Cream Cheese Frosting

Problems making cream cheese frosting? Does it always turn into a lumpy, runny disaster? Trust me, I’ve been there! Finding a UK recipe that actually works can be tricky, but believe me when I say that this Cream Cheese Frosting recipe will not let you down. It’s thick, creamy and fool-proof. Ideal for coating cakes, piping on cupcakes or spreading over brownies!

cream cheese frosting

5 Tips for Making Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. Use Full-fat Philadephia Cream Cheese.
    In the U.K our cream cheese is more like a spread and has quite a thin consistency. I’ve also found that low-fat versions or any other brand of cream cheese isn’t thick enough and results in a runny frosting. That’s why I’d always recommend using full-fat Philadephia for a thicker cream cheese frosting.
  2. Beat the butter really well first.
    This will break down any lumps and make sure the frosting is completely smooth. You also want to beat the butter until it is really pale so that the frosting comes out a lovely bright white colour.
  3. Sieve the icing sugar.
    Making sure the icing sugar is really fine in texture will keep the frosting smooth and lump-free.
  4. Use cold cream cheese.
    This is THE most important tip. You want the cream cheese to be as thick as possible, if it’s kept at room temperature it will start to loosen and become soft. Therefore only take the cream cheese out of the fridge when you’re ready to use it in the recipe.
  5. Fold the cream cheese into the mixture
    Very gently fold the cream cheese into the mixture until it has JUST combined. Be really careful not to over-mix as the frosting can very easily turn to liquid.
Orange Pecan Layer Cake

Delicious Ways To Use Cream Cheese Frosting

There are plenty of ways you can use cream cheese frosting, it’s super versatile and pairs particularly well with carrot cake, coffee cake and cinnamon rolls. Here’s some recipe inspiration:

Cream cheese frosting (UK fool-proof recipe)

This Cream Cheese Frosting recipe is thick, creamy and silky smooth. It's ideal for coating cakes, piping on top of cupcakes or spreading on top of brownies!
5 from 6 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course baking
Cuisine Baking

Ingredients
  

  • 250 g unsalted butter room temperature
  • 500 g icing sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 250 g Full-fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese use cold from the fridge

Instructions
 

  • Cut the unsalted butter into chunks and put it in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric whisk or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on a medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes until super soft, fluffy and pale in colour.
  • Sift half of the icing sugar into the bowl. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to gently mix the butter and icing sugar together first for 30 seconds (this will help stop the icing sugar from going everywhere when using the electric mixer). Now turn the electric mixer on a medium-high speed and beat together until smooth and fluffy.
  • Sift the remaining icing sugar into the bowl and add the salt. Repeat the same step as above, using a wooden spoon or spatular to first mix the butter and icing sugar together, then the electric mixer to beat together until you have a smooth mixture.
  • Take the cream cheese out of the fridge and add it to the bowl. Gently fold the cream cheese into the mixture until smooth and just combined. Be careful not to over-mix at this stage.
  • Use straightaway to decorate your bakes or cover with clingfilm and store the cream cheese frosting in the fridge for 1-2 days.
Keyword Butter, Cream cheese frosting, Icing sugar
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5 from 6 votes
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Aur m
Aur m
1 month ago

Didn’t try yet but looks good! Can I use it to cover my layer cake? (Like ganache?) Thx

Aur m
Aur m
10 days ago
Reply to  Jessie

Thank you🤍

Emily
Emily
2 months ago

First time ever I’ve successfully made cream cheese frosting. Thick and delicious! Thanks so much, SO many failed US recipes previously including last week when the icing was so runny the cake collapsed! I will now be wowing everyone with my superior carrot cakes. X5 stars

kate
kate
3 months ago

Hi I just wanted to check – is this using the philadelphia that comes in a tub in the UK? (as opposed to the philadelphia brick cream cheese which has a higher fat content and is used in most icing recipes)

Janet
Janet
2 months ago
Reply to  kate

I found a great hack that has helped no ends when it comes to making the frosting (UK) UK Cream cheese is far softer and harder to keep to the right consistency when mixing due to the water content than cream cheese in other countries. I learnt that if you empty you cream cheese on a plate in-between layers of kitchen towel and place in fridge for a few hours and keep changing the kitchen towel during this time. When you come to use the CC it will be more solid and it will hold up better when mixing into the other ingredients. It’s amazing how much excess liquid you will remove. Just remember removing the liquid will reduce the weight of the CC so this needs to be taken into account when weighing out your ingredients. 
Hope this helps☺️

Last edited 2 months ago by Janet
Maria
Maria
4 months ago

I made this and it came out lumpy 🙁
Any ideas?
The butter was soft 🙁

Thanks

Maria
Maria
3 months ago
Reply to  Jessie

Hi, I used hand mixer and then again with a stand mixer 🙁
Was the cream cheese too cold? Thanks

Xiao
Xiao
25 days ago
Reply to  Maria

Use a blender until smooth and should sort it out to the right consistency

Virginia
Virginia
4 months ago

Hi Jessie!
I’m Virginia from Spain.
Some time ago I made a Japanese cheese cake using Philadelphia cream cheese and it tasted too salty so, I’m afraid of using it for my cream cheese frosting. Isn’t going to taste salty too? Here all kind of Philadelphia cream cheeses have salt (1,1gr/100gr), I don’t know there in UK. It’s a doubt I have for a long time.
By the way, I love all your recipes, they look delicious. Thanks for sharing!5 stars

No More Runny Icing
No More Runny Icing
4 months ago

Girrrrrrl! I never leave comments on these things. But listen…my cream cheese icing has been running a whole marathon since forever. I always end up with a great flavor that literally just slides right out of the piping bag. I live in a hot climate, so I thought that contributed. But honey! This method is truly foolproof. Thick, luscious frosting that makes you want to slap its cheeks. Thank you! 5 stars

Maya
Maya
6 months ago

Hi, I followed the recipe but soon after I put the cream cheese in it turned clumpy, is there any way to fix this or prevent it for next time? I was also trying to make this by hand using a spatula so I may not have beat the butter enough if that helps

Last edited 6 months ago by Maya
gulzzzzzzzzzzzzz
gulzzzzzzzzzzzzz
7 months ago

can i use soft cheese (search ”creamfields soft cheese”) instead of cream cheese?5 stars

Marta
Marta
8 months ago

This looks great, please can you let me know whether I should double the recipe to fill a 3 layer 8inch cake (cover the top and the sides as well) ? Also, if I would like this to be a chocolate version, shall I add some cocoa powder and reduce the powder sugar? Thank you x

Jessica
Jessica
10 months ago

I usually make (impossible to pipe!) orange cream cheese icing, with orange zest. Would this still work with that added? Thanks! X

Justyna
Justyna
11 months ago

Hi, can you freeze the icing?5 stars

Jessica Cooper
Jessica Cooper
1 year ago

You saved me, third try on buttercream frosting for a party tomorrow? Thank you

Amanda
Amanda
1 year ago

Good morning, Great recipe! Thank you! Do you think it would be okay inside a fondant covered carrot cake , so therefore be left out at room temp for about 4 days?

Tina
Tina
2 years ago

Heyy, is this frosting really sweet? Looks really nice 😊 thank you for showing your step by step method.

Emily
Emily
4 years ago

This method was a life saver after a very runny first try using a different recipe!

Bev
Bev
8 months ago
Reply to  Emily

If you overbeat the cream cheese it goes runny.5 stars

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