Easy Cream Cheese Frosting (5 Ingredients)

White cream cheese frosting on dark chocolate cake

4.82 from 32 votes

Easy Cream Cheese Frosting (5 Ingredients)

This Easy Cream Cheese Frosting tastes like it’s from your favorite bakery! With just 5 ingredients, it’s simple to make and perfect to use on cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and more.

Prep Time20

Total Time20

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cream cheese frosting, frosting, frosting recipe

Servings: servings (3 ½ cups)

Calories: 145kcal

Author: Tara Teaspoon

Ingredients

8 ounces (one block) cream cheese softened to room temperature
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
4 cups confectioners' sugar sifted, only if there are hard lumps

Instructions

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add the butter and beat until smooth and incorporated, about 1 minute.
Stir in the vanilla and salt. With the mixer running on low speed, add ½ cup confectioners' sugar, blending until well incorporated.
Continue adding confectioners' sugar about ½ cup at a time, blending well after each addition. After each cup or cup and a half, scrape the inside of the bowl and turn mixer to medium-high speed. Then reduce speed to low and add more sugar. This will ensure a smooth frosting.
Use immediately, keep refrigerated for up to a week, or freeze for up to 4 months.

Notes

Nutrition facts based on 1/24 of the recipe and are from a program based estimate.

Yield: This recipe makes enough to frost a 9-by-13 inch sheet cake, 24 cupcakes (if you are piping more frosting on each cupcake it will frost 15 to 18). For a round layer cake, make the basic recipe 1.5 times. Use the following amounts: 12 ounces cream cheese, 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, 6 cups confectioners' sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, and 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla.

Flavor variations:

Chocolate: For a chocolate version use my Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting recipe.
Lemon: For lemon cream cheese frosting, add 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice after adding the salt and vanilla. Then follow the rest of the recipe as written.

Adjust frosting consistency: Depending on how thick you want the frosting to be, you can add 3 to 4 cups of confectioners' sugar.

3 cups of confectioners' sugar: a softer, less sweet frosting that is great for spreading on pancakes or quick bread. Will not hold up for piping.
4 cups of confectioners' sugar: a balanced frosting that's stable enough for piping onto a cupcake or layer cake.

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