Cream Cheese Frosting

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I shouldn’t have favorites, but, really, I’d eat this Cream Cheese Frosting on just about anything, including toast. It’s just the right amount of sweet, without being cloying, so it goes perfectly with super-rich Chocolate Devil’s Food Cake, Ultimate Carrot Cake or Hummingbird Cake. You can even pair it with Olive Oil–Chiffon Cake or Chocolate-Pumpkin Swirl Bundt Cake.

I think you get the picture of its versatility. There are no rules, so whatever you want to slather it on will be made all the better for it.

So, what brand of cream cheese should you use to make this cream cheese frosting? It does make a difference. Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese is my first choice for baking because it has a wonderful texture and lightly tangy flavor. If you can’t find that brand, just avoid the low-fat or no-fat varieties and make sure the cream cheese isn’t full of unnecessary gums, which don’t have as nice of a texture or flavor.

Because this frosting is so soft, it is hard to pipe decoratively, unless you chill it first.

Cream Cheese Frosting

This recipe makes enough cream cheese frosting to cover one 8-inch / 20cm triple-layer cake or two 9 by 13-inch / 23 by 33cm sheet cakes.

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Author: Zoë François

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (330g) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 1/2 lb (680g) cream cheese at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp lemon extract optional
• 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 5 cups (600g) confectioners’ sugar
• 2 Tbsp Lyle’s Golden Syrup see note; optional

Instructions

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on low speed until it’s smooth and there are no lumps. Scrape down the bowl and paddle often.
• Add the cream cheese and continue mixing until smooth, scraping often. You want to make sure none of the cream cheese or butter is sticking to the paddle, or it may end up creating lumps. Mix in the vanilla, lemon extract (if using), and lemon juice.
• Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar and then the golden syrup (if using) and continue mixing until smooth.
• If the frosting is thin and soft, you may want to chill it to give it more body and allow you to fill and decorate with more ease. Just cover the bowl and refrigerate until the frosting is firm, up to 24 hours, then return to the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed until smooth.
• Use immediately.

Notes

Zoë’s Baking Notes: 

You may notice that I switched the order of mixing the butter and cream cheese in this version of the recipe from the book. I find that it produces fewer lumps this way for anyone who was having that issue. If you were successful with the recipe from the book, don’t go changing anything!

Golden syrup is like a light caramel but not as overpowering a flavor; it just adds a nuance that is exquisite. Golden syrup is a staple in most British kitchens, but if you happen to find it in your own grocery in the United States, give it a try.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!