Cupcakes, cakes, cookies, and sweets of all shapes and sizes are better with frosting, and nothing tops the tangy, sweet flavor of cream cheese frosting! Make the most delicious decorative accent with this perfectly Easy Cream Cheese Frosting recipe!
![Cream cheese frosting with heart shaped sprinkles on top of red velvet muffin.](https://combinegoodflavors.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/red-velvet-cupcakes-with-easy-cream-cheese-frosting-D75_3587-scaled.jpg)
The ultimate way to wow your friends and family is with treats, but no one wants to serve the same boring snacks. Amaze and impress everyone you know with beautifully frosted baked goods without ever breaking a sweat! A few things I love about this recipe that you will adore include:
- Ease: Ready in minutes with little effort, so it is ideal for throwing together for unexpected guests!
- Flavor: The divine tang and sweetness of this frosting goes with everything from red velvet to carrot cake and beyond!
- Simplicity: There are only three common and affordable ingredients in this icing! You can even use leftover cream cheese from bagel day!
- Color: Using cream cheese makes this smooth frosting snow white and easy to tint.
Jump to:
🥘 Ingredients
- white chocolate: Sweet, smooth white chocolate is the ideal flavoring for cream cheese frosting! The creamy, vanilla-infused white chocolate flavor shines against the cream cheese’s tangy dairy taste! Thanks to the white chocolate, you won't need any vanilla extract.
- Butter - It is important to use unsalted butter at room temperature.
- Cream Cheese: This dairy product is a very common fresh cheese with a light and lovely flavor. It also has the right thickness to build a beautifully pipe-able and spreadable frosting! You can use any brand you like, but take it out of the fridge to soften for a few minutes before beating. Softer cream cheese is easier to whip into a nice fluffy frosting!
See the recipe card for quantities.
🔪 Instructions
- Step One: Melt the white chocolate and let it cool to lukewarm. Stir the chocolate often so it does not re-solidify.
- Step Two: Beat the cream cheese until fluffy while the chocolate cools.
- Step Three: Stir the melted chocolate into the cream cheese until well combined.
- Step Four: Fill a piping bag with the finished frosting and decorate or fill as needed!
🌡️ Storage
This frosting lasts for 2-3 days.
🥯 Substitutions
- white chocolate: If you’re watching your sugar, you might want to trade the white chocolate for a low-sugar or sugar-free version of white chocolate.
- Cream Cheese: Today, it is so easy to find plant-based alternatives to popular dairy products, including vegan cream cheese! Use this to satisfy lactose-free and dairy-free diets.
🍫 Variations
Make an exciting flavor for your favorite treats by swapping the white chocolate with another type of chocolate like ruby chocolate or another delicious cocoa butter confection. These delectable chocolate candies add whimsical flavors and colors to the recipe!
Another great way to mix this recipe is by adding a little flavor extract. A teaspoon of vanilla, almond, or even cherry extract can be absolutely delicious with these flavors.
🍽 Equipment
- Hand or Stand Mixer and Bowl: Beating this frosting by hand may be possible, but it is a big workout! Give yourself a break by using an electric mixer with a paddle or whisk attachment!
- Double Boiler: A double-boiler is a great way to melt chocolate without risking a burn!
- Piping Bag: The best way to use the finished frosting is by piping or spreading it on your favorite treats! A star tip is a super choice for a clean look that doesn’t require a lot of work!
💭 Top tip
The size of this batch is just right for six cupcakes, but this frosting is also great for cakes! If you plan to make a large, tiered, or filled cake, you may need to double or triple the batch of frosting.
🙋🏻 FAQ
This easy icing goes with so many tasty treats! It can be used to pipe on top of treats for decoration or added as an irresistible filling inside filled sweets.
There are the obvious choices, like cupcakes and cakes, but it is also delectable in whoopie pies, pastry shells, and apple pie. Some classic flavors that go well with cream cheese include carrot, chocolate, cherry, and tart fruits.
The natural hue of this tasty decoration is bright white, which makes it super easy to color it however you like! Stir or fold in your favorite coloring or paint it on the inside of your piping bag for a fun, swirled look.
Other Recipes for You to Try
- Baileys Salted Caramel Cupcakes
- Strawberry Cupcakes with Ricotta
- Red Velvet Cupcakes
- Cream Cheese Buttercream
- 5 Ingredients Raspberry Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
- Banana Oatmeal Muffins {3 ingredients} {no sugar}
- Lavender Lemon Muffins
If you make this recipe, let me know how you liked it by ★★★★★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. This would be awesome! You can also sign up for our Newsletter or follow me on Pinterest or Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @combinegoodflavors and hashtag #combinegoodflavors, so I don't miss it.
📖 Recipe
Cream Cheese Frosting for Red Velvet Cupcakes
Equipment
- Hand or stand mixer
- Double boiler
- Piping bag with a star tip
Ingredients
- ¾ cup White chocolate couverture
- 5.3 oz Cream cheese ¾ cup
- ¼ tablespoon Butter soft
Instructions
- Melt ¾ cup White chocolate couverture in a bain-marie, microwave, or using a tempering device, and let it cool until it is just lukewarm (about 68 °F / 20 °C). Stir again and again so that the chocolate does not become solid.¾ cup White chocolate couverture
- Meanwhile, beat ¼ tablespoon Butter (room-warm) until fluffy, then add 5.3 oz Cream cheese and mix well. Finally, add the cooled white chocolate and stir in.5.3 oz Cream cheese, ¼ tablespoon Butter
- Pour the cream into a pastry bag with a star-shaped nozzle and pipe it on the cupcakes.
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
⛑️ Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
For further information, check Safe Food Handling - FDA.
Andréa
Who can say no to a cupcake with cream cheese frosting. And it's so easy to prepare too. I love it!
Nora
Thank you, Andréa!
Helen
I don't like buttercream frosting so I gave this one a try - oh man this is so tasty. Far more flavor than buttercream without the double sweetness of buttercream. I'll be using this on all my cakes!!
Nora
That is so sweet of you, Helen! Thank you so much!
nancy
thanks for the versatile cream cheese frosting. We use it all the time for cookies and cakes and i may or may not have enjoyed some on its own
Nora
Thank you, Nancy!
Alexandra
Smooth, creamy and so delicious - this is my favourite kind of frosting, and this recipe is perfection. Served with my cupcakes 🙂
Nora
Thank you so much, Alexandra!