Cream Cheese Frosting
Last updated on January 15th, 2026
You know when you have that perfect banana cake, carrot cake, or red velvet cake and you just need…CREAM CHEESE FROSTING! It’s so good! I’m not the biggest fan of other frostings because they’re too sweet for me personally. But this frosting just hits different. Kinda savory, creamy, tangy? It’s delicious! Especially after it’s been chilled a little while! I could just dip my finger into this and eat it by itself! Yum! It’s also super easy to make and there aren’t a ton of ingredients to it!
This post may contain affiliate links
So, what’s the inside scoop on cream cheese? Where did it come from and why make a frosting with it?
Cream cheese dates back to the late 1800’s! It all started when a New York dairyman named William Lawrence developed a richer version of Neufchâtel cheese, which eventually led to the brand Philadelphia releasing their famous cream cheese!
Cream cheese became pretty popular from there – in the early 20th century! That’s when bakers started to experiment with it in cheesecakes and frostings! It works in a frosting because it brings in some savory, tangy, creaminess that really helps to tone down sweetness and balance flavor! The very first written recipe for cream cheese frosting was created in 1961 by Craig Claiborne, and it was actually featured in “The New York Times Cookbook!” Pretty cool stuff!
Did you know?
You can make your own powdered sugar by taking granulated sugar and cornstarch and blending it for a few minutes in a blender! 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch will yield about 1/2 cup of powdered sugar! Total HACK!
What do I need to make Cream Cheese Frosting?
Cream Cheese
Salted Butter
Vanilla
Powdered Sugar
How do I make it?
In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until combined. Pour in vanilla and beat a little more.
Slowly incorporate the powdered sugar starting with one cup, beating in between and adding more, until a smooth frosting forms! Use frosting immediately on cooled baked goods! You can also refrigerate for 10-15 minutes so it’s easier to work with if you need to.
This cream cheese frosting is amazing on cupcakes, cakes, even used as a dip for fruit, graham crackers, or animal crackers! Put it on a fruit pizza – I mean the opportunities are unlimited!
Tips:
- Refrigerate unused frosting in an airtight container and use within 4-6 days of making.
- Try my recipe for Carrot Cake Bars! It was perfect with this frosting!
- I like to use salted butter in basically everything I make, even baking! If you want to use unsalted, you totally can! Just make sure you add 1/4 tsp of salt when making the frosting.
- This recipe made about 2 cups of frosting!
Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ½ cup salted butter softened
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until combined
- Pour in vanilla and beat a little more
- Slowly incorporate the powdered sugar a cup at a time, beating as you add more. Beat until a smooth frosting forms!
- Use cream cheese frosting on cupcakes, cakes, and bars! Use as a dip for fruit, graham crackers, or animal crackers! Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Please be aware that nutritional values are approximate and intended as a helpful guide
Discover more from The Wholesome Spoon
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
2 Comments