Easy Cream Cheese Icing
“Easy and quick cream cheese icing that is creamy, soft, smooth and tangy; all flavors in one with just 5 ingredients!”
This homemade cream cheese icing is smooth, creamy and spreads easily onto baked goods. Its flavor is a balance of sweetness and tanginess. What’s more is that uses only 5 ingredients in total; block cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla essence/ extract and salt. This recipe will definitely complement your baked breads, cakes, cupcakes, cinnamon rolls and many more!
how to make a perfect cream cheese icing
The secret to a perfect icing is to make sure that you use a block of full fat cream cheese, not low fat and not even the spread. Sometimes bakers accidentally use spread instead of a block resulting in a runny icing. There’s a huge difference! To make the best, heaviest, and most successful icing, use the blocks of real cream cheese. I use the Philadelphia brand.
Additional tips
The butter and cream cheese can be left out on the counter to soften before whipping this icing together to achieve a smooth and creamy texture.
Salted or unsalted butter will work out just fine, depends on your choice. Bring also to room temperature to soften.
You can easily be double or triple this recipe to accommodate a large crowd.
In this recipe I use powdered sugar also known as confectioner’s sugar because granulated sugar will give the icing a more gritty texture. If you don’t have powdered sugar you can make it pulsing granulated sugar in a food processor until grounded.
storage suggestion
Extra or leftover can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Sometimes refrigerated/frozen icing can become a bit runny but here’s the tip. Before using, thaw in the refrigerator allowing it to soften then beat for a few seconds. Mixing it again will bring it back to its original creaminess.
Hope that you will try this recipe and watch how it makes your baked goodies become more irresistible. Happy tummy!
Watch on YouTube: Easy Cream Cheese Icing
Easy Cream Cheese Icing Recipe
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Electric hand mixer
- Rubber spatula
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 6 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 and ½ cups confectioner's or powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence/ extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer, combine cream cheese and butter and beat together on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy.
- Slowly add the powdered sugar, be careful as the powder might splatter when combined. Beat until smooth. Scrape sides and mix well to incorporate.
- While beating continuously, add the vanilla essence and the salt. Whip until all ingredients are all combined and have a smooth consistency.
- Spread on cakes, cupcakes, breads, cinnamon rolls and other more baked goodies.
- Cover and store leftover icing for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. Sometimes refrigerated/frozen icing can become a bit. Before using it, thaw in the refrigerator allowing it to soften then beat for a few seconds. Mixing it again will bring it back to its original creaminess.
