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.
TAYSHA MORALES says
i tried this recipe twice on different occasions and got a watery texture, nothing close to what i was supposeto get.
LyubaB says
Hi, Taysha! Are you whipping it long enough and using cold heavy whipping cream?
Bev says
Is it possible to add bananas to the frosting?
LyubaB says
Hi, Bev! I have never tried it, I am not sure what it would do to the texture. You could try using some banana extract instead.
Bev Veaudry says
Is it possible to add bananas to this frosting?
LyubaB says
You could use Banana Flavoring so it wouldn’t mess with the texture.
Tamra Hibbard says
What if you have Whipped cream cheese instead of the block of cream cheese?
Marsha B. says
I would like to know the answer to this as well…..
LyubaB says
Hi, Tamara! I have never used it but I think it would probably be fine.
Jenna says
Can I use half butter half cream cheese?
LyubaB says
Hi, Jenna! I don’t think it would work for this whipped cream frosting, but you can make my regular cream cheese frosting that way. Here is the link if you want to try it. 🙂
https://www.willcookforsmiles.com/blueberries-and-cream-cake/
Linda says
Hi if you don’t have heavy cream on hand can you use half and half instead ?
LyubaB says
Hi, Linda! For this frosting you are going to want to use heavy cream so it will whip up for you. 🙂
June says
Can you add cocoa powder to make it chocolate?
LyubaB says
Hi, June! Sure you can!
Bridgette says
This frosting is AMAZING!! And so simple too! I used it on a white cake with fresh sliced strawberries as the filling… OMG! I do believe I have died and gone to heaven!!! I’ll never use another 🙂
LyubaB says
Bridgette, What a complement thank you so much!!!! 🙂
Ray says
What is considered the size of the serving? Nutritional facts are meaningless without this information 😉🤔🤔 Thanks
LyubaB says
Hi, Ray! Sorry I am just now seeing this but it makes 12 servings so you would split that up.
Cassie says
Hi there! I just tried to make this tonight and it tastes very good but it is not thick at all. Not pipeable. I wonder if I whipped it for too long? Or maybe not long enough? Thank you very much for your help!
Anika says
Hello! So, I had the same issue with mine and thought I over whipped it. Turns out I just didn’t whip it enough. If you keep mixing it, it will come together and get thick.
Deana N. says
I also over whipped it. I did have peaks and thought a little bit more and it will really hold its shape when piped. So I used the remainder of my whipping cream, whipped it up and folded it in. It worked out perfectly, although the cream cheese taste is not as strong. Next time I won’t over whip
Melanie says
Has anyone made this ahead of time, then used to pipe Rose’s on cupcakes? Do they keep their sgape?
LyubaB says
Hi, Melanie! It should keep it’s shape pretty good because of the cream cheese. It does need to be refrigerated and not left out long because it’s dairy based. I think the best way would be to pipe the roses on the cupcakes and then store them in the refrigerator until 10-15 min before serving.
Jhennee says
Hi there, can I whip it again after i have kept it in the fridge and before piping? Im afraid i have under whipped mine.. but I agree this frosting is dellllisshh!!!
LyubaB says
Hi, ,Jhennee! I am so sorry for the late response I am just now seeing this but yes you could whip it again,
Anika says
Is it possible to over whip this? It came out tasting delicious, but it wasn’t thick and couldn’t stand on its own.
LyubaB says
Hi, Anika! You could’ve over whipped but you also want to make sure your cream is really cold so it whips properly. Let me know if that helps 🙂
Julia A. Gibbs says
Has anyone used powdered sugar?
LyubaB says
Hi, Julia! You can use powdered sugar. 🙂