Classic Cream Cheese Frosting is a timeless baking essential known for its smooth texture, creamy consistency, and perfectly balanced sweetness. Made with simple ingredients like butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla, this frosting pairs beautifully with cakes, cupcakes, cookies, cinnamon rolls, and more. Easy to customize in sweetness and thickness, it’s a must-have recipe for every home baker.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This frosting is incredibly easy to make and requires only a few pantry staples. It delivers a rich, tangy flavor balanced by gentle sweetness, making it far more complex than standard buttercream. The texture is smooth, fluffy, and spreadable, perfect for piping or frosting layers. It’s versatile, dependable, and works for everything from classic carrot cake to red velvet cupcakes.

Classic Cream Cheese Frosting

Classic Cream Cheese Frosting is one of the most beloved frostings in the baking world, and for good reason. Its creamy texture and slightly tangy flavor create the perfect balance for sweet baked goods.

Unlike overly sweet frostings, cream cheese frosting offers depth and richness without being overwhelming. The combination of butter and cream cheese creates a luxurious mouthfeel that spreads effortlessly.

This recipe is a staple for home bakers because it’s simple, reliable, and adaptable. Whether you’re frosting cupcakes for a party or layering a celebration cake, it always delivers professional results.

The amount of powdered sugar can be adjusted to create a softer, more tangy frosting or a thicker, sweeter version for piping and decorating.

Vanilla extract enhances the flavor and rounds out the tanginess of the cream cheese, making the frosting taste smooth and well-balanced.

This frosting pairs especially well with spiced cakes, chocolate cakes, red velvet, pumpkin desserts, and sugar cookies.

Because it holds its shape well when chilled, it’s excellent for decorating while still remaining soft and creamy at room temperature.

It can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator, making it ideal for stress-free baking and event prep.

With just one bowl and a mixer, you can create a bakery-quality frosting in minutes.

If you’re looking for a classic, foolproof frosting recipe that works every time, this cream cheese frosting is an essential addition to your baking collection.

Servings & Time

Yield: Frosting for 12–16 cupcakes or one 9-inch cake
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened

• 3–4 cups powdered sugar (adjust to taste and consistency)

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy.

2. Gradually add the powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time, mixing on low speed and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

3. Add the vanilla extract and beat on high speed until the frosting is light, smooth, and fluffy.

4. Adjust consistency with additional powdered sugar if needed.

Tips

Ingredient Substitutions

• Use unsalted butter and add a pinch of salt if preferred

• Add a teaspoon of lemon juice for extra tang

Make-Ahead

• Store frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days

• Bring to room temperature and re-whip before using

Serving Variations

• Pipe onto cupcakes or spread on layer cakes

• Use as a filling for sandwich cookies

Avoid Mistakes

• Make sure butter and cream cheese are fully softened to avoid lumps

• Don’t overmix after adding sugar or frosting may become too loose