I originally published this recipe along with my recipe for Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting but I think it is sensational enough to deserve its own post.
After many, many years in Austria and countless batches of runny, drippy frosting that were only suitable for the garbage can, I have FINALLY found a recipe for Cream Cheese Frosting that turns out EVERY TIME.
It’s actually not so much the recipe itself as the METHOD for making the frosting using European cream cheese, which contains more liquid than the American cream cheese that is available in blocks or bricks in the U.S. The cream cheese in Europe is essentially a cream cheese spread. Even the Philadelphia brand cream cheese is a spread.
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How do I know if my cream cheese is a spread or not? If your cream cheese is in a plastic tub with a peel-back foil lid, it’s a spread and you need to use the method below for making Cream Cheese Frosting. If your cream cheese is wrapped in foil (like plain butter is packaged), it is brick-style cream cheese and you should use a traditional American Cream Cheese Frosting recipe.
The problem is that when you add sugar to cream cheese spread, it draws the liquid out of the cream cheese, resulting in the soupy consistency I mentioned earlier. Normally, adding some additional powdered sugar would thicken up an American buttercream like this one. But that doesn’t work in this case. No amount of powdered sugar can rescue a runny cream cheese frosting. Believe me, I have tried!
The key to success is binding the powdered sugar with the butter first and THEN the cream cheese can be safely mixed in without the sugar drawing the liquid out of the cream cheese. Applied physics!
I am so excited I finally found the key to making my favorite frosting with European Cream Cheese! The taste and texture are just right. You can pipe it or use it to fill and frost cakes. If you use a stand mixer it’s really easy to make. Try it!
The cupcakes featured in these photos are my Perfect American Vanilla Cupcakes, absolutely dreamy light, moist and fluffy vanilla cupcakes. Cream Cheese Frosting is the best frosting for Carrot Cake as well as Banana Cake, Red Velvet Cupcakes, Chocolate Cupcakes and much more.
On to the recipe!
After beating the butter and powdered sugar together you will have a very stiff buttercream. Then you can beat in the cream cheese. The result is this heavenly frosting.
How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting with European Cream Cheese (or Cream Cheese Spread)
Ingredients
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (250 g) butter room temperature
- 5 ½ cups (600 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 10 ½ ounces (300 g) cream cheese spread full fat
Instructions
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Beat the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer on high speed until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, one third at a time, and beat on high speed for several minutes until mixture is light and creamy. Scrape the bowl and repeat the process until all of the powdered sugar is well incorporated. Beat in vanilla. You should now have a very stiff buttercream.
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Add the cream cheese and beat on high for a couple of seconds to incorporate. Scrape bowl and beat on high again for a couple of seconds.
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The frosting can now be spread on cake or cupcakes or chilled until it is firm enough to pipe. This amount is enough to frost and fill a two-layer cake or generously frost 24-30 cupcakes. Store frosting and frosted baked goods in the refrigerator.
Recipe Notes
Adapted from Eat and Feast, Sugar-Sweet and Herznah.
Thanks for the recipe. I read somewhere about straining the cheese to get the water content out, have you ever done that. Also, if I wanted to make a chocolate frosting using creme cheese, do you think I could use this recipe and if so, how much cocoa?
Hi Leona,
Great question. Before I discovered this method, I did try straining the cream cheese. You can read about it in this super old post here if you’re curious. I think the method above is much easier and better.
To make Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting, I add melted semi-sweet chocolate. For the entire recipe above, mix in 7 ounces (200 g) melted chocolate after the last step above. The Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting is amazing. 🙂
Hope this answered your questions 🙂 Krista
I made a double batch today, fantastic, and holds very well. and tasty!
Is the butter use salted or unsalted? If unsalted can one use salted?
I use unsalted but salted butter is fine too.
After initially making this (i did the exact recipe but cut the ingridients in half since i was making 12 cupcakes) the icing was still runny, I had to do the old cornstarch trick but the next day left in fridge (as a test) it hardened and was nice. I am wondering if the liquid runny texture is too much butter?
Hi Lizzy, my guess is that it was either too warm in your kitchen or the brand of cream cheese you used made the frosting too soft. I usually buy whichever store brand or organic cream cheese they happen to carry at the store I am shopping at. The stiffness of the frosting can really vary depending on the cream cheese but chilling a too-soft frosting a bit has always resolved the issue.
Many thanks for your explanation on runny cream cheese frostings. I live in the UK, and after following an American recipe and I was left with a liquid frosting. It started to liquify as soon as I started adding the icing sugar to the butter-cream cheese mix. Now I understand the science behind it I can’t wait to give it another try.
My pleasure, Nora! 😊
Hi. I’m so glad I have found you . I have made twice red velvet cake following and American recipe and the cake is just perfect,but the frosting is so liquid. Now I can make it again will European spreadable cheese
Just one question. Can I add food colouring(gel) in it???
Thank you very much
Hi Patricia, you’re so welcome. And yes, you can color this frosting too. 😊
Thank you very much for this recipe. I live in europe and hoped to make that fluffy cream cheese frosting always advertised in US recipes. Now I finally can! My only concern is the amount of sugar. Is there any way to make it a bit less sweet? Thank you very much again 🙂
If ONLY I had known about the differences between US and UK cream cheeses BEFORE I made a Hummingbird cake from a lovely recipe book that I bought in Savannah. I did indeed have a soupy mess. Edible, but…unappealing. You’ve explained everything!!
I was going to ditch the idea of ever making it again, but I shall now venture bravely forth and make another Hummingbird cake (and buy some larger trousers).
Thank you!
Hi Rod, that IS a shame your Hummingbird Cake wasn’t as beautiful as it could have been. I love Hummingbird Cake too and have a recipe here on the blog. 🙂 I’m sure your next one will be perfect! All the best, Krista
Thank you so much for this secret tip! I had bought the spreadable kind by accident and this saved me. I used the light variety and it came out nice and fluffy still! ☺️
Good to know the light variety also works. Thanks for your feedback, Evelyn!
Can I use whipped cream instead of butter
For instance adding whipped cream to cream cheese spread and then adding sugar ?
I’ve never tried adding whipped cream to cream cheese spread, I don’t know if it would work, sorry. You’d have to try to find a different recipe.
I tried your recipe but it turned out custurdy. What to do ?
I have placed it in my freezer.
Will it turn out like frosting now ?
Yes, it should thicken up nicely. Don’t let it get too hard in the freezer. Just give it another quick whip before you use it.
Hi Krista,
Well, I’m here because I fell in the same trap last night and made a devastating cream cheese soup. I never even considered the cream cheese was different to the American stuff….. so thanks for posting and I will be trying this tomorrow! just one question, should the cream cheese spread be at room temperature or straight from the fridge?
Thanks,
Chris
Hi Chris, I use mine straight from the fridge because it is soft enough to mix in even when it’s cold and, if I want the frosting a little firmer, it’s not too warm.
Thanks Krista! made it and it was wonderful! have a lovely weekend!
Yay! You’re welcome – you have a great weekend too, Chris!
You are a genius! Thanks so much.
It’s delicious on my banana cake.
I just bought a giant tub of Philadelphia, not realizing it is not the same as the brick.
Banana Cake sounds amazing right now! I’m glad my recipe helped you!
can we use cheese spread in whipped cream also for frosting cakes and cupcakes? If yes, plz tell me the right way to do it..
I don’t know, I have never tried combining cream cheese and whipped cream.
Hi,
Can this recipe used for piping rose icing on cupcake? Thanks.
Yes, that should work. If the frosting is a little too soft, you can chill it for 20 minutes or so but it should be fine.
This recipe is amazing and like the other comments I’m glad you solved this problem for the whole of us! I was wondering how long you typically keep leftover icing in your fridge? It’s just sugar, cream cheese, butter so I was thinking a month or so? Or too long? What do you think? Thank you!!!
I wouldn’t keep it in the fridge for more than about a week but you can easily freeze it! Just let it thaw overnight in the fridge and beat it smooth before using it to frost cake or cupcakes.
I stay in Germany , and yes I do have a same problem finding hard Philadelphia as I can get it easily in Thailand. I wanna ask of it possible if I could use this to make a new york cheesecake? I mean real german cheesecake is not im looking for and using Quark also no no no lol. Thank you so muchh
Yes! I have a recipe for New York Cheesecake made with cream cheese “spread” here: https://livingoncookies.com/new-york-cheesecake-with-strawberry-sauce/
My cream cheese is 250g, should I reduce the other ingredients by a small amount (or would it be unnoticeable if I just keep to the recipe?)
Hi Renae, the frosting will be great using 250g cream cheese. You don’t need to adjust the other ingredients.
Hi Krista! I’m trying to make this recipe but I dont want to lessen the amount of sugar in it. Would this mess up the chemistry of making it not runny?
Hi Sandra, I think you can probably lower the sugar to 4 cups or 400g without it getting runny but I definitely wouldn’t use less than that. Hope this helps!
This recipe is super cool.
Tried out today cream cheese frosting for red velvet cake.
Came out amazing well. Perfectly deceived the steps and just followed your steps.
Philadelphia creme fraische is what i used as cream cheese
And ungezalen butter .
Heaven !!!!!
That’s great! Thank you for your feedback!
This recipe is TOO DAMN SWEET, I CANNOT! Even though I reduce the sugar to half, it’s still too sweet to consume.. 😣
Frostings are usually very sweet but I think that this one is just perfect when it’s eaten with the cake it has been frosted with, such as Carrot or Red Velvet Cake. I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy it despite reducing the sugar in it. Thank you for your feedback!
This worked out so well! Thanks!
You’re welcome! Thanks for your comment!
Ahhhh yayyyyyy it worked! I can’t believe it, finally!! Thank you very very much :)!
You’re very welcome! 😀
I am SO glad I found this recipe. I have been struggling with making cream cheese frosting since I moved from Australia to Germany. Thank you so much. It is great!
You’re very welcome, Jennie! Glad to hear the recipe works for you!
Hi Krista,
Your recipe was great! Thank you soooo much! You’re a Lifesaver! Keep up the good work and don’t stop making great recipes! Without your help, my parents would be having a dry red velvet cake for their anniversary! Thanks once again! 🎉🎉😄👍👍🙂😍😊😋😋😋
Thank you so much for your sweet comment, Isaac! I’m happy to hear my recipes turn out for you!!!
You STAR! Have been struggling with this for ages – I’m in Munich. Do you have any idea how to make this a chocolate cream cheese frosting? Making a forest themed birthday cake and I need it brown.
Thank you, Rachel! I do actually have a chocolate cream cheese frosting recipe – it’s the chocolate part of this Marble Cream Cheese Frosting. It’s super easy! You just beat some melted and cooled bittersweet chocolate into the finished frosting. For the recipe above, you would need 200 g melted chocolate. I would love to see how your forest cake turns out! Sounds so cute! It would be awesome if you took a picture, posted it on Instagram and tagged me.
Hi Krista, Thank you SO much for this GREAT recipe. I live in Europe as well, and have been dealing with runny frostings so many times, and each time I have to improvise to save the cake..not always succesfully. I would like to ask if I can add some salted caramel in this frosting for my caramel cupkaces, or will that affect the “chemistry”.
Hi Katharina, that sounds SO DELICIOUS, but I’ve never tried adding salted caramel sauce to this frosting. Consistency-wise it might be risky. I have a recipe for salted caramel buttercream that I highly recommend, link is here.
A little update..I made this delicius frosting and YES it worked!!!!! I finally had a fluffy but stiff frosting. No runny frosting this time 🙂 Got so excited I added a tablespoon of my salted caramel (I took the risk) after I had frosted the first cupcakes, and that worked perfect. It did not effect the consistency at all, only made it even better! I highly recommend this recipe to everyone and will certainly use this recipe from now on, and just add my desired flavour at the end!!!!
Yay! That’s great! Thanks for letting us know that your salted caramel variation works! 🙂
Used this on 12 pumpkin muffins today. It’s delicious!
I made only half the recipe and have enough to frost another 12…maybe tomorrow.
Thank you!
Good to know, thank you! Pumpkin muffins with cream cheese frosting sounds amazing, another batch wouldn’t hurt… 😉
Thank you so much! I was dumbfounded by the lack of brick cream cheese when I moved to Europe! I run a small cake business and this method of make cream cheese frosting is an absolute game changer!
Yippee, I’m delighted to hear that! I wish you lots of success with your cake business! 👍
I just had to pass on my thanks to you. I’ve been making a gorgeous hummingbird cake sponge on multiple occasions now but not being able to share it last minute because I can never get my cream cheese frosting to become anything like frosting; it always emerged as liquid (albeit delicious liquid). I never could figure out what I was doing wrong but now I guess I can pass the buck onto being European with our spreadable cream cheese! Your recipe has worked perfectly for me and I cannot believe it’s been fixed by such a simple step. Thank you SO much for sharing your discovery. This really has opened up so many doors for me and my baking. Thank you!
Hi Ellie! That’s wonderful to hear! I’m happy to be able to help you solve a problem that I was struggling with too. Thank you for your feedback and happy baking! 💕
My cream cheese frosting is perfect thanks to you
That’s great to hear – thank you! 🙂
omg i just stumbled upon this blog post and i have to try this!!!! ive been struggling to make the perfect cream cheese frosting using spreadable cream cheese because every single recipe ive checked uses the brick kind. would this work with an electric hand mixer??? also could you pleaaase tell me would this recipe be enough to completely frost a 3 layered 7 inch cake?
I’m glad you’ve found your way here too. 😊 To answer your questions, yes, I think you could use an electric hand mixer if it’s got a strong enough motor. You could try giving your mixer a break to cool down before the final addition of powdered sugar. And yes, this makes enough to fill and frost a 3 layered 7 inch cake.
Hi Krista,
I’m willing to make this recipe tomorrow and I was wondering if I can use food coloring to the frosting .I’m making cupcakes for kids school.
Thank you
Gia
Hi Gia! Yes, you can color this frosting. Hope it turns out great! 😄
Hi! Just got here and love it already!!
Let me ask one thing: can we use color or will it change the chemistry of the Frosting? And can we use quark instead of normal cream cheese?
Thanks a lot!
Hi Olga! Welcome!! Yes, you can color cream cheese frosting. And no, quark will not work for this frosting. Stick to Philadelphia-style, plain, full-fat cream cheese.
Hi Krista! Thanks a lot! 😊
Thanks a million. This is super! I wish I had seen your post before I also made ‘soupy cheese icing! …I tried to mix the quark and butter first and what a catastrophic thing! Eventually, after an hour of struggling I just managed to salvage it (had to as it was a celebration cake) by adding about 3kg of icing! Haha 😂 it was so sweet my daughter said she was going to turn diabetic on the spot! I’ve learned my lesson and yours will be my go to recipe in future.
Thanks again from Brighton, 🇬🇧
Hi Tracy! Thanks for taking the time to let me know you like my recipe – I’m so happy you found it helpful! 🌸
You blessed soul! You know how long I been trying to make cream cheese frosting like in the pictures? Nobody wants my cream cheese sugar soup! Thanks a billion!
Cream cheese sugar soup is never good. 😀 I also struggled for YEARS trying to make my favorite frosting before I finally stumbled upon the solution! I’m so glad this was helpful to you!
Hi Krista,
Can you recommend a brand of cream cheese spread? Which one(s) do you usually use? I live in Hungary and we have quite similar products in supermarkets here to those in Austria… Anyway it would be even worth it crossing the border and going to Vienna if I can’t get a good one here.
Thank you for the recipe, I can’t wait to try it!
Teodora
Hi Teodora! If you’re looking for the “best” brand, I guess that would be Philadelphia if you can get it. However, I have tried many of the discount and store brands and didn’t notice any difference in the Cream Cheese Frosting, so I would give those a try. Just be sure to buy the full fat kind. Hope that answers your question!
Thank you! Maybe it’s stupid, but I was wondering if it has to be unsalted…? I think the Philadelphia I’ve bought was always salted, but maybe I haven’t been looking carefully… 🙂 Anyway, I will try as soon as possible, thank for the tips!
Maybe you’re thinking the savory cream cheese spreads, with herbs or whatever. Definitely buy the plain, unsalted, full fat kind! 🙂
Your recipe for cream cheese icing saved my bacon . I went to make my ward winning top-secret Steve’s killer carrot cake for a boatload of oil field workers and found out my cream cheese is a spread not a block of cheese you’re icing recipe. Your secret to using cream cheese spread cream cheese icing made my cake over the top and 32 grown men wishing I was there wife , just kidding thank you 😀
That’s so great, Steve! Greetings to all of you working hard on the oil field – at least there’s carrot cake! 😀
Hi Krista!!
Just checked out your blog and fell in love with it immediately! Your frosting looks sooo good and the pictures are gorgeous!
Right now I struggle with exactly the same baking problems – having moved from Germany to Canada I find that I have to change most of my recipes! Especially the dairy based ones.
I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for you to get used to the German/Austrian dairy isle! It’s a jungle! I so miss all the Topfen and Schmand for making my cheesecakes though. I actually started making my own quark but I still haven’t found a good way to replace schmand!
Have a wonderful Sunday!
Greetings from Calgary,
Kiki
Thanks for the compliment – you are too kind, Kiki! I’m just beginning to figure things out and I find YOUR blog so inspiring!
We don’t have Schmand in Austria and it always stumped me in recipes – what is it? If I were living in North America again I would definitely miss the cheeses and other dairy we get here, now that I know what they are!
Thanks so much. Oh, I didn’t Schmand know that schmand was unavailable in Austria. I would put it somewhere in between cream and sour cream. A bit like creme fraiche but less fatty.if you ever cross the border for some groceries you should get some. It’s wonderful for baking and really cheap in Germany. I wish I could have it delivered to Calgary but no dice…
Good to know! I want to try Schmand now!
Hey Krista
I was wondering if i want to half the recipe, what would be the measurements?
Hi Walula, you can half the amount of each of the ingredients, that would be ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon (125 g) butter, 2 ¼ cups (300 g) powdered sugar, ½ teapsoon vanilla extract and 5 ¼ ounces (150 g) cream cheese. Enjoy!
Thank you so much Krista❤️😘
Hey Krista I used your recipe to make cream cheese frosting and i loved it thank you so much. It was my first time making it and i was scared because i didnt know whether id get it right or not and i didnt want to waste any ingredients either. So im really happy that i tried your recipe out and this will be my go to recipe:)))
I’m glad to hear the recipe worked for you!! Thanks so much for your feedback, Walula!