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Cream Cheese Frosting

Creamy, smooth, silky Cream Cheese Frosting with a touch of salt, this icing is delicious on a range of different cakes and cup cakes.

Keyword cakes, cream cheese frosting, cupcakes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Author Susan

Ingredients

  • See 'Recipe Notes' for specific quantities
  • unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • fine salt
  • icing sugar
  • cream cheese or mascarpone cheese
  • vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Put the butter into the bowl of your electric whisk and beat until light and fluffy.

  2. Gradually add the icing sugar whisking well in between each addition. (NB you may wish to first fold the icing sugar in with a spoon before whisking - this will help to stop the icing sugar clouding up and making a mess of your kitchen!) Beat until very light and fluffy. This can take up to 5 minutes.

  3. Beat in the vanilla extract and finally beat in the cream cheese.

  4. Taste and add more vanilla, if necessary

  5. Use the frosting to ice your cake or cupcakes.

    NB Make sure your cakes have completely cooled before icing.

Recipe Notes

Equipment:

  • Kitchen scales and measuring spoons
  • electric whisk and mixing bowl

See below for recommended quantities by cake size - 

We like quite a lot of icing, but not everyone does, so I have allowed some flexibility in how much you should use. If you want to scales it up or down the ratio is:

For every 65g of icing sugar add 25g butter and 25g cream cheese and 1/16 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients for a 3 - 4 layer  7 or 8 inch cake, top, inside and sides

  • 175g unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ¼ plus ⅛ plus 1/16 teaspoon fine salt 
  • 175g cream cheese 
  • 455g icing sugar 
  • 1¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients for a 3 - 4 layer  7 or 8 inch cake, top and inside only

  • 150g unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ¼ plus ⅛ teaspoon fine salt 
  • 150g cream cheese 
  • 390g icing sugar 
  • 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients for a 2 - 3 layer  7 or 8 inch cake, top, inside and sides

  • 125g unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ¼ plus 1/16 teaspoon fine salt 
  • 125g cream cheese 
  • 325g icing sugar 
  • 1 and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients for a 2 - 3 layer  7 or 8 inch cake, top and inside only

  • 100g unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ¼ teaspoon fine salt 
  • 100g cream cheese 
  • 250g icing sugar 
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients for a 2  layer  7 or 8 inch cake, top, inside and sides

  • 75g unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ⅛ plus 1/16 teaspoon fine salt 
  • 75g cream cheese
  • 195g icing sugar 
  • ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients for a 1  layer  7 or 8 inch cake, top or top and sides

  • 50g unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ⅛ teaspoon fine salt 
  • 50g cream cheese
  • 130g icing sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract