Step 1: Collect Your Ingredients
You'll need the following ingredients to make cream cheese frosting:
- 1 lb. cream cheese
- 1/2 lb. unsalted butter, softened
- 4 c. powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
You'll also need the following equipment:
- A stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer and a mixing bowl
- A spatula
- A large spoon
- A pastry bag with a star tip, for decoratingc
Step 2: Combine the Butter and Cream Cheese in a Mixer
- Use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer and a mixing bowl to combine the butter and the cream cheese.
- Begin mixing the ingredients on low speed.
Step 3: Add the Sugar
- Use a large spoon to add in the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, keeping the mixer on low. After you've added 3 cups of sugar, begin mixing the frosting on medium speed.
- Stop the mixer occasionally and use the spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure all of the ingredients are incorporated.
Step 4: Check the Consistency of the Frosting
- Check the consistency of the cream cheese frosting. If it's thin, you may need to add more sugar.
- Add in the vanilla extract and the lemon juice and blend briefly.
- Stop the mixer to test the consistency again. Use the spatula to spread the frosting along the side of the bowl. If it holds its shape well and doesn't sink back down into the bowl, it's ready to be used.
Step 5: Use the Frosting for Cakes or Cupcakes
When frosting cupcakes, Chef Eric recommends using a pastry bag with a star tip to apply the frosting.
Paula Deen advises that the cake be cool and crumb-free before applying the frosting. If the cake is still warm, it might cause the cream cheese frosting to become runny.
References
Meet Our Expert
-
Eric Crowley
Eric Crowley is chef and owner of the Culinary Classroom in Los Angeles. Crowley studied at the Culinary Institute of America and trained under master chefs in Barcelona and Munich before he began teaching culinary arts in 1996. He has been featured on several Los Angeles television shows, including Good Day LA, E! Entertainment, and Your LA. Crowley has donated thousands of dollars of cooking classes to Los Angeles schools and charities, and is a mentor for the Culinary Institute of America.
Experts Cited in this Article
Emeril Lagasse is a chef from Fall River, Massachusetts. After receiving his doctorate from the Johnson and Wales University culinary program, Lagasse studied French cuisine in Paris and Lyons. Upon his return to the United States, he worked in several restaurants in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, before managing Ella and Dick Brennan's Commander's Palace in New Orleans. He owns several restaurants in New Orleans, Las Vegas, Atlanta, and Miami Beach. Lagasse has also written a series of books, including There's a Chef in My Family and Emeril's Pot Luck. He also hosts the Food Network shows Emeril Live and Essence of Emeril.c
Paula Deen, owner of Savannah's Lady and Sons restaurant, is the host of the Food Network's Paula's Home Cooking, as well as the author of several cookbooks: Paula Deen and Friends: Living It Up, Southern Style, The Lady and Sons Savannah Country Cookbook, The Lady and Sons Too and The Lady and Sons Just Desserts.c
Rachael Ray, Emmy award-winning host of the syndicated daytime program Rachael Ray since the fall of 2006, is also the author of a series of cookbooks, including 30-Minute Meals, Comfort Foods, Veggie Meals, and Cooking Rocks! Rachael Ray 30-Minute Meals for Kids. She is the creator and editor-in-chief of a lifestyle magazine, Every Day with Rachael Ray, that offers advice on entertaining and dining out in addition to every day family-style recipes. Ray launched a nonprofit organization, Yum-o!, to help teach children and their families about healthy relationships with food.c
Tips for Making Cream Cheese Frosting
- Emeril Lagasse recommends using room temperature cream cheese.c
- Rachael Ray suggests adding 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree to add a seasonal flavor when using the frosting to top gingerbread cupcakes.c
- Reduce the amount of butter in the recipe if you want to taste more of the cream cheese's tang.
- Add grated lemon peel for a tasty lemon cream cheese frosting.
- Add ground allspice for another layer of flavor.
- Mix nuts into the frosting to create the traditional icing for carrot cake.
- Add milk or cream if you'd like your frosting to have a thinner consistency.
- Add brown sugar for an even sweeter version.
- Add almond extract and milk to give the frosting a nuttier flavor.
- Substitute non-fat cream cheese and ricotta cheese for the regular cream cheese and butter to generate a low-calorie variation.
Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe Variations
- Emeril Lagasse recommends using room temperature cream cheese.c
- Rachael Ray suggests adding 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree to add a seasonal flavor when using the frosting to top gingerbread cupcakes.c
- Reduce the amount of butter in the recipe if you want to taste more of the cream cheese's tang.
- Add grated lemon peel for a tasty lemon cream cheese frosting.
- Add ground allspice for another layer of flavor.
- Mix nuts into the frosting to create the traditional icing for carrot cake.
- Add milk or cream if you'd like your frosting to have a thinner consistency.
- Add brown sugar for an even sweeter version.
- Add almond extract and milk to give the frosting a nuttier flavor.
- Substitute non-fat cream cheese and ricotta cheese for the regular cream cheese and butter to generate a low-calorie variation.
