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How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting with European Cream Cheese (or Cream Cheese Spread)

Krista · 18. April 2016 · 142 Comments

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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.

Rezeptheft 7 Cupcake-Variationen aus einem Grundteig

If you sign up for my newsletter, you will get a recipe booklet with my basic recipe for cupcakes that you can use to make 7 different flavors, plus more ideas and recipes for frostings! These recipes are available exclusively to newsletter subscribers (in German only). SIGN UP HERE to get your free recipe booklet.

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.

3.92 from 37 votes
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How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting with European Cream Cheese (or Cream Cheese Spread)

Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.

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Filed Under: Cakes & Cupcakes, How To, Recipes, Sweet Treats Tagged With: cream cheese spread, easy, fast, not runny, not soupy

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Yesenia D says

    21. April 2022 at 01:22

    Hi, hope everything is well, if I want to make it a chocolate flavor cream cheese icing, how much cocoa do you recommend I use? and would I put less sugar because of it? Thank You!

    Reply
    • Krista says

      21. April 2022 at 05:49

      Hi Yesenia,
      To make Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting, I add melted semi-sweet chocolate. For the full recipe above, mix in 7 ounces (200g) melted, cooled chocolate after the last step above. The Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting is amazing. 🙂

      Reply
      • Shamini says

        12. May 2022 at 10:52

        I only want to make 1/4 the recipe above ie 1/4 cup butter instead of 1 cup just to pipe on an orange cake. Just wondering if that will work. Also I want the frosting to be orange flavoured. Will it b ok if I add some grated orange zest to the frosting?

      • Krista says

        12. May 2022 at 11:44

        Hi Shamini, yes that will work and it sounds amazing!!! If you’re making 1/4 recipe, it might be easier to really work the sugar into the butter if you use an electric hand mixer and a smaller mixing bowl.

  2. Shannon says

    6. April 2022 at 12:35

    Oh my goodness! Thank you!
    I will be trying this – I am from Wisconsin and live in Vorarlberg a decade and WHY, OH WHY don’t Austrians have real cream cheese?
    (Though in Vorarlberg I kind of understand it- many of the locals do not consider anything besides Bergkäse to be “REAL CHEESE”. So cream cheese is not even call cream cheese – just “Philedelphia” – because it is not Bergkäse and therefore not cheese.)

    As a dairy farmer’s daughter – my heart grieves for thier constricted view of cheese – I love almost all of the cheeses. Bryndza, skyr, bergkäse, cheddar, gouda, oszczypek… so many cheeses….

    THANK YOU!

    As for the reader that is asking about Schmand – you can try to make your own.
    Schmand is basically the same thing as the Śmietana / Smetana – which is the Polish / Russian version of the stuff.

    I found a tutorial here where you can try to make it in different versions. Maybe it will help you reader? https://petersfoodadventures.com/homemade-sour-cream/

    Reply
    • Krista says

      6. April 2022 at 13:03

      Thank you so much for your nice feedback Shannon! I’m sure your tip will help someone. 😍 I am from Minnesota and am familiar with Wisconsin cheese – YUM! All the best, Krista

      Reply
  3. Ana B. says

    27. February 2022 at 07:19

    I wonder if this process would work with this New York Cheesecake recipe.
    It’s the closest I can find to a what I always had.
    What would you do different?

    https://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/594101233/the-best-new-york-cheesecake/

    Reply
    • Krista says

      27. February 2022 at 07:30

      Hi Ana, that recipe for New York Cheesecake looks really good but I am concerned about using that much sour cream, which has a lot of water in it. Normally I would recommend reducing the sour cream to make up for the fact that your cream cheese has more liquid in it than the American kind, but I’m not sure with this particular recipe. If it helps, I developed my own New York Cheesecake recipe you could try: https://livingoncookies.com/new-york-cheesecake-with-strawberry-sauce/
      All the best, Krista

      Reply
  4. Mindo Pod says

    14. January 2022 at 21:12

    I am SO GRATEFUL to you for having done the research and testing to discover this and then to share it with us. Right now there is a shortage of cream cheese here and all I could buy was the spread. I almost made the disaster you described by using it as though it were the block – one more web search led me to you and you saved the day. Thank you again!
    I followed the recipe to the letter (to the gram, that is) and it came out *beautifully*.
    For fellow Kitchaid standing mixer users – forget using the whip attachment and just use the standard mixing paddle all the way.

    Reply
    • Krista says

      14. January 2022 at 21:28

      Thank you for the helpful tip and your sweet comment! You made my day! ☺️

      Reply
  5. Inez says

    31. December 2021 at 16:31

    I love your recipe. Being a fellow expat living in Austria (but Australian origin) I have struggled for years to solve this problem…I knew it was a fat issue so I tried EVERYTHING (mascarpone, increasing the fat in the cream cheese) – and here you have cracked it. You absolutely made my New Year…there’s nothing like a last minute win!

    Reply
  6. Sal says

    8. November 2021 at 06:56

    I’m wondering if I chill the frosting to stiffen and then pipe it, if it goes back to room temperature after piped will it get runny again?

    Reply
    • Krista says

      8. November 2021 at 15:40

      No, it will be fine. It’s only occasionally a little too soft to pipe right after being made, depending on the brand of cream cheese you use, the temperature of your kitchen, etc.

      Reply
  7. Kelly says

    15. October 2021 at 09:35

    Hi Krista

    I want to use this recipe of yours for the cream cheese frosting and I bought ingredients last weekend only to discover that I bought 5 tubs of creamed smooth cottage cheese instead of cream cheese, could I still use this recipe and substitute the cream cheese with the creamed cottage cheese ?

    Reply
    • Krista says

      16. October 2021 at 08:55

      Hi Kelly, my guess is that the frosting recipe would not work because of the high moisture and low fat content of cottage cheese.

      Reply
  8. Emily says

    1. October 2021 at 09:38

    I attempted to make cream cheese frosting with european style cream cheese but it was so runny that it cant even be pumped fr a frosting bag. What should i do? Chill it 1st? Add thick cream?? My pump head is snowflake design and i didnt manage to even pump out a decent snowflake because its so liquidy.

    Reply
    • Krista says

      1. October 2021 at 09:52

      Hi Emily, you can definitely try chilling it! Chilling often helps when the frosting is too soft to pipe. If after at least two hours in the refrigerator it is still liquidy, in my experience there is nothing more you can do to thicken it. Did you follow the recipe and directions exactly? You have to beat all the powdered sugar into the butter before attempting to add the cream cheese. If you try to mix all the ingredients at once, it will likely become runny.

      Reply
  9. Betty A. says

    26. May 2021 at 18:40

    Hi Krista,

    I am planning on making a Red velvet cake with 2 9 inch pans. Would the recipe be the right amount or can I cut it in half? I don’t think I will use all the frosting plus there is so much of the ingriedients and I most definetly do not want to waste it. I’ve made the frosting before but with homeade powdered sugar and the only downside was that my sugar wasn’t fine enough so it was gritty. Next time, I’ll just stick to the store-bought hehe. Other than that it was PERFECT( it was my first time making a frosting).

    Reply
    • Krista says

      26. May 2021 at 19:42

      Hi Betty,

      I have a Red Velvet Cake recipe for 2 9-inch pans here on the blog. I use the same amount of frosting as this recipe to fill and frost it but feel free to use less if you prefer. I’ve had to grind my own powdered sugar so I know there’s a graininess you can’t quite get rid of. The finer, industrial powdered sugar is so much better! Sift it too so it incorporates well. Happy baking!

      Reply
  10. Betty A. says

    26. May 2021 at 18:39

    Hi Krista,

    I am planning on making a Red velvet cake with 2 9 inch pans. Would the recipe be the right amountor can I cut it in half? I don’t think I will use all the frosting plus there is so much of the ingriedients and I most definetly do not want to waste it. I’ve made the frosting before but with homeade powdered sugar and the only downside was that my sugar wasn’t fine enough so it was gritty. Next time, I’ll just stick to the store-bought hehe. Other than that it was PERFECT( it was my first time making a frosting).

    Reply
  11. Cindy says

    24. April 2021 at 21:25

    I was only able to find lactose-free cream cheese (the type made from real dairy) in the spreadable format. I’ve had mixed experiences making cream cheese frosting from it in the past. This one was perfect! The others were too sweet because I had to add extra powdered sugar to get the texture right. This recipe was perfect! Perfect texture and balance of flavors. Thank you sooooo much!

    Reply
    • Krista says

      26. April 2021 at 06:17

      Hi Cindy, that’s so awesome to hear – thanks for the feedback! 😃

      Reply
  12. Hannah says

    20. April 2021 at 23:19

    Thank you so much for this recipe! It worked to a T and saved my husband’s 40th birthday.

    Reply
    • Krista says

      21. April 2021 at 05:35

      I‘m so glad! Thanks for the feedback!

      Reply
  13. Melissa says

    7. April 2021 at 11:30

    This is such a great post! I will definitely try it.
    Do you have any tips on using European cream cheese in a Basque cheesecake?
    I made it a few weeks ago using the spreadable cream cheese and, while it was delicious and everyone loved it, I can’t help but fee that the consistency of the cream cheese affected the structure.

    Greetings from Sofia, Bulgaria!

    Reply
    • Krista says

      7. April 2021 at 18:10

      Hi Melissa, I‘ve never made a Basque cheesecake but I would think the Philadelphia cream cheese in Spain is the same as in the rest of Europe. I looked at recipes and some say you can use mascarpone instead, which is also very creamy, so it sounds like you got it right. ☺️

      Reply
  14. Cara says

    4. April 2021 at 21:48

    It’s not really my Birthday without Carrot Cake. But being an expat means no cream cheese frosting… until now. This is the year!

    Reply
    • Krista says

      5. April 2021 at 16:14

      Yay!!! Enjoy!

      Reply
  15. Jo says

    1. April 2021 at 21:41

    Thank you! My first try at making red velcet cake was a disaster due to the runny frosting, but after finding your recipe I tried it again and it was perfect 🙂

    Reply
    • Krista says

      2. April 2021 at 06:37

      I‘m happy to hear that! Thanks for the feedback!!

      Reply
  16. Alena says

    20. March 2021 at 14:36

    Thanks so much for posting this! It was just what I was looking for! Hello from Albania

    Reply
  17. Samantha says

    17. March 2021 at 17:43

    Hi,I love this recipe! Just a question, is it possible to replace the cream cheese for Mascarpone? A friend doesn’t like cream cheese… Thanks!

    Reply
    • Krista says

      18. March 2021 at 08:21

      Hi Samantha, I have a recipe for mascarpone frosting here. That recipe calls for cream cheese as well but you can definitely replace it with the same amount of mascarpone: 13 ounces or 375g mascarpone in total.

      Reply
  18. GBO says

    14. February 2021 at 18:42

    P.S. I find the best/thickest texture cream cheese here in Germany is the cheapest, most basic one: “Ja!” brand.

    It falls into the “spread” category, in that it has a higher than USA moisture content. However, unlike the other DE brands, good ole basic “Ja!” brand cream cheese contains no fillers or other unexpected ingredients. Just milk.

    Thank you for your help and insights!

    Reply
    • Krista says

      14. February 2021 at 19:05

      I usually buy the store brand cream cheese too and it works wonderfully. 😌

      Reply
  19. GBO says

    14. February 2021 at 18:34

    Finally a great result. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for this method.

    Previously I used “Schichtkäse” as a substitute. Do you know it? It is firm and slightly sour. Schichtkäse will work for cream cheese frosting, although the taste is a just a bit different than what we’re all shooting for. And, unfortunately, it’s not a pantry staple. Here in Munich only about 80% of stores carry it, and only from one company: “Landliebe”. It’s always shelved in a different place in the dairy case. Employees have often never heard of it and so can be quite useless in locating it.

    I much prefer your solution. Thank you for letting everyone know

    Reply
    • Krista says

      14. February 2021 at 19:03

      I‘ve never heard of Schichtkäse either. 😅 I’m so happy to hear you like this recipe! 😍

      Reply
  20. Cookie monster says

    2. January 2021 at 22:36

    Tried this recipe today and I’m shook.
    Thank you for this amazing recipe you really are the game changer

    Reply
  21. Mary says

    26. December 2020 at 17:23

    Thank you for this!
    By any chance, have you got a solution for making a cheese ball with European cream cheese spread? I could not get it to firm up enough to make a proper cheese ball.

    Reply
    • Krista says

      26. December 2020 at 18:41

      Hi Mary, I‘ve never made a cheese ball and I can’t think of any way to make it harder. Maybe more of the other ingredients and less cream cheese?

      Reply
  22. Ayse says

    5. December 2020 at 02:35

    Hello Krista, Thank you for this recipe. I live in Belgium and I can’t find block cream cheese here. Your recipe worked for me however it was still gritty and I could feel the icing sugar while eating it.(I whipped it pretty long though before adding cream cheese, but however it was still gritty) Doy you have an idea how to solve this?

    Reply
    • Krista says

      5. December 2020 at 09:44

      Hi Ayse, thank you for your comment. The grittiness is probably due to your powdered sugar not being fine enough. You can fix this by grinding/processing it in a food processor before you use it to make frosting. I have a Thermomix and can process the sugar, about 300g at a time, on turbo for one minute. When purchasing powdered sugar, be sure to get the finest you can find. Here in Austria, there is “dusting” sugar, which still has the gritty sugar crystals you’re talking about, and “powder” sugar, which is finer and meant to be used for buttercreams and frostings. American powdered sugar, also called “confectioner’s” or “icing” sugar, is as fine as cornstarch (cornflour) or baby powder. I searched online and believe it might be called “sucre impalpable” in French. I hope this helped answer your question. 😊

      Reply
      • Ayse says

        29. December 2020 at 01:09

        Thank you Krista. I bought a new brand of powdered sugar, it’s from funcakes which is supposed to be for making frostings and seems much finer. I will try it with that one. 🙂

      • Katie says

        24. March 2021 at 21:08

        Thank you. Just thank you. The entire Berlin expat carrot cake bakers association thanks you! We’ve been suffering too long with runny frosting!

      • Krista says

        24. March 2021 at 22:35

        You’re very welcome! 😅 So glad to be of help!

  23. Meemz says

    10. November 2020 at 07:18

    Thank you so much for sharing this!!
    All of our local supermarkets stopped importing the U.S block Philadelphia cream cheese. I’ve been using the spreadable/runny cream cheese for all my recipes 🙁
    I tried this recipe today and it worked like a charm. It was PERFECT! Thank you again 😀

    Reply
  24. Vivien says

    9. November 2020 at 09:14

    Could I add cocoa powder into this recipe to make chocolate cream cheese? I can’t get any baking/cooking chocolate where I’m from.

    Reply
    • Krista says

      9. November 2020 at 09:25

      Hi, Vivien! Yes, I would add 2/3 cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder and reduce the powdered sugar to a scant 5 cups (500 g). Sift the cocoa powder and powdered sugar together and beat into the butter as above. Let me know how this works for you!

      Reply
  25. Jannani Mohan says

    3. October 2020 at 16:47

    Wouldn’t this be too sweet. That’s a lot of powdered sugar. How can I modify this recipe to add a bit of cornstarch to make it less sweet?

    Reply
    • Krista says

      3. October 2020 at 22:39

      It’s a big recipe, that’s why you need so much powdered sugar. I’ve never tried substituting powdered sugar with cornstarch so I don’t know if it works.

      Reply
    • Denise says

      15. February 2021 at 06:12

      I just made this recipe, turned out amazing! Thank you Krista for posting 🙂 I added 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and lemon rind from one lemon. It cut the sweetness and made it nice and citrus-y.

      Dei

      Reply
      • Krista says

        15. February 2021 at 07:14

        Hi Denise, awesome, thank you for your feedback! I used to make mine with lemon juice too – I have to do that again, such a great idea!

  26. Leona says

    23. September 2020 at 11:06

    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?

    Reply
    • Krista says

      23. September 2020 at 12:21

      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

      Reply
  27. Farida says

    1. September 2020 at 16:19

    I made a double batch today, fantastic, and holds very well. and tasty!

    Reply
  28. Erum says

    9. August 2020 at 10:31

    Is the butter use salted or unsalted? If unsalted can one use salted?

    Reply
    • Krista says

      9. August 2020 at 11:54

      I use unsalted but salted butter is fine too.

      Reply
  29. Lizz Kelling says

    9. August 2020 at 08:43

    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?

    Reply
    • Krista says

      9. August 2020 at 09:04

      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.

      Reply
  30. Nora says

    7. August 2020 at 01:15

    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.

    Reply
    • Krista says

      7. August 2020 at 07:45

      My pleasure, Nora! 😊

      Reply
  31. Patricia says

    4. August 2020 at 20:06

    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

    Reply
    • Krista says

      4. August 2020 at 21:18

      Hi Patricia, you’re so welcome. And yes, you can color this frosting too. 😊

      Reply
  32. Doris says

    6. July 2020 at 09:30

    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 🙂

    Reply
  33. Rod says

    1. July 2020 at 21:26

    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!

    Reply
    • Krista says

      1. July 2020 at 21:50

      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

      Reply
  34. Evelyn says

    28. June 2020 at 10:31

    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! ☺️

    Reply
    • Krista says

      28. June 2020 at 11:02

      Good to know the light variety also works. Thanks for your feedback, Evelyn!

      Reply
  35. Fizza says

    11. June 2020 at 09:57

    Can I use whipped cream instead of butter
    For instance adding whipped cream to cream cheese spread and then adding sugar ?

    Reply
    • Krista says

      11. June 2020 at 10:43

      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.

      Reply
      • Fizza says

        12. June 2020 at 15:33

        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 ?

      • Krista says

        12. June 2020 at 16:33

        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.

  36. Chris says

    21. May 2020 at 12:23

    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

    Reply
    • Krista says

      21. May 2020 at 13:06

      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.

      Reply
      • Chris says

        21. May 2020 at 21:58

        Thanks Krista! made it and it was wonderful! have a lovely weekend!

      • Krista says

        21. May 2020 at 22:04

        Yay! You’re welcome – you have a great weekend too, Chris!

  37. Patti Kumazawa says

    15. May 2020 at 16:57

    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.

    Reply
    • Krista says

      15. May 2020 at 17:00

      Banana Cake sounds amazing right now! I’m glad my recipe helped you!

      Reply
  38. Aditi says

    11. May 2020 at 08:27

    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..

    Reply
    • Krista says

      15. May 2020 at 17:01

      I don’t know, I have never tried combining cream cheese and whipped cream.

      Reply
  39. Rachel says

    9. May 2020 at 18:56

    Hi,
    Can this recipe used for piping rose icing on cupcake? Thanks.

    Reply
    • Krista says

      10. May 2020 at 10:43

      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.

      Reply
  40. Baker from Munich says

    28. April 2020 at 16:00

    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!!!

    Reply
    • Krista says

      28. April 2020 at 16:15

      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.

      Reply
    • Chanitnanth says

      3. May 2020 at 14:39

      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

      Reply
      • Krista says

        3. May 2020 at 15:06

        Yes! I have a recipe for New York Cheesecake made with cream cheese “spread” here: https://livingoncookies.com/new-york-cheesecake-with-strawberry-sauce/

  41. Renae says

    26. April 2020 at 05:49

    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?)

    Reply
    • Krista says

      26. April 2020 at 07:07

      Hi Renae, the frosting will be great using 250g cream cheese. You don’t need to adjust the other ingredients.

      Reply
  42. Sandra Mill says

    24. April 2020 at 21:44

    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?

    Reply
    • Krista says

      24. April 2020 at 22:03

      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!

      Reply
  43. Aysh says

    18. April 2020 at 13:23

    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 !!!!!

    Reply
    • Krista says

      18. April 2020 at 13:59

      That’s great! Thank you for your feedback!

      Reply
  44. TAN GEOK BEE says

    16. April 2020 at 07:51

    This recipe is TOO DAMN SWEET, I CANNOT! Even though I reduce the sugar to half, it’s still too sweet to consume.. 😣

    Reply
    • Krista says

      16. April 2020 at 08:16

      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!

      Reply
  45. Sheryl says

    12. April 2020 at 15:38

    This worked out so well! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Krista says

      12. April 2020 at 15:41

      You’re welcome! Thanks for your comment!

      Reply
  46. Jacki says

    10. April 2020 at 21:33

    Ahhhh yayyyyyy it worked! I can’t believe it, finally!! Thank you very very much :)!

    Reply
    • Krista says

      10. April 2020 at 23:49

      You’re very welcome! 😀

      Reply
  47. Jennie says

    24. January 2020 at 15:20

    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!

    Reply
    • Krista says

      24. January 2020 at 20:00

      You’re very welcome, Jennie! Glad to hear the recipe works for you!

      Reply
  48. Isaac says

    23. November 2019 at 11:15

    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! 🎉🎉😄👍👍🙂😍😊😋😋😋

    Reply
    • Krista says

      23. November 2019 at 11:25

      Thank you so much for your sweet comment, Isaac! I’m happy to hear my recipes turn out for you!!!

      Reply
  49. Rachel says

    28. October 2019 at 15:33

    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.

    Reply
    • Krista says

      28. October 2019 at 18:07

      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.

      Reply
  50. Katharina says

    17. October 2019 at 19:03

    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”.

    Reply
    • Krista says

      17. October 2019 at 22:25

      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.

      Reply
      • Katharina says

        26. October 2019 at 09:01

        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!!!!

      • Krista says

        26. October 2019 at 10:03

        Yay! That’s great! Thanks for letting us know that your salted caramel variation works! 🙂

  51. RUTH says

    26. September 2019 at 02:36

    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!

    Reply
    • Krista says

      26. September 2019 at 06:50

      Good to know, thank you! Pumpkin muffins with cream cheese frosting sounds amazing, another batch wouldn’t hurt… 😉

      Reply
  52. Ryan says

    1. September 2019 at 15:18

    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!

    Reply
    • Krista says

      1. September 2019 at 16:19

      Yippee, I’m delighted to hear that! I wish you lots of success with your cake business! 👍

      Reply
  53. Ellie says

    29. August 2019 at 08:57

    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!

    Reply
    • Krista says

      29. August 2019 at 09:49

      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! 💕

      Reply
  54. Preethi says

    21. July 2019 at 14:10

    My cream cheese frosting is perfect thanks to you

    Reply
    • Krista says

      21. July 2019 at 14:34

      That’s great to hear – thank you! 🙂

      Reply
  55. Julia says

    6. November 2018 at 15:10

    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?

    Reply
    • Krista says

      6. November 2018 at 22:12

      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.

      Reply
  56. Gia says

    24. October 2018 at 04:26

    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

    Reply
    • Krista says

      24. October 2018 at 04:58

      Hi Gia! Yes, you can color this frosting. Hope it turns out great! 😄

      Reply
  57. Olga says

    18. July 2018 at 16:06

    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!

    Reply
    • Krista says

      18. July 2018 at 19:00

      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.

      Reply
      • Olga says

        21. July 2018 at 07:05

        Hi Krista! Thanks a lot! 😊

  58. Tracy says

    26. May 2018 at 08:22

    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, 🇬🇧

    Reply
    • Krista says

      26. May 2018 at 11:13

      Hi Tracy! Thanks for taking the time to let me know you like my recipe – I’m so happy you found it helpful! 🌸

      Reply
  59. Br says

    25. January 2018 at 09:30

    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!

    Reply
    • Krista says

      25. January 2018 at 10:31

      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!

      Reply
  60. Teodora says

    24. October 2016 at 10:46

    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

    Reply
    • Krista says

      24. October 2016 at 11:23

      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!

      Reply
      • Teodora says

        24. October 2016 at 11:29

        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!

      • Krista says

        24. October 2016 at 13:40

        Maybe you’re thinking the savory cream cheese spreads, with herbs or whatever. Definitely buy the plain, unsalted, full fat kind! 🙂

  61. Steve says

    6. May 2016 at 15:52

    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 😀

    Reply
    • Krista says

      6. May 2016 at 18:51

      That’s so great, Steve! Greetings to all of you working hard on the oil field – at least there’s carrot cake! 😀

      Reply
  62. Kiki says

    1. May 2016 at 18:23

    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

    Reply
    • Krista says

      1. May 2016 at 20:49

      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!

      Reply
      • Kiki says

        1. May 2016 at 21:17

        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…

      • Krista says

        2. May 2016 at 04:58

        Good to know! I want to try Schmand now!

    • Walula says

      16. August 2019 at 14:40

      Hey Krista
      I was wondering if i want to half the recipe, what would be the measurements?

      Reply
      • Krista says

        16. August 2019 at 14:51

        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!

      • Walula says

        24. August 2019 at 09:41

        Thank you so much Krista❤️😘

      • Walula says

        6. September 2019 at 11:11

        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:)))

      • Krista says

        6. September 2019 at 14:04

        I’m glad to hear the recipe worked for you!! Thanks so much for your feedback, Walula!

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