Cream Cheese Frosting is light, delicate, and perfectly sweet! It’s a little different than your usual cream cheese frosting because it’s made with heavy whipping cream instead of butter to create the most delightfully soft, velvety frosting. You only need 3 ingredients to make this homemade treat!
Whether I’m frosting a cake, cupcakes, brownies, or whatever other sweet treat I’ve concocted, I love topping just about everything off with homemade frosting! Two of my other go-to recipes are cream cheese frosting (2 ways) and strawberry buttercream frosting.
Cream cheese frosting is my absolute favorite frosting. I use it on just about everything I bake instead of buttercream. It’s light, creamy texture is so just much better! Traditional cream cheese frosting is made by beating cream cheese and butter together. It’s soft and creamy while being slightly sweet. Of course, sugar can be adjusted to everyone’s personal preference, but I like to keep things on the not-so-sugary side when I can.
This cream cheese frosting is quite a bit different from the usual stuff. It’s made with cream cheese and heavy whipping cream instead of butter. Both are whipped together until heavy whipping cream stiffens into whipped cream, which results in an amazing light and fluffy consistency. It’s almost like cream cheese and whipped cream frostings combined into one! The texture is light and airy and the flavor is smooth and silky. It’s a beautiful frosting for any delicate dessert.
Honestly, this frosting is so good that I often find myself licking the spoon when I’m done mixing it up! Besides enjoying a spooonful right out of the bowl, you can serve it with berries, angel food cake, cheesecake, trifles and more. The only way I’d really recommend not using this fluffy frosting is by using it to layer a cake. It’ll work well on the outside of the cake, but it’s not dense or sturdy enough to hold the layers upright.
Ingredients Notes:
Cream Cheese – Make sure to use full fat cream cheese that’s been softened to room temperature.
Heavy Whipping Cream – It needs to be cold! Make sure you’re using it as soon as you grab it out of the fridge.
White Granulated Sugar – You can use powdered sugar instead if preferred.
See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
Instructions:
Step 1: Using your whisk attachment, start beating the room temperature cream cheese on medium-high speed.
Step 2: Slowly pour in heavy whipping cream while it’s mixing. Next, gradually pour in the sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks and waves are formed in your frosting.
Tips for the Best Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Make sure that cream cheese is softened first. Leave it on the counter in the original foil casing to soften for about an hour.
- Keep the heavy whipping cream cold. Don’t take it out of the refrigerator until you’re ready to make the frosting.
- Measure the ingredients first. Have all the ingredients measured and on hand before starting since this frosting only takes about 5 minutes.
- It’s a quick recipe! Don’t walk away from the mixer because heavy whipping cream whips pretty fast.
Recipe FAQs
You will be happy to know that this frosting CAN be made ahead of time. Unlike frosting that contains butter, it will not solidity in the refrigerator to the point of being un-spreadable.
After the frosting is made, transfer it into a container with a lid and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
When ready to use, pull frosting out and open the lid. Let it warm up on the counter for about 30 minutes. The frosting is still spreadable cold so there is not a lot of time needed to soften it.
Use a rubber spatula to gently stir the frosting and transfer it into a piping bag fitted with an attachment and frost.
Frosted desserts should be stored in the refrigerator since this is a cream based frosting.
I do not recommend freezing this frosting. It won’t thaw well.
More of the Best No-Bake Dessert Recipes
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Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream cold
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar can also use powdered sugar
Instructions
- Make sure to soften cream cheese first.
- Fit a whisk attachment on the mixer.
- Start beating cream cheese for about a minute on medium-high speed.
- Slowly pour in heavy whipping cream while it’s mixing. Slowly pour in sugar after heavy whipping cream. Continue beating until frosting is whipped into stiff peaks and waves. (It won’t take long so don’t walk away.)
- Frost dessert immediately or store frosting in an air-tight container, in the fridge.
Jean says
Hi,` Does the frosting need a stabilizer or does the cream cheese do it. Because that’s alot of cream.
LyubaB says
I have never had a problem not using one for this frosting.
Shelley says
Has anyone ever used unflavored gelatin to stabilize the frosting?
Deanna says
I know the yield says 12 so that means it’ll frost 12 cupcakes.
Any idea on the different cake sizes?
I would assume that this would be enough to frost a 2-layer 4inch cake with a crumb coat & rosettes but I just wanna be sure.
JanRenae says
I was a little unsure, because I don’t own a stand mixer, and my hand mixer doesn’t have whisks, just beaters,. But it whipped up really fast with little effort. Very good! I feel confident about giving pumpkin bread frosted with this frosting as gifts for our church congregation
LyubaB says
Awesome! I am do glad it worked out for you.
nessa says
does this make enouht to fill and frost a 3 layer cake?
LyubaB says
Hi Nessa,
If you are going to frost the inside and the outside of the cake I would triple it. But know this frosting is light and decadent and the cake layers may be to heavy for it and squeeze the frosting out the sides.
Gert says
This was amazing. I could have eaten the entire bowl. I made red velvet cupcakes for my friends birthday and needed a low sugar frosting. This for the bill. I replaced the sugar with truvia and she loved it. Thank you.
LyubaB says
So glad you liked it!!
LyubaB says
Hi, Brittany! You can use powdered sugar it’s a little sweeter though so I would start with a little less and taste as you go. 🙂
Brittany says
If powdered sugar is substituted would I use the same amount as granulated? Do you think it changes the consistency at all?
John says
I love this on carrot cake. It works well on chocolate cake with split layers. This frosting is super duper!
LyubaB says
Yum! Now I want cake! 😉 Glad you liked it! 🙂