Cream Cheese Frosting
- Total Time
- 10 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:6 cups
- 2sticks (1 cup, 8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2(8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2tablespoons milk, more as needed
- 2teaspoons vanilla extract
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (14 servings)
299 calories; 24 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 19 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 18 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 105 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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- Step 1
Using an electric mixer, whip the butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy. Beat in sugar, milk and vanilla. If the frosting seems too thick to spread, add a little more milk.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Jennifer
This is a great recipe! It went wonderfully on my babana hazelnut praline cake. However I have one suggestion. Without reading the introduction at the top, the way the ingredient list reads, I would have used 16 oz of cream cheese. I've never seen a package of 4 oz cream cheese. I think it would be best just to say 8 oz of cream cheese and leave out the word package.
Deborah
Read all the notes but still not convinced about the quantities of butter and cream cheese. The intro says 'equal weights' of butter and cream cheese but the recipe says 8 ounces butter and (2x8oz) 16 ounces of cream cheese - which is clearly not equal weights. Please ask Melissa to clarify.
Hazel
I got to make this twice -- here's what not to do and the correctives
1. Try to cream the butter and the cream cheese together at the same time (cream the butter first, and then add cheese in chunks)
2. Use a locally made cream cheese with the added stiffeners and thickeners (use the nationally known stuff)
3. Add the milk at the same time as the sugar (wait until after the sugar is in to see if you need milk. I did not).
Makes enough for 4 dozen cupcakes. Now, how will this freeze?
Melissa Clark
It freezes very well! Defrost in the fridge, then bring to room temperature before re-beating, which you'll need to do before using.
Layla
Between the recipe instructions, the recipe notes in the link, and the comments, I have no idea how to make this frosting. The quantity of butter or cream cheese I decide to add could be as far as 50% to 200% off from the intended amount. Unfortunately I will have to search for a cream cheese buttercream recipe somewhere else.
Chaia
They do mean 16 oz. That's why it calls for two 8 oz packages. 8 oz is a descriptor for each package, not a total of what is called for in the recipe.
krause
Use 8 ounces of mascarpone in place of one of the 8 ounce package of cream cheese.
Adrienne
This was so easy and delicious. I made it just as written, with 16. oz cream cheese (2 8-oz packages of Organic Valley cream cheese) and topped a three-tiered lemon cake with it. (I substituted lemon extract for the vanilla extract in this case.) It was a huge hit. Easy to handle, and it made plenty for a large cake.
Ann
It’s alwys best to cream the cheese first to get some air in it and so you have no lumps... add butter in sections. Sift sugar- add in sections... always scrape Add milk again in sections and whip Will Freeze beautifully...
Jim
2 sticks of butter weigh 1/2 pound (8 ounces total), or 1 cup. NOT "equal weights of cream cheese and butter." by any stretch of the imagination.
Karen
Some are saying it means 16 oz. total of cream cheese and others are saying 8 oz total ...which is it?
Jim
I've never seen an 8-oz stick of butter. Aren't they all 4 ounces?
Cherie
Hi Jshep,. The amounts are written in such a way that is a bit confusing. 1 cup Is 8 ounces. All the recipe should have said was either 16 ounces Or 2 eight once sticks of unsalted butter. Have fun baking!!
Thanh
I'm a bit confused as well...if the recipe calls for 16 oz of cream cheese and 16 oz of butter. Then I would need 4 sticks of butter?
Emily
Sorry, I'm confused--I don't see the words "equal parts" anywhere in the introduction--
Layla
Between the recipe instructions, the recipe notes in the link, and the comments, I have no idea how to make this frosting. The quantity of butter or cream cheese I decide to add could be as far as 50% to 200% off from the intended amount. Unfortunately I will have to search for a cream cheese buttercream recipe somewhere else.
Hannah
cake, and only needed about half. After having little luck finding a good frosting recipe (not too sweet, but still adding flavor), this one is perfect. Note: I made the full recipe for a 13x9 cake and definitely only needed half. No one complained about the generous portion of frosting though!
Adrienne
This was so easy and delicious. I made it just as written, with 16. oz cream cheese (2 8-oz packages of Organic Valley cream cheese) and topped a three-tiered lemon cake with it. (I substituted lemon extract for the vanilla extract in this case.) It was a huge hit. Easy to handle, and it made plenty for a large cake.
Tricia
Perfect for cupcakes. Delicious.
Alene
I would like to use this on a gluten free coconut cake, and then press coconut on it. That would work, right? I guess I'm asking if coconut and cream cheese buttercream go together taste wise. Thanks!
Emily
Sorry, I'm confused--I don't see the words "equal parts" anywhere in the introduction--
Susan
It is in the video portion.
Jim
2 sticks of butter weigh 1/2 pound (8 ounces total), or 1 cup. NOT "equal weights of cream cheese and butter." by any stretch of the imagination.
Georgeann Faller
Delicious! Truly the best cream cheese frosting I have ever tried.
Deborah
Read all the notes but still not convinced about the quantities of butter and cream cheese. The intro says 'equal weights' of butter and cream cheese but the recipe says 8 ounces butter and (2x8oz) 16 ounces of cream cheese - which is clearly not equal weights. Please ask Melissa to clarify.
Anna
It's definitely equal quantities. She just can't write a recipe clearly.
Rita S.
Made this last night for the Ron Ben-Israel Carrot Cake (my husband prefers cream cheese frosting to the White Chocolate Vanilla Buttercream Ron's recipe calls for). Used 8 oz. Butter & 8 oz. Cream Cheese (=parts as indicated), but wasn't very sweet & was a bit thin, (didn't even add the milk) - so I used 3 1/2 cups total powdered sugar (instead of 2 cups in the recipe). Was worried it would be too sweet - but turned out just right! It tastes awesome on the carrot cake!
krause
Use 8 ounces of mascarpone in place of one of the 8 ounce package of cream cheese.
really good
very.. very easy to make ...I added vanilla and lemon extract it was delicious! good for cupcakes and filling no good for cake decoration
Thanh
I'm a bit confused as well...if the recipe calls for 16 oz of cream cheese and 16 oz of butter. Then I would need 4 sticks of butter?
Becky
I halved the recipe per a remark that it made a lot (I used a Devil's Food box cake mix & it made 12 cupcakes & 1 8-in round, & was enough to frost them.)
I had some strawberry cream chz that I used instead of plain, I let it & the butter come to room temp to blend easier, used milk, & added a little red food coloring to make more pink (I decided to do Valentine's type theme & also decorated with lil chocolates.) It was very good, light, not overly sweet.
Becky
Correction on my post - I *didn't* need to use milk (the consistency was fine w/o it.)
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