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How to Make Smooth Cream Cheese Frosting - Not Too Sweet

This Cream Cheese Frosting is fluffy, perfectly tangy, and ultra creamy. It’s not too sweet, holds its shape, and pipes like a dream. Perfect for cupcakes!
Author: Nick Makrides
4.57 from 80 votes
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Prep 10 minutes
Total 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 1
Calories 299 kcal

Ingredients

Frosting

  • 250 g unsalted butter softened (see notes)
  • 300 g full-fat cream cheese block softened (see notes)
  • 7 g vanilla extract
  • 100 g milk powder see notes
  • 310 g powdered sugar sieved

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 50 g Dutch processed cocoa powder sieved
  • 200 g dark chocolate melted and cooled to room temperature (see notes)

Instructions
 

Frosting

  • Cream butter and cream cheese together - 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.
  • Add sugar and milk powder - After a couple of minutes, stop your mixer and scrape down the side and bottom 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 2minutes. Your frosting will be fluffy, pale in color and stiff enough to pipe.

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.

Video

Notes

Butter - It’s important to use butter that is high in fat and softened. Something that has a butter fat percentage of at least 82%. You also want to make sure your butter is softened. I have a full guide on how to soften your butter properly and easily on the blog!
Cream Cheese - Use block-style cream cheese, not spreadable, for structure. In the UK, Philadelphia works well. Soften it by leaving it out for 30-60 minutes until it’s cool but leaves an indent when lightly pressed.
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. I haven’t tested this recipe without it. I assume the frosting would be softer and not as pipeable.
Dark 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 Much Frosting Does This Make?
  • For Cupcakes - This recipe makes enough frosting for about 24 cupcakes with a nice medium-sized swirl on top. If you prefer smaller swirls or just a thin layer of frosting, it could stretch a bit further.
  • For Cakes - You’ll want to double the recipe if you’re filling and frosting an 8-inch, 3-4 layer cake, including a thin crumb coat. The exact amount will depend on how much frosting you like between the layers and on the outside, but doubling it gives you plenty to work with!
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.
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.
Nutrition – is an approximate and is based on per one batch. This recipe makes one batch of frosting. Obvciously you won't eat all of this frosting yourself.... will you?
A note on measurements – This recipe uses weight measurements for the most accurate results. Cup measurements can vary depending on where you are, which affects the precision needed for a recipe like this. Here is where you can learn more about how to measure ingredients using digital kitchen scales.

Nutrition

Serving:20g | Calories:299kcal | Carbohydrates:25g | Protein:4g | Fat:21g | Saturated Fat:13g | Polyunsaturated Fat:1g | Monounsaturated Fat:6g | Trans Fat:0.4g | Cholesterol:47mg | Sodium:72mg | Potassium:233mg | Fiber:2g | Sugar:21g | Vitamin A:557IU | Vitamin C:1mg | Calcium:96mg | Iron:2mg
Keyword Cream Cheese, Cupcakes, Frosting
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