Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting

📖 Joy of Cooking

🥘 Ingredients

  • cinnamon (optional)
  • cold cream cheese
    16 oz
  • confectioners' sugar, sifted
    7 c
  • lemon zest (optional)
  • liqueur (optional)
  • orange zest (optional)
  • unsalted butter, softened
    11 Tbsp
  • vanilla
    4 tsp

🍳 Cookware

  • food processor
  • medium bowl
  1. 1
    There are two secrets to making perfectly smooth cream cheese frosting with enough body to swirl on a cake or pipe through a pastry bag: Do not overbeat, and use cold - not softened - cream cheese. Have the butter, if using it, at room temperature, and sift the confectioners' sugar after measuring.
  2. 2
    Feel free to vary the amount of confectioners' sugar to suit your taste: we have seen recipes with as little as 1 tsp and as much as 1/2 cup sugar per once of cream cheese.
  3. 3
    Food Processor Method: Combine in a food processor and pulse just until smooth and creamy cold cream cheese , unsalted butter, softened , vanilla , and confectioners' sugar, sifted .
    cold cream cheese: 8 oz, unsalted butter, softened: 6 Tbsp, vanilla: 2 tsp, confectioners' sugar, sifted: 3 c
  4. 4
    If the frosting is too stiff, pulse for a few seconds longer, do not overprocess. If desired, stir in additional flavorings to taste such as lemon zest (optional) , orange zest (optional) , cinnamon (optional) , or liqueur (optional) .
    lemon zest (optional), orange zest (optional), cinnamon (optional), liqueur (optional)
  5. 5
    Electric Mixer Method: Beat in a medium bowl at low speed just until blended cold cream cheese , unsalted butter, softened , and vanilla .
    cold cream cheese: 8 oz, unsalted butter, softened: 5 Tbsp, vanilla: 2 tsp
  6. 6
    Add one-third at a time and beat just until smooth and the desired consistency confectioners' sugar, sifted .
    confectioners' sugar, sifted: 4 c
  7. 7
    If the frosting is too stiff, beat for a few seconds longer; do not overbeat. If desired, stir in additional flavorings to taste such as lemon zest (optional) , orange zest (optional) , cinnamon (optional) , or liqueur (optional) .
    lemon zest (optional), orange zest (optional), cinnamon (optional), liqueur (optional)