting! Haven’t tasted it with the banana cake I put it on yet, but out of the bowl is very tasty!
Can i pipe this on cupcakes?
Heck yes!
Thanks for the recipe. Have been searching for a cream cheese frosting recipe that actually will frost a 2 layer cake. Most of the recipes for a layer cake use only 8 oz of cream cheese and some only 4 ounces. Maybe I am addicted to cream cheese but I actually like to taste it on the cake…forget the thin layer, bring on lots and lots of cream cheese. Will be trying this tonight on a birthday cake for my daughter in law, who happens to be a cream cheese addict…L)
Could I substitute shortening for unsalted butter?
The shortening will change the flavor of the frosting and slightly alter the texture, but you’re welcome to give it a shot!