Cupcake Frosting Recipe (VIDEO)
This fluffy whipped cream and cream cheese frosting is the perfect cupcake frosting. This vanilla frosting is easy, lightly sweet, pipes beautifully, and keeps well in the refrigerator.
This is our go-to frosting for our Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes. A single recipe will frost 24 cupcakes but it’s easy to double the recipe if you’re making a big batch for a birthday party.
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Watch Cupcake Frosting Video Tutorial:
This frosting pipes so beautifully onto cupcakes, cakes and even cookies! I used the Wilton 1M Tip with a large piping bag. These 3 piping tips are the only ones I use for frosting cupcakes. Watch the video below. If it doesn’t load, be sure your ad blocker is turned off.
Homemade Cupcake Frosting is Best!
Flashback: as a child, I used to hide in the pantry and sneak spoonfuls of canned frosting [gross]; there’s something about the store-bought one that was just terribly irresistible. Maybe all those fabulous chemicals? Well, take that irresistible trait, minus the chemicals, and you get this frosting.
It also stays put pretty well in the fridge for, well, mine has been in there a week and I’ll go poke my finger in it. Be right back……… ok that’s just ridiculous. It’s still good!
Ingredients for Vanilla Frosting:
Combining cream cheese and whipped cream creates a soft and airy frosting that keeps its shape when piped. Make it once and you will make it over and over.
- Cream Cheese – should be softened at room temp, but not overly soft. If cream cheese is too soft, the frosting will end up runnier and won’t have that brilliant white color
- Powdered Sugar – also known as confectioners sugar, adds sweetness and helps build texture
- Heavy Whipping Cream – make sure it’s labeled HEAVY which has a 35-38% fat content
- Real Vanilla Extract – the flavor of real vanilla can’t be beat
How to Make the Cupcake Frosting:
Cooks Tip: For best results with whipped cream, freeze your mixing bowl and whisk attachment 10-15 minutes before using. Also, keep the heavy whipping cream refrigerated until ready to use.
- Whip the cream on high speed with an electric hand mixer (1-2 minutes) until thick, fluffy and spreadable.
- In a second mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar (start on low speed unless you want to be standing in a cloud of powdered sugar), then beat in 1 tsp vanilla extract.
- Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mix.
That’s it! Just three steps and you’ve nailed it! Keep it covered in the fridge until ready to use on these Vanilla Cupcakes, our moist Chocolate Cupcakes, or even these super fluffy Pumpkin Cupcakes.
Tips for Making the Best Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Use a full-fat cream cheese for the best taste and texture (avoid low-fat). Soften cream cheese inside of it’s packaging at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.
- Heavy whipping cream which has a higher fat content and will whip much easier. Avoid “whipping cream” or “light cream.”
- Make Sure Heavy Cream is Chilled until ready to use. Cold cream will whip up better.
- Don’t cut the sugar too much. We have tested with 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar which works but if you take out more, the texture will be affected.
Can I Use this to Frost A Cake?
You’ll fall in love with this frosting and naturally, you’ll want to use it on all your desserts. This makes enough frosting for a 2-layer, 9-inch cake. If you want a super generous amount of frosting, or if working with a 4-layer cake, you can make 1 1/2 times the recipe.
More Frosting Recipes:
If you love to change up your cupcake frosting, try these top-rated frosting recipes. We have everything from rich chocolate frostings to marshmallow-soft creams.
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting – the flavor and texture are heavenly
- Chocolate Frosting – decadent but light with cream cheese
- White Chocolate Frosting – adding melted white chocolate is genius
- Chocolate Ganache – use it as a glaze or whip it into the best frosting
Cupcake Frosting Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar, (confectioners sugar)
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, (keep chilled until ready to use)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, whip the cold heavy cream on high speed (1-2 minutes) until thick, fluffy and spreadable.
- In a second mixing bowl (using the same electric mixer - no need to wash it), beat cream cheese and powdered sugar. Start on low speed to incorporate then beat on high speed for 2 minutes until creamy and whipped, then beat in 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Use a spatula to gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mix until well blended. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
We first published this recipe in June 2012. We re-photographed and added new photos. After much testing, we now use 2 cups of powdered sugar instead of 1 1/2 since it gave the cream a better structure.
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Maybe my cream cheese was too warm, maybe I overwhipped it, but it “fell apart”. The frosting wasn’t stiff or have any form and I used piping tips! It was very very soft and almost runny.
I’m sorry it didn’t turn out for you. Did you make any substitutions? If it’s too warm, it will be too soft and not hold together well. Be sure to use block style cream cheese, not whipped and use “heavy” whipping cream and not just whipping cream. It’s also important that the heavy whipping cream is very cold and it reaches stiff peaks before adding the cream cheese. I hope that helps.
This is the absolute best frosting recipe that I have ever made! Will be my go to from now on! Thanks 🙂
Awesome! I’m so glad you loved this frosting recipe, Michelle.
This was absolutely awful!! 😞 it came out like soup 😐. I should’ve just stuck with my own. Now I’ve wasted a block of cream cheese and powdered sugar. Thanks a lot. 👎
Hi Lisa! I’m sorry that happened. We’ve had excellent results with this. Did you use heavy whipping cream? Just whipping cream does not firm up as well as heavy cream. You want cream with 36% and greater fat content. Also, be sure the cream is very cold! The cream cheese should be soft but not warm.
Mine came out excellent! I followed her directions and put mixing bowl in freezer and used heavy whipping cream.
How long in advance can you prepare the frosting? Have a party on sunday but would like to get as much out of the way as possible for sunday morning 🙂
You can make this ahead, cover and refrigerate the cupcakes. You can even keep them frosted, covered, and refrigerated for a few days and they will taste great. The cupcake frosting and the cupcakes keep really well refrigerated.
This frosting was amazing! I had no issues with my frosting. I placed my mixer and bowl in the freezer while I waited for my cream cheese to get to room temperature. Once I whipped the heavy cream I placed that bowl in the fridge. I gently folded the cream cheese mixture into my whipped frosting. Absolutely delicious! The perfect sweetness. Thank you!
That’s great, Min! Thank you for the feedback!
Could I add cocoa powder and make this a chocolate frosting? Your chocolate cream cheese frosting was a little to rich for me…
Hi Janella! I think it could work, but you’ll have to experiment with the amount to use since I haven’t tested it myself.
Followed the recipe to the letter, had to more than double the icing sugar and it’s still a completely unpipable liquid. Disappointed to say the least.
I’m sorry to hear that, Darlene. That shouldn’t happen. Did you by chance use whipping cream instead of heavy whipping cream? Whipping cream will not get to as stiff peaks as heavy cream. Make sure it’s labeled HEAVY which has a 35-38% fat content. Also, the cream needs to be really cold and it works best if your bowl is cold as well. The cream cheese should be softened at room temp, but not overly soft. If cream cheese is too soft, the frosting will end up runnier. I hope that helps troubleshoot.
Can I freeze the leftover frosting?? I made two 9-in cake and only want to use one just for my husband and I can I frost and freeze the other cake safely?
Hi Darlene. I would not recommend freezing this type of frosting.
What is heavy whipping cream and how is it different from whipping cream?
Where I live, whipping cream is 35% milk fat. What % are you suggesting for this recipe?
Heavy whipping cream is greater than 36%. It whips up stiffer than just whipping cream.
God bless your wonderful talent!
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with all of us.
My first time making cupcakes for my grandkids.
They love the cupcakes.
Thank you, it means a lot to me. I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try!
Love this frosting and was easy to make! I did a trial run for my daughters birthday a few days ago and plan on making a larger batch for her party this weekend. If I double or triple the recipe do I need to change anything in terms of how long to whip the ingredients and whatnot?
Hi Kelsey! I’m glad you love it. Depending on the size of your bowl, you may need to make some adjustments in the time is takes to whip it up. Make sure you stop and mix by hand to ensure the ingredients at the bottom are getting evenly mixed in. Happy Birthday to your daughter!
Can this frosting sit out of the refrigerator longer than 1 hour?
I wanted to make cupcakes for a baby shower, therefore they would sit on the cupcake stand for 2 – 3 hours in a home with A/C.
Hi Valerie. Because of the whipping cream and cream cheese, for food safety reasons, the maximum time would be 2 hours.
Absolutely delicious! It piped beautifully too. I also tried the chocolate buttercream which was fantastic. I can’t imagine needing any other frosting recipes now!
That’s great, Mary! So glad you found this recipe.
This is the best frosting I made till date. I made unicorn cupcakes for my niece and the frosting was so delicious Thanks a lot for the recipe.
Thank you for the awesome feedback!
Hi Natasha,
Can this frosting sit out on a counter for a few hours? I need to make a lot of cupcakes and need a frosting that can sit without a refrigerator for a couple/few hours.
Thanks,
Hi Rita! Because of the cream cheese and heavy cream, this frosting is not stable and should not be kept out of the refrigerator for longer than an hour or so. I recommend vanilla buttercream frosting instead.
I made this frosting for cupcakes and it is absolutely delicious – light and fluffy! Is it possible to make this chocolate by just adding some cocoa?
Thank you – love your recipes!!!
Hi Kate! Thank you, so glad you love them. This frosting is delish!
I haven’t experimented with different add-ins with this one. I’m sure it could work but you’d have to experiment with it.
For chocolate frosting, I use this recipe HERE.
I’ve over mixed in my whipped cream to the cream cheese. Can I fix that?
Hi Irene! I’m sorry to hear that. It’s very easy to over-mix and separate the frosting if you’re not careful. I am not sure if it can be fixed now but you could try. Sometimes if you drizzle a little bit more cold heavy cream into your mixing bowl while beating on low speed, it may help bring it back together.
l always follow blog and try some recipe this time l want to make this icing your recipe is the only only one l like among others so l after l make l will show you on fb and thank you for sharing.
Hi Elisa! That’s wonderful. I’m so glad you love it. Thank you.
This is my absolute favorite frosting! So many people have asked me for the recipe. I love cream cheese frosting but adding the whipped cream makes it so light and delicious. It’s not overly sweet which I prefer. You truly can eat it with a spoon. Thanks for making and sharing!
Hi Jenny! I’m so glad this recipe is a hit. Thank you for sharing.
Absolutely perfect frosting and cupcakes! Huge hit at my grandaughter’s 2nd birthday party.
I’m so glad to hear that, Eileen! Thank you for sharing.
Can I make this and keep in fridge for a few days and then use to frost a cake? I made it with some crushed peppermint sprinkled on top and used your vanilla cupcake recipe with a little peppermint sprinkles and gave them out to kids in neighborhood. So delish. But I made a double batch since I made a double batch of cupcakes. I have enough left over for a cake I have to make for my granddaughter so I’m wondering if I can keep it for a few days until I make the cake. Thanks.
Hi Valentina, you can totally make these ahead! We store this in the refrigerator! They will last a couple of days in the fridge.
Hi I loved this recipe! It is so light! I was wondering if you could substitute softened butter for the cream cheese. Adults would love the cream cheese taste but i think kids would like the more traditional buttercream folded into the whipped cream.
Hi Liz! I’m so glad you loved this recipe. You can use my vanilla buttercream.
Hi I was wondering how many cups of frosting this recipe makes? Thanks!
Hi Julie, I did not measure the frosting that way but it made 24 frosts 24 cupcakes or 1 cake
I had high hopes that this frosting would turn out. I made cupcakes for my twins’ birthday.Like others mentioned, it was soft and runny. But it tasted good! I had to add loads of powdered sugar to get peaks in the frosting again. Disappointed this didn’t work out.
Hi Char! I’m sorry to hear that. This frosting is softer and not as stable as buttercream but I have been able to pipe it just fine. The cream cheese should be softened at room temp, but not overly soft. If cream cheese is too soft, the frosting will end up runnier.
So then what would be a good way to fix it? Because I also felt like I had made the frosting too runny due to the cream cheese, and I just don’t know how to fix it.
Hi Lucia! I am not sure what caused the issue but you can try to refrigerate it for a little while to see if the texture improves. Read through my notes and see my process to see where yours may have looked different. Also, if you are wanting a more stable frosting, you can try my vanilla buttercream frosting.
Sorry but did not like at all. Runny and not much flavor. We followed the recipe exactly and yes we used Heavy Whipping Cream.
Bummer!
Sorry to hear that Michelle, this frosting usually turns out amazing so I am not sure what went wrong in your process.
I am making an Oreo cheesecake and wish to pipe whipped cream around top edge of cheesecake. I need the whipped cream to be as stable as possible to last a few days.
Would this recipe work well for this and do you think it will taste good on an Oreo cheesecake ?
I just discovered your site and I’m so excited to try the recipes…next one is the strawberry sponge cake!
Thank you for advice on the frosting.
Hi Jennie! I’m so glad you found my blog. I think this frosting would taste great with the cheesecake. It is not as stable as buttercream since it is whipped but I think it could last a couple of days.
I made the cupcake frosting just as shown on the video, but instead of folding in the whipped heavy cream I used the mixer. My frosting did not come out firm and held no form once on the cupcake. It was absolutely delicious and I Would love to get the recipe right so I can use it for my daughter’s 16th birthday Cupcakes. Please help me correct my mistake
I haven’t tried those substitutions, so I can’t speak to that. Substitutions may hinder the recipe outcome. I always suggest making a recipe as written the first time around.
Dont use the mixer when combining the whipped cream and cream cheese mixture, it mixes it too much and causes it to get runny. I just made this with my daughter and mixed the heavy whipping cream with a mixer until we had “snowy peaks” then I put in fridge while we made the cream cheese mixture. We folded it in gently and it turned out fantastic.
Can these be frozen with icing and decorated so they are ready for an event a week later?
Hi Laurie, I haven’t tried freezing this with frosting, so I’m not 100% sure, but I think it may work to pipe it onto cupcakes and then freeze it. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Fantastic recipe. I used almond extract in place of vanilla and it was amazing!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Kristina! I’m happy you loved it!
Good morning! Can you add food coloring to this before piping onto cupcakes? I’m trying to mix a few different color frostings together to decorate some “flame” cupcakes for my son’s birthday party:) I’m trying to decide if I should use this recipe or your buttercream frosting… Thank you!
Hello Meagan, I imagine that should work fine. I would recommend a gel coloring a few drops at a time, at the end so you don’t water down the frosting.
This frosting tastes great but it always turns out soupy for me. I’ve made it twice and same thing happens. I’ll give it a third try.
Hi Raj, that is typically due to either having the softened ingredients over-softened or using a lighter cream. Make sure you are using COLD HEAVY whipping cream and only softeneing your ingredients for no longer than 1 1/2 hours at room temperature.
Mine was soupy as well but Natasha’s chocolate cupcakes are incredible! Next time I’ll make frosting without the whip cream
I did it and it turned out so good! Thank you!
I did use 1 tbs of Wilton meringue powder to stabilize it because I had to make it the night before the event…
Hi Gaby! So glad to hear you enjoyed this frosting. How did the meringue powder work for stabilizing?
Do you think I could add the blackberries from the blackberrie frosting recipe to turn this into a black berrie recipe? I like the idea of the combo of whipped cream and black berries… 🙂
Hi Erin, you’d have to expirement with it. This frosting is not very stable so I worry that adding fruit puree will leave it watery.
I made these cupcakes with my four year old grandson. We love the recipe. The frosting is amazing. I will use it again and share it with my friends. Thank you.
So glad to hear that, Linda! Thank you for the feedback.
Can I use food coloring if so what kind of food coloring can I use for this recipe ? Which one do you recommend
Hi Camila, I imagine that should work fine. I would recommend a gel coloring a few drops at a time, at the end so you don’t water down the frosting.
I would love to have you give me Tips for making it ahead of time?
Hi Gina, you can totally make these ahead! We store this in the refrigerator! They will last a couple of days in the fridge.
Hi,
I freaking LOOOOOOVE this frosting. It was a big hit at my granddaughters birthday party. I did it with 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, came out great. I was wondering if this could be a chocolate frosting also.
Thank you
Tracy
Hi Tracy! I’m glad you enjoyed this frosting. I’m pretty sure you could make it chocolate but haven’t tested it. Check out this recipe for chocolate cake as well, the frosting used here is similar.
Thank you!
I’ll try the chocolate one. I love the texture the whipped cream adds to the frosting. I think I’m going to experiment this weekend.😀
I am looking for a frosting that is not so sweet but great to do a smash cake for his first birthday cookie monster cake & his cupcakes .can you plz contact me on the one to use .thank you . Valerie .p.s. your tomato soup is Banging …
Hi Valeria, I haven’t made a smash cake before, but you can find all of my frosting recipes HERE. I don’t care for overly sweet recipes myself. I hope you love this recipe!
This frosting was tasty, but not stable enough for me…literally slid off my cooled cupcakes and I followed the recipe. Not sure what happened. Maybe will try again sometime.
Hi Cheryl, I’m sorry to hear that. Cream cheese frosting is softer than some other frostings but it should have still kept its shape, not slid off your cupcakes. The cream cheese should be soft but not overly soft. I found it best to leave it at room temp for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours and no longer. Also, be sure to beat the heavy whipping cream adequately. If it’s loose going into the frosting, the overall frosting will be loose. Hopefully, you find this helpful and I hope you do try again sometime.
My cream cheese was way too soft and I live in Texas and it was a warm day….so there is problem! Will certainly try again. Thanks Natasha! 🙂
So sorry, I forgot to review this recipe! Thank you so much and I will use this recipe in he future for a dessert or a Tea Party!
Hey, Natasha! I made these for a friend and I am so excited to give her this recipe!
So sorry, I forgot to review this recipe! Thank you so much and I will use this recipe in he future for a dessert or a Tea Party!
You’re very welcome. Thank you for the review.
I followed your recipe exactly. This was the most delicious cream cheese frosting I have ever made, or tasted!! My family went absolutely wild over it. It’s perfect just as it is, but I’m just wondering if I try making it with low fat cream cheese instead of full fat, would I need to adjust any other ingredients? Thank you Natasha for this wonderful recipe!!
You’re most welcome! I’m happy to read your good comments and feedback. I haven’t tried using low-fat cream cheese yet to know the difference but feel free to do an experiment. We would love to know how it goes!
hi ,
my frosting just got a little thick , it was still runny even though i whipped it a lot …..i dont think there is a problem with the recipe though
happened last time too when i was making a simple one with only heavy cream, vanilla essence and powdered sugar.
Very runny icing. Followed all the instructions and it still came out runny. Love all the recipes I’ve tried so far by Natssha, but this was bad.
Hi Phi. If the cream cheese gets over softened, it can be runnier. It should be at room temp for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours and no longer. Also, be sure to beat the heavy whipping cream adequately. If it’s loose going into the frosting, the overall frosting will be loose. I hope that helps.
I would love to see this video, however, all I’m seeing is the rotation of 2 ads. ??
Hi Carol, make sure if you have an ad blocker on your computer that it is turned off for the video to display. The video should display right after the first image in the post.
Soooo good! Made tons so I will keep some for dessert w fruit salad or w pie!
Does anyone know if you can freeze it?
Hi Pernilla, I haven’t tried freezing this frosting, so I’m not 100% sure. I think it would work on piping it onto cupcakes and then freezing, but it might not be the ideal consistency to pipe after it is thawed. If you experiment, please let me know how it goes.
What adjustments could I make in this recipe to make lemon frosting?
Hello Lynn, I honestly haven’t tested that yet to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it turns out.
Hello Natasha,
I love the taste of the frosting.
I prepared it and popped it in the fridge as I need it after 4 days.
My question is that once I am ready to frost my cupcakes, will I need to whip up the frosting again to fluff it, or leave it at room temperature to be able to pipe perfectly?
Hi! Because of the type of ingredients in this frosting, you don’t want to leave it at room temperature for longer than 1hr. I am not sure how this would re-whip because of the heavy cream, it may separate. This frosting is probably best used and pipped when it is made fresh. I’m glad you love this frosting. It’s one of my favorites. 🙂
Excellent easy frosting! Can this be frozen on the cupcakes?
Hi Toni, I haven’t tried freezing this frosting, so I’m not 100% sure. I think it would work on piping it onto cupcakes and then freezing, but it might not be the ideal consistency to pipe after it is thawed. If you experiment, please let me know how it goes.
Hello Natasha I have frozen this frosting it came out just fine Love from Northern Ireland
Hi Valerie. Thank you for sharing with us. 🙂
I love Natasha and all her recipes, but this website is waaaay too difficult to navigate. It is too loaded with commercials, so it freezes a lot. 😩
Hi Sheila! I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipes! Thank you for sharing your concerns and feedback. The only way we can continue providing free recipes is by having ads on our site, so we are not able to remove those at this time. We find that most people would rather see the ads than pay to see the recipes. But we will definitely take note of your feedback and use it to improve our website.
I appreciate your feedback, and I hope you love every recipe you try.
I’ve made the heavy cream cream cheese frosting for cupcakes many times. When I hold the frosting for a day before I frost the cupcakes, it becomes too thin to pipe. Comments please!
Hi Kay, I suggest piping it the same day it’s made for the best stability, but also make sure to use HEAVY whipping cream and avoid over-softening the cream cheese which will make the frosting more loose.
Hi Kay, I suggest piping it the same day it’s made for the best stability, but also make sure to use HEAVY whipping cream and avoid over-softening the cream cheese which will make the frosting looser.
Just made it! It turned out perfect and light ( not calorie light:). The only negative thing, I made only 12 cupcakes (user Natasha’s recipe) and had extra frosting enough for 20 more cupcakes. Thank you for the recipe!
I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe, Inga. Please see my note on the recipe: “A single recipe will frost 24 cupcakes”. I hope that helps for next time 🙂
Sooo easy to make and delicious! My son is not a fan of frosting but loves whipped cream so it was a perfect match!
Yum! I’m so glad it was a hit with your son, Heather! That’s so great!
Hi Natasha! I wanted to know if I can add light blue gel colors to the frosting? If yes, at what stage? I will be making 24 vanilla cupcakes for a boy birthday party. Thank you.
Hi Julie, I imagine that should work fine. I would recommend a gel coloring a few drops at a time, at the end so you don’t water down the frosting.
Natasha if the frosting becomes watered down with the gel coloring, how could I thicken it?
Hi Anna, make sure you don’t over soften the butter and cream cheese which can cause the frosting to be loose. Also, beating until the frosting is thickened is important. It takes a few minutes. If it thins, you can refrigerate it for 10-15 minutes then beat again if needed.
Hi, I would like be to make this frosting! Would I be able to add gel food coloring to color the frosting a different color or would it alter the consistency? Thanks!
Hi Yaha, I imagine that should work fine. I would recommend a gel coloring a few drops at a time, at the end so you don’t water down the frosting.
How long does the frosting keep in the fridge?
Hi April, yes, they will last a couple of days in the fridge. I hope you love this recipe!
Can’t wait to try this. But how well does it hold up on cupcakes at room temp. I won’t have access to a fridge to store them where I plan on taking these.
Hi Jenny, If they are initially refrigerated and then left at room temperature for about 2-3 hours, they should still be fine. I wouldn’t leave them out longer than that since they are dairy-based.
Love the flavour of this frosting and i marbled your vanilla and chocolate cupcakes together and they came out amazing. 2 out of the 3 times i made this icing its come out a little loose. Is there anyway of fixing that after you have folded in the heavy cream. I’ve kept the cream cheese out for 1.5hrs and only mixed it for 2 minutes but still comes out loose.
Hi Susana, make sure to use the block-style cream cheese as the spreading or whipped cream cheese will be loose. Also, if you are in a very warm environment, I would leave the cream cheese out for even less time.
btw my fam loves your recipes
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Amy. I’m all smiles
oh forgot to say this thanks in advance
Your welcome! But my question is it possible to skip the cream cheese
Hey Amy, I have not experimented a cream cheese substitution in this recipe to advise. If you give it a try, please share with us how it goes.
thanks in advance i love your recipes
Aww! Thank you, Amy!
So am I able to skip the cream cheese?
Hi Amy, I always make this frosting with cream cheese. You might enjoy our Vanilla Buttercream frosting which does not have any cream cheese in it.
Thanks in advance
Can I skip the cream cheese my brother is allergic and I’m planning to use this on your vanilla cake for a the fourth of July celebration
Hi Amy, we love it with cream cheese, but here are a few other frosting recipes you can try.
Do you sift the powdered sugar before measuring? Or after? Or no sifting at all?
Hi Rachel I sift after measuring.
Hi Natasha,
I would like to try this recipe. Can I pipe it into the center of the cupcakes? If so, how many cupcakes will this fill?
This recipe normally frost 24 cupcakes, so it really just depends on how much frosting you were adding to the center and the top of the cupcake. You could probably still generously frost 18 cupcakes.
Does this frosting colour well?
Hi Jojo, I imagine that should work fine. I would recommend a gel coloring a few drops at a time, at the end so you don’t water down the frosting.
Question for you … followed the recipe exactly and I‘ve already folded the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. I’d love for it to be a tad sweeter. Is it too late to add some more powdered sugar and beat it in a bit?
Hi Rissy, could be too late to add already. You can do that next time though. I recommend trying out and finishing out the first batch that you did first and just adjust it on your next try.
Made these and they turned out great. I used Greek cream cheese which is 50% less fat and 40% more protein than regular cream cheese. I stabilized the heavy cream with 3 Tbsp of the powdered sugar. Thanks!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Loved the recipe and how they turned out!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Best frosting EVER!! Great fluffy consistency and not overly sweet like buttercream! But, we don’t necessarily like cold cake…do you think I could just keep the piping bag in the fridge and then decorate three or four cupcakes at a time as we need them?
Hi Lauri! I bet that could work! I’m so glad you loved this recipe!
SOOOOO happy that I found this recipe!! Thank you!! I will never use another recipe! EVERYONE LOVED the cupcakes!!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Could I make this for a chocolate icing by adding cocoa powder?
Hi Andrea, I haven’t experimented with different add-ins with this one. I use it as-is. For chocolate frosting, I would highly recommend this recipe.
Can I use a little of powered Whip Cream stabilizer to help hold shape of decorative piping? Love the icing. Added a little creamed peanut butter to some and used it to fill the inside of cupcake, topped with plain icing. WOW what a nice burst of flavor. Love your videos.
I think that would work but I haven’t tried that yet. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes!
Oh my GOSH! I’ve tried many frosting recipes but this is the best one BY FAR. So delicious and the perfect amount of sweetness so it isn’t overpowering. My go to recipe for all my frosting activities lately. Love it! Thanks for sharing!! Made it for berry filled cupcakes a few weeks ago and trying it on a mango cake today!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Sara!
I just tried making this frosting and your vanilla cupcakes and they were delicious! The frosting is light and not too sweet which is perfect!
The only thing is I need to whip the cream longer than 2 minutes next time, since I followed the exact recipe, but the cream was a bit soft and runny when I folded into the beaten cream cheese. Therefore the frosting was not as firm as I would like.
I refrigerated the frosted cupcakes. They still tasted great after 3 days in the fridge, just need to let it sit outside for 20 minutes before eating, so the cupcake will be softer. Thanks for a great recipe! I will make it again.
You’re much welcome, Lynn. Thank you for sharing your experience nad some tips with us, that is so helpful. We’re glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Hi. Will a stand mixer work to get the same results?
Hi Darlene, yes, a stand mixer will work great.
Help, I made this twice and both times was runny? Use organic cream cheese, heavy whipping cream and put bowl and mixer parts in freezer. I love the test but can’t figure out what I did wrong???
Hi Sherry, if the cream cheese gets over softened, it can be runnier. It should be at room temp for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours and no longer. Also, be sure to beat the heavy whipping cream adequately. If it’s loose going into the frosting, the overall frosting will be loose. I hope that helps.
Hi Natasha,
Can I add gel good coloring to this frosting? Don’t want it to loose form due to the coloring.
Hi Sue, I imagine that should work fine. I would recommend a gel coloring a few drops at a time, at the end so you don’t water down the frosting.
I made these cupcakes last weekend and added food coloring to the frosting for a gender reveal party! They came out really yummy and everyone loved them! I’ll definitely be making more in the future and will recommend this recipe to everyone! 🙂
Sounds wonderful, Sue. I’m happy to know that it was a hit and everyone loved them! Thank you for sharing that with us.
I love the frosting it’s the best. I don’t usually eat frostings on cupcakes because they are too sweet but this one makes me happy especially my daughter and husband loves it. Thank you.
I’m glad you loved it, Venice!
Thank you for this recipe! Hands-down my favorite frosting. And I don’t even really like frosting, it’s usually too sweet. However, this frosting is not overly cream cheese tasting and the whip cream makes it so much lighter and less sweet. I use this every year on my kids birthday cakes now. I highly recommend
I’m glad you liked the frosting, Terri! Thank you for sharing your good comments and feedback with us.
Hi Natasha
Can you just confirm your oven temperatures are they for fan assisted.fabolous recipes by the way
Hi Susan, we use an electric conventional oven (not convection).
Hi. Can you freeze the frosting? Thank you.
Hi E, I haven’t tried freezing this frosting, so I’m not 100% sure. I think it would work on piping it onto cupcakes and then freezing, but it might not be the ideal consistency to pipe after it is thawed. If you experiment, please let me know how it goes.
I used this frosting with the perfect vanilla cupcakes and it was so goooood. The frosting is super creamy and light. This is good if you like a light frosting than like buttercream for say. The texture of the pillowy, soft frosting and the cupcakes meshes very well together. I think this frosting is also a good substitute for like a regular cream cheese frosting. It is like a lighter version of cream cheese frosting, but not as cheesy. I highly recommend this frosting. This is the best frosting ever coming from a person who doesn’t really like frosting. This recipe is a keeper.
Thank you for sharing this excellent review with me, Audrey! This recipe is popular for a good reason.
Hi, Natasha. I haven’t found any store that carries heavy cream where I live. By the way, I live in Jakarta, Indonesia. Is there no alternative?
Hi Avril, you might try our Buttercream Frosting instead or our favorite Cream Cheese Frosting.
They have in foodhall plaza senayan..I used to live in Jakarta too 🙂 good luck
Hey Natasha. Made your cupcakes it was amazing. I wanted to know if we can add gel colours to the vanilla frosting.. if yes at what stage.
Thank you, Ayesha. That should work, I would recommend a gel coloring a few drops at a time, at the end so you don’t water down the frosting.
Hi Natasha! You’re recipes are great, easy to follow. Started following you last year and I made your chocolate cake with buttercream frosting. It was so good, the cake was soft and moist and no eggs and just use the olive oil. I’m wondering if this good for a 10 inch round pan? And what’s the temp if I’m using a convection oven. Also I guess I have to double my recipe for the ganache? Your beef and pork meatball are delicious, same with the chicken egg noodle soup. Awesome
Hi Narlene, I’m so glad you’re enjoying our recipes. I’d be happy to advise on a cake pan size. Which recipe are you asking for?
I absolutely love your recipes! These look amazing and that frosting looks scrumptious.
However, I don’t normally care for cream cheese frosting. Does this frosting have a strong cream cheese taste or is it lighter? Thx!
Hi Kim, I believe this is lighter, but it has cream cheese in it to have some taste of that. This recipe gets rave reviews for taste and texture. I hope you give it a try!
The best vanilla cupcake recipe hands down!
Fantastic! Thank you so much.
Hey Natasha, can I store the frosting in the refrigerator or the freezer for future uses?
Hi Lala, yes, we store this in the refrigerator! They will last a couple of days in the fridge.
Can I frost the cupcakes and place in fridge or should they be frosted just before eating?
Hi Jody, yes, we store this in the refrigerator! They will last a couple of days in the fridge.
Hi Natasha I love this frosting! But I was wondering can I use it to decorate a cake with tips? I find when I use the tips the design does not hold. Any tips will be great! Thanks.
Hi, I have tried piping it and it does really well with various tips.
Thanks Natasha! When I make it it the piping rose doesn’t hold on my cake. I wonder what I am doing wrong. It seems to be more watery. Any tips will be helpful.
Hi, most likely it is due to using a frosting that is too thin. Be sure if you are using this frosting that the ingredients aren’t overly softened.
I really love it, actually, all your recipes are fantastic. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Thank you for that wonderful compliment!
Hi Natasha can you use food coloring in this frosting. It’s Halloween and I would like to color the frosting.
Thank you,
Helen
Hi Helen, that should work! I recommend the gel kind!
At what step would you add the food coloring…at the end or when combining cream cheese and powdered sugar?
Hi Kassandra, I would recommend a gel coloring a few drops at a time, at the end so you don’t water down the frosting
Hi Natasha! Is this frosting recipe good for decorating with? Say I’m decorating a cake. Would this frosting be good for it or would it be too runny or soft?
Hi Audrey, I have used this to pipe roses and it does work well. Also, have you tried our Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe?
Hi Natasha, I was just wondering if I could add cocoa powder to this recipe? I just love it so much , I would like to try it.
By the way you are the very best!
Hi Rosie, I haven’t tried that substitution and without testing it myself, I can’t say for sure but I assume it would work.
Hi Natasha I absolutely love your recipes – your beef plov is one I make often. This will be my first time trying your cupcakes and icing as we are mainly a no sugar family but I still make cakes for birthdays 🙂 can I make this recipe with 1/2 the amount of powdered sugar or would that mess up the consistency?
Hi, it would make the consistency more loose using that much less sugar.
I made this frosting twice so far, both times for cakes…once for a birthday and once for a baby shower and everyone LOVED it!!! I have never had so many people rave so much about the frosting for the cakes I made before. Also, I am a huge fan of your genoise cake. I can’t remember how many times I have made that cake and every single time it was a hit. Thank you so much for your amazing recipes!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Hi Natasha!
May i know how long this frosting holds its shape in room temperature?
Hi Kristina, they will hold up for several hours at room temperature (out of the sun) and they should be refrigerated overnight if not eaten the same day. In the refrigerator, they can last for days.
Hi Natasha. I just wanted to know what is the difference between this recipie and a normal butter and icing sugar frosting,like taste texture and sweetness?
Hi Gina, I think this one has a more balanced flavor and lighter feel. It’s not as sweet as a traditional buttercream frosting.
Hi,
Would this frosting harden once placed in refrigerator? Thanks!
Hi Samantha, it does slightly but not as much as a buttercream. It will still seem airy and soft and you don’t have to soften it.
Hello Natasha!
I’m here mostly because you are so kind and I know you will help me out with a doubt that I have concerning why is it that cream cheese spread cannot be used to make buttercream.
I attempted this frosting recipe with a cream cheese spread only because it was the only one I had at hand. However, I could taste the powdered sugar and did not like the outcome that much.
I would like to know the reason behind not using cream cheese spread and using cream cheese in a block please!
Hi Andrea, sometimes the spreads are “whipped” and aerated so they aren’t as dense. I would highly recommend using regular cream cheese as called for in the recipe. If you prefer a buttercream, we have a wonderful buttercream frosting posted.
Hi Natasha.
Can I freeze this frosting and use it a month later?
Hi Andrea, I haven’t tried freezing this frosting so I’m not 100% sure. I think it would work to pipe it onto cupcakes and then freeze, but it might not be the ideal consistency to pipe after it is thawed. If you experiment, please let me know how it goes.
Can you substitute the cream cheese with butter?
Hi Rene, I have not really experimented with that to advise. If you give it a try, please share with us how it goes.
Hi Natasha!
My plan is to make your cupcakes ahead of time (2 days before event) Would you suggest to wait to top them with frosting until day of? Prob will keep them in the fridge!
Could I add crush oreo’s into the frosting?
Thank you!!!
Hi Christina, if it’s just a few days, you can cover and refrigerate the cupcakes. You can even keep them frosted, covered, and refrigerated for a few days and they will taste great. The cupcake frosting and the cupcakes keep really well refrigerated. I haven’t tested the crushed oreo’s but I bet that could work! I would be sure to crush them small enough so they pipe easier.
Should the heavy whipping cream be whipped to stiff peaks?
Hi Julia, that’s correct! Make sure to beat the cream until stiff peaks.
Hi! I’m planning on using this frosting recipe along with the cupcake recipe. I was wondering if it would be ok to use food coloring on it. I wanna do a 2 color swirl. Thank u!
Hi Brianna, I would recommend a gel coloring a few drops at a time, at the end so you don’t water down the frosting.
Hi Natasha!
I’m making your cupcake recipe for 12 cupcakes and want to make this frosting for them. Here it says that this recipe will frost 24 cupcakes but on your video you frosted 12. Should I make the recipe as written or just half? I’m thinking that maybe you were able to frost 12 because you put a lot a frosting on each of them.
Hi Viridiana, for aesthetics and the video I made 12 but the recipe actually makes enough to cover about 22-24 cupcakes per batch depending on how much frosting you use.
Hello Natasha
For 12 cupcakes what is the ratio for frosting? Should I make this frosting recipe half?
The serving size of this recipe is 12 cupcakes so you can make half of the frosting or add a little bit more just in case.
Hi Natasha,
Thank you for all your recipe.. I have enjoyed most of your recipe but this cup cake frosting was a failure.. not sure why but I followed exactly as per the recipe but it was thin and could not use the icing pipin… it was bit disappointing…
Hi Latha, it could be two things – either the cream used wasn’t HEAVY whipping cream (or beaten sufficiently), or the cream cheese was over-softened which will create a loose frosting. Both of these could have been the culprit.
Hi Natasha! I’m interested in trying your recipe and was wondering if adding freeze dried fruit would work for flavoring the frosting. I was thinking of food processing the freeze dried fruit with the powdered sugar. Do you have any recommendations on how much freeze dried fruit to add? Thanks so much!
Hi Elizabeth, I’ve never tried freeze dried powered fruit in frosting, but I do love the concept of using a natural flavoring and color rather than food food coloring. I wish I had a good answer for you, but without testing it myself, I can’t say for sure. I’d recommend testing small batches in ramekins so if it doesn’t work out to the color you want, you can still salvage the remaining frosting. I hope that helps!
Once frosted, must cakes be kept in refrigerator?
Hi Candy, yes, we store this in the refrigerator!
I am wondering the same thing.
Hi Carolyn, yes, we store this in the refrigerator!
Hi, I just made the frosting but it seems too soft, like a little runny. How can I fix it?
Hi Lilly, make sure you use HEAVY whipping cream which has a higher fat content than regular whipping cream and also do not oversoften the cream cheese which can cause the frosting to seem runnier. If you have already combined them ingredients, you might refrigerate 15 minutes then beat a little longer.
Hello Natasha! Does this vanilla buttercream withstand Texas heat? It’s a pain to make cakes and cupcakes in the summer even if I lower my thermostat to 68°F I read that an Italian meringue buttercream can withstand heat but I’m not ready to do all the work 🥴. I’ve used your chocolate cream cheese buttercream frosting and it’s absolute goodness! But I have to keep it in the fridge until ready to eat.
Thanks for sharing your talent! Happy 4th!
~Maria
Hi Maria, The best advice I could give is to keep them in a cooler or fridge. The frosting is fairly sturdy, but you don’t want them out in the heat for very long.
Omg!! You seriously have THE BEST recipes Natasha!!! Never fails, they always turn out sooo good. Thank you!!!
YOu’re so nice! Thank you for that great review, Shelley!
Another awesome recipe! Thanks!
You’re welcome Tanya!
Hi! This recipe is amazing. You should try using this frosting on a sponge cake lined with strawberries, its delicious!
Yum! That sounds so good! Thank you for sharing that great suggestion with us!
Yes, I did and it was great!
Keep this up and you will have a TV show. I haven’t tried the recipe yet to rate it.
Good luck
I hope you can try it soon!
This sounds amazing and supper easy! Does it really hold its shape if i want to do rosettes on a cake?
Also, can i substitute some of the cream cheese with butter and by how much?
Thank you
Hi Naty! It sure does! I hope you enjoy this recipe!
Can you half this recipe?
Hi Susan, I imagine that should work. When you half the recipe you would need at least 3/4 cup of sugar to help with the consistency. Hope this helps.
Absolutely love your videos!
You’re so nice! Thank you!