Cream Cheese Frosting

This thick, creamy cream cheese frosting holds its shape well enough for piping onto cupcakes and also spreads smoothly over cakes. It comes together in the stand mixer with four ingredients.

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Add the softened butter and cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer.
2. Beat until well combined, smooth, and creamy.
3. Add the vanilla extract.
4. Slowly add the powdered sugar.
5. Once incorporated, beat the frosting for 2–3 minutes until creamy.
6. Use to frost completely cooled cupcakes or cakes.

Don’t Mess This Up

• Make sure the butter is softened before mixing.
• Beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth before adding the powdered sugar.
• Add the powdered sugar gradually rather than dumping it in all at once.
• Beat for the full 2–3 minutes after everything is combined to get the creamy finished texture shown in the photo.
• Only frost completely cooled baked goods.

What It Should Look Like

The finished frosting should look smooth, thick, and creamy, with visible ridges left by the mixer. It should be sturdy enough to hold a defined piped swirl.

Piped Finish

A piped swirl should keep its ridges defined instead of slumping.

Ways to Use It

Pipe it onto completely cooled cupcakes or spread it onto completely cooled cakes.

Sweet Spot

The frosting is ready when it is smooth and creamy but still thick enough that the piped ridges stay defined, just like they do in the finished photo.