Cream Cheese Frosting for Cupcakes and Simple Cakes
A vanilla frosting made with full-fat block cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and salt, chilled briefly for easier spreading.
Ingredients
Frosting Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened softened but still cool, not melted
- 8 oz full-fat block cream cheese softened but still cool; not whipped or tub spread
- 3¾ cup powdered sugar sifted if lumpy
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Beat softened but still cool butter and full-fat block cream cheese together until smooth, scraping the bowl to remove lumps. Mix in vanilla and salt.
- With the mixer low, add sifted powdered sugar in several additions, scraping between them. Beat briefly at medium speed once incorporated until spreadable and uniform.
- Cover and refrigerate about 20 minutes if needed to firm. Spread or pipe onto completely cooled baked goods, making approximately 24 modest cupcake toppings.
- Refrigerate frosting and frosted desserts. If it softens while working, return it briefly to the refrigerator rather than automatically adding more sugar.
Notes
Yield depends on decoration size: approximately 24 modest cupcake toppings or a moderate layer on one 9-by-13-inch cake. Refrigerate this frosting and frosted desserts; it is not verified shelf-stable.