Cream Cheese Frosting
Rich and creamy with a perfect consistency for piping, this spiced Cream Cheese Frosting adds a touch of indulgence to all your cakes, cinnamon rolls, muffins and fresh fruit.
Holiday season is the perfect excuse to turn your delicious Gingerbread Cupcakes into festive looking single treats with this creamy, slightly tangy sweet Cream Cheese Frosting. The taste of the cool spiced whipped cream is a nice touch, perfect for enjoying with family and friends.
Enjoy the savoury sweet taste of Gingerbread Cupcakes topped with decadent cream cheese frosting and festive coloured sprinkles. We, at Deliciously Indian, have no problems with that!!
cream cheese frosting
My most favourite rich and creamy home-made Cream Cheese Frosting is made with full-fat cream cheese, butter and pure icing sugar.
Sweet to the first bite followed by a slight tang, this irresistible frosting adds a touch of indulgence to all your cakes, cinnamon rolls, muffins or fresh fruit.
Although not as stable as buttercream, this recipe yields a frosting that is stable in texture with a perfect consistency for piping.
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
Frosted Gingerbread cupcakes with stars and sprinkles
Frequently asked questions
can i use tub cream cheese spread
No. Cream cheese spread is suitable for cooking and spreading on toast, roti and bagels.
what type of cream cheese can i use
I would recommend you use only full-fat cream cheese that comes in a 250g block or brick. As the blocks have little moisture or air mixed in, they are most suitable to make frosting for piping with a tip. My favourite brand is original Philadelphia Cream Cheese!
can i pipe this frosting
This cream cheese frosting can be piped or spread on to cakes as it is of a spreadable consistency. However, it is not as sturdy as buttercream and is prone to melting in hot and humid weather. I would not recommend using intricate piping designs for piping cream cheese frosting. I have used a Wilton 2D tip. If you are a beginner, perhaps just use a large round tip. Keep the intricate designs for the buttercream icing. It also helps to refrigerate the frosting for 30 minutes to an hour prior to piping, to make the frosting sturdy.
can i use fridge cold cream cheese and butter
No. You must bring the cream cheese and butter to room temperature before making the frosting. To soften cream cheese and butter, remove from fridge and place on benchtop for 1 hour or so. To test, run a butterknife through and if it goes through without any resistance, then it is ready to whip.
can i use any sugar to make the frosting
No. You can use only pure icing sugar (aka powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar). This will ensure the frosting is smooth.
Pure icing sugar must always be sifted before adding to the bowl. This will ensure the frosting is lump free.
how can i fix a runny frosting
To stabilise runny frosting, add sifted pure icing sugar, a little at a time (say 2-3 tbsp.) until the desired consistency is achieved. Once stable, cover tightly with foil and refrigerate until ready to pipe (up to 30 – 40 minutes).
In hot and humid climate, it is always a good idea to refrigerate the frosting for 30 – 40 minutes just after whipping to stabilise the frosting. Refrigerating the whipped cream makes it of a beautiful piping consistency.
It’s good to remember that adding more sugar can make the frosting sweeter.
can i store whipped frosting in the fridge
I like to frost my cakes straight after making my frosting, subject to my cakes being completely cooled.
However, if you are unable to make the frosting at the last minute, then, you may make the frosting and refrigerate in an airtight container. Rest the frosting on your kitchen counter for 10-15 minutes before you want to pipe your cakes and whip it for 20 seconds. Pipe your cakes immediately. Of course, this means more washing up!!
ingredients for cream cheese frosting
This festive Cream Cheese frosting is easy to make, with only 5 ingredients and it comes together in less than 15 minutes. Omit the ginger, if you are not a fan or want to make it for other occasions eg., birthdays or family gatherings!
Here’s what goes into making the 6-ingredient Cream Cheese Frosting:
Block or brick of good quality cream cheese (I have used Philadelphia cream cheese), pure icing sugar (powdered sugar), vanilla bean paste/pure vanilla extract, ground ginger, unsalted butter and preserved ginger, an optional festive twist for the garnish (I have used Buderim).
Season to taste with a dash of salt (purely optional). I don’t!
how to make Cream Cheese Frosting!
If you decide to frost your cakes, I recommend you bake the cakes the night before, allowing them to fully cool overnight and then sit in the fridge leaving them firm and much easier to frost.
This Cream Cheese frosting is a slightly tangy and soft frosting that tastes delicious piped on Gingerbread Cupcakes. Keep this recipe handy during the festive season or any time of the year when you want to treat your friends and family for an afternoon tea.
If you are going to make a carrot cake, this cream cheese frosting is particularly delicious to pipe or smother generously on your carrot cake. Recently we visited a friend who treated us for a moist vanilla cake with cream cheese frosting.
Next time you are wondering what to give your family for dessert, why not try this Cream Cheese Frosting on your favourite chocolate cake or cupcakes, as they will love you for it!!
The full instructions and a printable recipe for Cream Cheese Frosting is in the recipe card below. Here are a few steps to help you along the way:
Soften butter and cream cheese and chill the whipping equipment
Bring the cream cheese and butter to room temperature.
Chill the whipping bowl, paddle attachment (flat beater), piping bags and the tip until ready to use. I chill mine for 1-2 hours prior to making the frosting! Good tip if you live in hot and humid climate.
First beat the butter and then add in cream cheese
Place the butter in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (aka flat beater) and beat on medium speed (speed 4 in my KitchenAid machine) for 40 seconds or until light and creamy.
Add the cream cheese and beat for 2 minutes on medium speed until smooth and combined, stopping to scrape down the sides a couple of times in between.
Add the flavourings and pure icing sugar
Add the vanilla bean paste or extract and salt (if adding). I do not add salt.
Add ground ginger. With mixer on low speed, gradually add sugar, 1 cup at a time until smooth. Combining each cup takes approximately 20-30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula a couple of times in between adding sugar.
Check consistency of the frosting
The frosting should be smooth and fluffy with soft peaks, as frosting will firm up during refrigeration. It is summer in Australia during Christmas, and as I needed thicker frosting for piping the cakes, I added 3 tbsp. extra sugar. If your frosting is sturdy at this stage, there is no need to add extra sugar.
Get ready to pipe
Snip about ½ inch of the tip of the piping bag (I use 30cm/12″ non-slip bag), place star tip (I use Wilton 2D closed star tip) into the opening. Fill bag 2/3 of the way up with Cream Cheese Frosting. Twist the top to secure the frosting. Place the bag in a beer mug and chill for 30 minutes. Chilling helps the frosting to set.
For the tinted frosting below, I have used a few drops of green gel colouring and a large round tip.
Pipe the cupcakes
These cupcakes are piped from outside to inside till you get a lovely looking swirl. Sorry I do not have a piping photo. My elf was sleeping in!! You get the idea when you look at the photo on the bottom left!!
Store the leftover frosting in an airtight container up to 4 days in the refrigerator. To reuse, bring to room temperature on the benchtop (20-30 minutes depending on the weather), beat the frosting for a few seconds, so it’s creamy again.
Cream Cheese Frosting ready to be piped
Gingerbread Cupcakes with home-made Cream Cheese Frosting
I hope you love my Cream Cheese Frosting recipe and make it during this Christmas season. If you do, I’d love to know about it in the comments below!
Happy Christmas cupcake baking and hope see you here again soon in 2025!!
Topping ideas for this cream cheese frosting
- You could keep the frosting plain white, and that is what I prefer because I like to add baking pantry friendly sprinkles, as in the image below.
- On the other hand, if you like to colour the frosting with festive colour (green or red), use gel food colouring because liquid food colouring can change the consistency. I like the brand Dollar Sweets Food Colour Gel; you can find in the baking isle of Woolworths or Coles Supermarkets, set of 4 colours (4 x 15g) tubes. If you want more colours than what is in the packet, you will have to order online from Amazon or other suppliers.
- During the festive season, I also like to add a few bits of crystallised ginger (optional) for a pop of extra spice flavour and crunch in the frosting.
- If you are baking gingerbread cookies, then you may like to cut a few mini gingerbread men and decorate the frosted cupcakes with a gingerbread man each. It really looks festive!
- Another exciting topping is the gingerbread dusting sugar, that you can easily buy during the Christmas season. It complements the gingerbread cupcakes and gives a lovely touch. I like the Dollar Sweets brand which you can buy from either Woolworths or Coles supermarkets.
- Cutting different Christmas shapes with fondant and placing as a topper also works wonders.
Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and sprinkles
Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and fondant star
HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?
Let me know how it went! Tag me on Instagram @lavina_mendonsa or leave a comment below!
Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 240 g block original Philadelphia full fat cream cheese softened at room temperature (Note 1)
- 180 g good quality unsalted butter softened (such as Allowrie or Devondale)
- 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste/pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt optional
- 1 tsp. ground ginger 1g
- 500 g pure icing sugar (Note 4), sifted + 50g extra, if needed for a thicker consistency frosting
- 3 pieces preserved ginger chopped 20g for the garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Bring the cream cheese and butter to room temperature (Note 1) – 1 hour before making the frosting, remove the cream cheese and butter from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature.
- Chill and bowl and the whipping attachment (Note 2) - Chill the bowl, paddle attachment/flat beater, piping bags and the tip, particularly as December is summertime in Australia.
- Beat the butter (Note 3) – Place butter in a large bowl of the stand mixer fitted with a flat beater (aka paddle attachment). Beat the butter on medium speed (speed 4 on my KitchenAid stand mixer) for 40 seconds or until light in colour and creamy.
- Add cream cheese – Add the cream cheese and beat on medium speed (speed 4) for 2 minutes until smooth and combined, scraping the sides a couple of times in between.
- Add the Vanilla bean paste/pure vanilla extract and salt – Add the vanilla bean paste/pure vanilla extract to the cream and butter mixture and salt (if using, I don't).
- Add pure icing sugar and ground ginger (Note 4) – Add the icing sugar gradually, 1 cup at a time and beat on low speed (speed 2) until all the icing sugar is combined. Stop the machine at every addition of sugar, if necessary.
- Check consistency of the frosting - You should have soft peaks, as the frosting will firm up during refrigeration. If you are not happy with the consistency, you may add an extra 3 tbsp. (50g) or more sifted icing sugar and beat on low speed (speed 2) until just combined.
- Get ready to pipe – Snip about ½ inch of the tip of the piping bag (bigger tips will require more space to fit the tip) and then insert 2D star tip (aka closed star tip), ensuring it fits snug. Spoon cream cheese frosting into a medium piping bag 2/3 of the way up. Twist the top to secure the icing. Chill the filled piping bag in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set before piping.
- Pipe – Pipe from outside of the cake to inside till you get a lovely looking swirl. This recipe will yield enough frosting to pipe 18-20 cupcakes.
- Store - Store leftover frosting in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the refrigerator. To re-use, whip for a few seconds and pipe immediately.
Notes
- Always use room temperature cream cheese and butter, so they whip smoothly, and lump-free. There should be no chill in cream cheese or butter. A good test is to use a butterknife and cut through the cream cheese and butter. If it shows no resistance, then the cream cheese and butter are ready to whip. Neither melted cream cheese nor butter straight from the fridge, won’t work.
- Chill the bowl and the paddle attachment/flat beater for 1-2 hours, in the summer months, as in Australia it is summertime during Christmas. You could also chill the piping bag and the tip. I insert the 2D closed star tip into the piping bag, place the piping bag into a beer mug and then place in the fridge. Keeping everything cool helps the frosting stay stable during piping.
- After a few failed attempts, I have realised that the butter needs to be beaten longer than cream cheese to make a stable frosting.
- Pure icing sugar is also known as Confectioners’ sugar or powdered sugar. Please do not use caster sugar as you cannot use them interchangeably. Always sift the icing sugar, as it makes the frosting lump free. It's a pain but totally worth it!
- 2D closed Star tip for piping. Use Disposable piping bags if you have them handy. I use my silicone bag that I purchased from my local kitchenware shop.
Hi, I’m Catherine!
I’m all about creating tasty Indian dishes with whatever’s on hand, even when I’m short on time or budget. I love turning simple ingredients into flavorful delights. Join me on this culinary adventure where we’ll explore the magic of Indian cuisine, one delicious dish at a time!
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