Cream Cheese Frosting

My secret to making Cream Cheese Frosting that is perfectly smooth, fluffy, tangy, creamy and not overly sweet is milk powder! It’s this magic ingredient that helps give you a cream cheese frosting that is stable enough to fill cakes or pipe on top of cupcakes!

You can use this to fill cakes like my carrot cake and red velvet cake, or pipe it on top of

My Cream Cheese Frosting recipe is

• Creamy, because of the milk powder
• Perfectly pipeable because of the same magical ingredient!
• Not overly sweet – I use half the amount of sugar and still get a stiff frosting
• Tangy because I don’t add too much sugar or butter, and
• Fluffy! It’s like cream cheese mousse!

Note: the whole recipe, including the ingredient quantities, can be found at the bottom of this page – just scroll down to the bottom, or click the ‘Jump to Recipe’ button at the top of this post. 

My secret ingredient: MILK POWDER!

Ok, so I’m going to get stuck into the ingredients further down, but I wanted to have a quick chat about the milk powder first. It’s used in this recipe for 2 reasons

1. It helps stabilize and give structure to the frosting making it pipeable instead of just spreadable.
2. It makes the frosting ultra-creamy.

Milk powder is dried milk. It was commonly used in ye olde days when fridges weren’t common in kitchens. It was an easy way to make milk without it spoiling. These days, you can find it in the long-life milk isle of your supermarket. You can also use the skim or full fat one. It doesn’t matter.

Just a note though. Not all milk powder is the same texture wise. It should be as fine as powdered sugar. If it’s courser than that, put it in the food processor and get it as fine as you can before using. Otherwise it will make your frosting gritty.

Ingredients You Need To Make Cream Cheese Frosting

This recipe heavily relies on really good quality ingredients at the right temperature!

Butter

I used unsalted butter for this recipe. It’s really important to use really good quality butter and to make sure it’s softened. Usually, butter made in New Zealand and France is good quality butter. Using cheap butter can cause your frosting to split. You also want to make sure your butter is softened. If you keep your butter in the fridge you can soften it by adding it to the microwave for 10 seconds at a time, turning over each time until softened. It usually takes about 2 goes.

Cream Cheese

You want to use what is called ‘block style’ cream cheese for this recipe and straight out of the fridge, cold. This is different to ‘spreadable’ cream cheese which is soft even when it’s cold. ‘Block style’ cream cheese helps give this frosting structure. If you’re in the UK, you can use any brand block style cream cheese, I would recommend the Philadelphia brand cream cheese. It’s important that you use cold cream cheese, straight out of the fridge.

Vanilla Extract

Always use good quality vanilla extract when baking, it makes a huge difference. I have a great recipe here for it if you’d like to try your own!

Milk Powder

See above for more details. Milk powder is what people used to use to make milk before fridges were widely used in kitchens. It can be found in the long-life milk isle of your supermarket. Skim or full fat can be used. To learn more about Milk Powder, take a read of the post I wrote up!

Powdered Sugar

Also known as icing sugar, I use less sugar than most recipes. Which gives you a nice tangy cream cheese frosting. You don’t want to use less sugar than what’s listed in the ingredients as it will affect the stability of your frosting.

Cocoa powder

I used unsweetened cocoa powder. You want to make sure you sieve your cocoa powder into the frosting at the same time you add the powdered sugar to avoid there being lumps in your frosting.

Chocolate

It’s important to use good quality chocolate here. You don’t want to use eating chocolate; you want to use cooking chocolate found in the baking isle of your supermarket with at least 70% cocoa solids. You also want to make sure your chocolate is cooled to room temperature after it’s been melted so that it doesn’t melt your frosting.

How to make the BEST Cream Cheese Frosting!

This frosting couldn’t be easier to make. You can make it with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer. Just an important note though, ALWAYS MIX ON HIGH SPEED! Lol. You never want to mix on low speed because the cream cheese over softens. The only time you don’t beat on high speed is when you’ve added the dry ingredients. Ok, now that I’ve yelled at you, let’s move onto the method!

1. Add the softened butter and cold cream cheese to your mixing bowl and beat on high speed until the two ingredients are well combined. About 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl.
2. Add the milk powder and powdered sugar (add the cocoa powder if making chocolate cream frosting) .Mix on low speed to begin with until the dry ingredients are mixed in.

3. Turn back up to high speed and continue beating for 5 minutes.
4. Scrape down the bowl and add the melted chocolate if making chocolate frosting Beat on high speed for a final 2 minutes.

PRO Tips and Tricks For Recipe Success!

• Always mix on high speed when making this frosting to ensure it comes out fluffy. The only time you don’t mix on high speed is when you’ve added the dry ingredients.
• Make sure you use the right ingredients! Use full-fat, ‘block style’ cream cheese. Don’t use spreadable cream cheese.
• Make sure you sift your powdered sugar and cocoa powder if making chocolate frosting!

Frequently Asked Questions about Cream Cheese Frosting

What does it taste like?

Tangy, creamy and not overly sweet! It’s also fluffy and smooth.

Why is my frosting runny?

• You didn’t beat on high speed! It’s really important to make sure you beat this frosting on high speed. The only time you mix on low is when the dry ingredients have been added.
• If it’s a warm day, like most frosting made mostly of fat, it will soften. Place back in the fridge until semi stiff, about 30 minutes, and beat on high speed until fluffy.
• You added liquid or berries to your frosting. Any additional liquid added to this frosting like frozen or fresh berries will cause it to soften and split. Opt-in for crushed freeze-dried berries or powdered flavorings.
• Make sure you use the right ingredients! Use block style cream cheese, not spreadable cream cheese

How do I store this?

You can store this in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to 3 days. Simply thaw for 30 minutes before beating on high speed until fluffy again. You can freeze this in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

How much frosting will this make?

This recipe will frost 20 cupcakes or a 2 layered, 8-inch cake. You can halve the recipe if you wish.

Will this hold up on warm days?

In short, no. Like most frostings, this is made mostly of fat. So naturally, fat melts and softens in warm temperatures. If you’re using this for cakes and cupcakes on warm days, keep your desserts in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. Only way to handle the heat!

Gave this a go? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! Hungry for more? Join me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok for more great recipes!

Looking for recipes to pair with your cream cheese frosting?

• Red Velvet Cake
• Red Velvet Cupcakes
• Carrot Cake
• Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Cream Cheese Frosting

The best thing about this deliciously tangy Cream Cheese Frosting is that it’s perfectly pipeable, not too sweet, fluffy and holds its shape!

Serves 20

4.6 from 67 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 2 minutes mins

Total: 15 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 227kcal

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Ingredients

Frosting

• ▢ 1 cup (250 g) unsalted butter, softened (see notes)
• ▢ 1 block (250 g) full-fat cream cheese block, chilled (not spreadable) (see notes)
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 cup (155 g) milk powder (see notes)
• ▢ 2 cups (310 g) powdered sugar sifted

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

• ▢ 1/4 cup (50 g) cocoa powder sifted
• ▢ 1 cup (200 g) chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature (see notes)

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Learn How To Make it! [VIDEO]

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Instructions

Frosting

• Place the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Alternatively, you can use a hand mixer. Mix on low speed to begin with, to help break up the cream cheese a little, then increase the speed to high for a couple of minutes to help combine the cream cheese and butter.
• After a couple of minutes, stop your mixer and scrape down the side of the bowl with a spatula. Add the powdered sugar, milk powder and vanilla. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated, then bring the speed back up to high. Continue beating on high speed, about 5 minutes, until your frosting is fluffy and turns pale in color. Scrape down the bowl and beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Add to a piping bag and pipe on red velvet cupcakes, Fill and frost carrot cake or carrot cupcakes!

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

• Simply add the cocoa powder into the frosting along with the powdered sugar and beat as instructed. Add the melted and cooled chocolate to the frosting when you stop to scrape down the bowl, before the final 2 minutes of beating. Beat for 2 minutes, then stop the mixer and scrape down. Beat for a final 2 minutes.

Notes

Storage

Cream Cheese Frosting can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days. Simply allow to thaw for 30 minutes before whipping on high speed until pale and fluffy.

My Frosting is runny

• You didn’t beat on high speed! It’s really important to make sure you beat this frosting on high speed. The only time you mix on low is when the dry ingredients have been added.
• If it’s a warm day, like most frosting made mostly of fat, it will soften. Place back in the fridge until semi stiff, about 30 minutes, and beat on high speed until fluffy.
• You added liquid or berries to your frosting. Any additional liquid added to this frosting like frozen or fresh berries will cause it to soften and split. Opt-in for crushed freeze-dried berries or powdered flavorings.

Butter - softened

It’s important to use butter that is high in fat and softened. Usually, butter made in New Zealand and France is good quality butter. Using cheap butter can cause your frosting to split. You also want to make sure your butter is softened. If you keep your butter in the fridge you can soften it by adding it to the microwave for 10 seconds at a time, turning over each time until softened. It usually takes about 2 goes.

Cream Cheese - cold

You want to use what is called ‘block style’ cream cheese for this recipe and straight out of the fridge, cold. This is different to ‘spreadable’ cream cheese which is soft even when it’s cold. ‘Block style’ cream cheese helps give this frosting structure. If you’re in the UK, you can use any brand block style cream cheese, I would recommend the Philadelphia brand cream cheese. It’s important that you use cold cream cheese, straight out of the fridge.

Milk Powder

Milk powder is what people used to use to make milk before fridges were widely used in kitchens. It can be found in the long-life milk isle of your supermarket. Skim or full fat can be used. To learn more about Milk Powder, take a read of the post I wrote up!

Chocolate

It’s important to use good quality chocolate here. You don’t want to use eating chocolate; you want to use cooking chocolate found in the baking isle of your supermarket with at least 70% cocoa solids. You also want to make sure your chocolate is cooled to room temperature after it’s been melted so that it doesn’t melt your frosting.

Nutrition

Serving: 20g

Calories : 227kcal

Carbonhydrates: 20g

Protein: 4g

Fat: 15g

Saturated Fat: 9g

Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g

Monounsaturated Fat : 4g

Trans Fat : 0.4g

Cholesterol: 32mg

Sodium: 107mg

Potassium : 199mg

Fiber: 1g

Sugar : 17g

Vitamin A: 352IU

Vitamin C: 1mg

Calcium: 109mg

Iron: 1mg

Nutrition Disclosure

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