This Is the Only Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe You'll Ever Need (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between cream cheese frosting and cream cheese buttercream? ›

Buttercream and cream cheese frosting have some ingredients in common -- powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and butter -- but buttercream is also made with heavy cream or milk while cream cheese frosting contains, obviously, cream cheese.

Always begin by scraping the frosting into a mixing bowl and stirring vigorously or mixing with a mixer until smooth and creamy. This simple step of incorporating air into a can of dense store-bought frosting will make it fluffy and enhance the flavor.

At room temperature, cream cheese frosting only lasts two hours, which is why it needs to be refrigerated if you don't want to waste leftovers. Cream cheese frosting will usually last in the refrigerator for up to a week, which gives you plenty of time to use it on various baked goods.

Delicious cream cheese frosting made using just butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and confectioners' sugar. The Allrecipes Test Kitchen staff are a team of culinary pros who make and vet recipes using only equipment you'd find in a home kitchen.

Cream cheese frosting

Many people also feel it's the perfect icing for red velvet cake. Cons: The addition of cream cheese makes this a much softer frosting than AMBC. It doesn't hold up well in warm environments, and doesn't work well as a cake finish as it won't hold sharp corners or piped details.

An equal ratio of butter to cream cheese yields a super smooth, spreadable frosting, while still maintaining the distinctive tangy flavor.

For a (16-ounce) tub of frosting, anywhere from ½ cup to 1 cup of crunchy additions will do the trick. Toasted nuts, coconut flakes, chocolate chips or chunks, halvah, and toffee will all add a fun new dimension of flavor. Stir in chopped up canned pineapple or fresh berries for an extra fruity kick.

Whip it until fluffy: To make frosting fluffy, it needs to be aerated. Add the container of frosting into a bowl and use a hand mixer or stand mixer with the whisk attachment to whip it for 3 minutes.

So does it need refrigeration? Food Network Kitchens: Yes, you should always refrigerate any cake or cupcake that has cream cheese frosting.

Do you need to refrigerate cinnamon rolls? Unfrosted cinnamon rolls do not need to be refrigerated and will keep best at room temperature. Iced cinnamon rolls, and especially rolls with cream cheese frosting, should be stored in the fridge.

How to thicken cream cheese frosting? ›

How to thicken cream cheese frosting. If the consistency is too thin or runny you can put the frosting mixture in the fridge for up to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.If it's still too thin, take out some of the runny mixture and beat in some more cream cheese.

And in the supermarket baking aisle, Duncan Hines Creamy Cream Cheese Frosting is the best on the shelf. It should be noted that, being a shelf-stable frosting, Duncan Hines Creamy Cream Cheese Frosting does not contain any cream cheese; instead, it uses flavorings and additives to (sorta) replicate its flavor.

Frosting is too runny.

This could be because the butter was too soft or you added too much milk if it is buttercream frosting or it could be that you have overbeaten it if you're making cream cheese frosting. Also, a hot kitchen can make frostings go runny, so be mindful of the temperature.

Cream cheese must must must be at room temperature for a smooth and cream cream cheese frosting. This will ensure that the cheese whips up to completely smooth with the other ingredients. Any chill on the cream cheese will result in cream cheese lumps that are hard to completely work out of the finished frosting.

The best way to distinguish frosting from buttercream is through the ingredients. While both contain powdered sugar, fat, flavouring and sometimes milk or water, frosting does not contain any butter whatsoever. Instead, frosting is usually made with shortening or cream cheese.

Whipped frosting is not only a little less sweet than buttercream, but its texture is much lighter and airier. If you prefer a fluffier mouthfeel, there are plenty of opportunities to use whipped frosting on your desserts, like for a homemade birthday cake or simple cakes, such as a classic pound cake or a butter cake.

From Paula's Pumpkin Bars to Giada's Spiced Apple-Walnut Cake With Cream Cheese Icing to the classic Red Velvet Cake, it's hard to escape cream cheese frosting's creamy goodness. So does it need refrigeration? Food Network Kitchens: Yes, you should always refrigerate any cake or cupcake that has cream cheese frosting.

In conclusion, there are many alternatives to buttercream frosting that you can use to ice your cake. Ganache, cream cheese frosting, whipped cream frosting, fondant, and meringue frosting are all excellent options that are easy to make and delicious to taste.