Mom's Dinner

  • Home
  • All Recipes
  • Instant Pot
    • All Instant Pot Recipes
    • Instant Pot Soup
    • Instant Pot Beef
    • Instant Pot Chicken
    • Instant Pot Pork
    • Instant Pot Turkey
    • Instant Pot Pasta
    • Instant Pot Vegetarian
  • Dinner
    • Beef
    • Chicken
    • Pork
    • Turkey
    • Fish & Seafood
    • Mexican
    • Pasta
    • Vegetarian
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • All Recipes
  • Dinner
  • About
  • Subscribe
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • All Recipes
  • Dinner
  • About
  • Subscribe
×
You are here: Home / Recipes / Dessert

Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

By Susie Weinrich · Date May 25, 2021· Leave a Comment · May contain affiliate links.

pinterest image with text
↓ Jump to Recipe
Pin the Recipe

If you need a great Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting, then this will be your go-to. It is my Grandma’s recipe and I use it on my Carrot Cake, Pumpkin Bars and Banana Bars. Just 4 simple ingredients – cream cheese, butter, vanilla and powdered sugar, blend together in a couple minutes and it is ready to use!

a pan of bars frosted with cream cheese icing
Table of Contents hide
1 Using This Recipe
2 Perfect Pair!
3 Ingredients
4 Softening Butter and Cream Cheese
5 How to Make Cream Cheese Buttercream
6 Serving
7 Related Recipes
8 Did you make this recipe?
9 Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting + Video

Using This Recipe

This is enough Cream Cheese Buttercream to generously frost a 9×13 pan of bars or cake, or 24 + cupcakes.

However if you are going to make a double or triple layer cake I recommend that you double the frosting recipe.

Easily double the frosting recipe in the recipe card below. Hover over the serving and using +/- slider to double the recipe. It will change the ingredient amounts for you!

Grandma's Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream momsdinner.net

Perfect Pair!

Use this cream cheese buttercream recipe to frost this Carrot Cake recipe from my Grandma’s Recipe Box !! Over 70 Five Star ratings!

Get the recipe →

Ingredients

Just simple ingredients here:

powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter and vanilla

Cream Cheese and Butter – you want both of these to be VERY Soft, to the middle, so they will blend very creamy and not have any lumps.

Powdered Sugar – I recommend sifting your powdered sugar before adding it to the icing. It can tend to have lumps and little clumps, which will result in lumpy frosting.

Softening Butter and Cream Cheese

To get really smooth cream cheese icing it is crucial that the butter and cream cheese are softened all the way to the middle!

Cream cheese will soften pretty quickly at room temperature, maybe about 3 hours.

However butter will take a little longer. I like to leave my butter at room temp overnight to make sure it is soft to the core.

There are a lot of “hacks” out there to soften butter, but I have not found one that actually works! If you know of one that works every time, please put it in the comments below.

How to Make Cream Cheese Buttercream

Start by measuring your powdered sugar and then sifting it through a fine mesh sieve.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment add the softened cream cheese, softened butter, vanilla and half the powdered sugar.

cream cheese icing on a beater of a stand mixer

Turn the mixer on low and increase to medium-low speed as it mixes together.

Slowly add the rest of the powdered sugar.

Once it is all incorporated and smooth it is ready to use!

Serving

Use this amazing frosting on any recipe that calls for a cream cheese frosting:

  • Carrot Cake
  • Pumpkin Bars
  • Banana Bars
  • Red Velvet Cake
  • Pumpkin Cookies
  • Really anything pumpkin!!!!

Related Recipes

  • a jar of butter rum sauce being drizzled with a spoon
    Delectable Butter Rum Sauce
  • brown sugar caramel sauce in a white bowl being drizzled with a spoon
    Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce
  • pumpkin bar on a plate
    Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
  • Grandma's Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream in a 9x13 pan
    Grandma’s Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream

Susie leaning on the kitchen counter

💛💛💛💛💛

Did you make this recipe?

I would love to hear your review, especially if you have tips and tricks to add! Pop down to the comment section and connect with me

Rate This Recipe→
cream cheese buttercream in a bowl with a paddle attachment for a stand mixer

Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting + Video

My Grandma's 4 ingredient recipe for Cream Cheese Buttercream is a perfectly balanced and creamy frosting for bars, cakes & cookies.
Enough frosting for a 9×13 pan of bars, 24 cupcakes, or a single layer cake. Double the recipe for a larger (2 or 3 layer) cake.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes
Servings: 1 recipe
Calories: 3235kcal
Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment (or hand held mixer)

Ingredients

  • 8 oz cream cheese - full fat – softened completely
  • ½ cup salted butter - softened completely
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 ½ cups powdered sugar (confectioners sugar) - sifted

Instructions
 

  • With a fine mesh sieve over a bowl measure out the powdered sugar and then sift, making sure to sift out any clumps.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or you can use a hand held mixer, add the softened cream cheese, softened butter, vanilla and half of the sifted powdered sugar.
  • Start with the mixer on low so you don't get a face full of powdered sugar. Once the ingredients start to mix turn the mixer up a notch or two.
  • Slowly add the rest of the powdered sugar.
  • Once it is all mixed and nice and smooth it is ready to use!

Using

  • This will be enough cream cheese buttercream to ice a 9×13 pan of bars or cake, or 24+ cupcakes very generously.

Storing

  • You can keep leftover cream cheese buttercream frosting in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.
  • To use let it sit at room temp for about 20-30 minutes so it will soften a little before spreading.

Freezing

  • You can freeze your cream cheese icing for up to 3 months.
  • To use thaw in the fridge overnight and then let it sit at room temp for 20-30 minutes before spreading.

Recipe Tips and Notes:

USE ON THESE CAKES & BARS: 
  1. Grandma’s Carrot Cake 
  2. Banana Bars
  3. Pumpkin Bars
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
Jump to Comments
Serving: 1recipe | Calories: 3235kcal | Carbohydrates: 429g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 170g | Saturated Fat: 102g | Trans Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 494mg | Sodium: 1547mg | Potassium: 355mg | Sugar: 419g | Vitamin A: 5882IU | Calcium: 254mg | Iron: 1mg

About Susie Weinrich

Susie Weinrich is the recipe developer, food photographer, and content creator behind Mom's Dinner. She has over 20 years experience in the food industry. Currently, Susie shares all her recipes and food knowledge on Mom's Dinner. You will find her recipes are easy to follow and full of tips and tricks to make sure the recipe you are making turns out perfect!

Comments

No Comments

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

We would love to have you comment & rate the recipe! Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Susie in the kitchen with an apron on getting ready to cook

Meet The Author:

Susie Weinrich is a professional food photographer and recipe developer. Her thoroughly tested recipes and step-by-step guides give readers confidence in the kitchen.

YOU will feel like a huge success at dinner time with any of the simple recipes on Mom's Dinner! Read More

Helpful Meal Planning Resources

  • a table with white place settings and green garland
    Easy Meals for House Guests
  • a round table with a large family eating dinner
    30 Easy Meals for Large Family Vacations & Gatherings
woman owned small business certificate by Sertify

Amazing New Recipes

  • A woman holding a grilled steak house burger on a bun with chips on a plate and a soda to the side
    Steakhouse Ribeye Burgers
  • Wooden spoon coated in homemade coleslaw dressing held over the bowl of the sauce.
    Homemade Coleslaw Dressing
  • a big bowl of spaghetti bolognese topped with parmesan cheese and parsley
    Mom’s Beef Bolognese Sauce
  • bbq marinated and grilled chicken skewers on a cutting board
    BBQ Chicken Skewers

Footer

^ back to top

About

  • Susie Weinrich
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Policy

Contact

  • Sign Up! for emails
  • Contact Me!
  • Join Me On YouTube

Recipes

  • Recipe By Category
  • Instant Pot Recipes
  • Dinner Recipes

Copyright © 2025 Mom's Dinner

Rate & Review This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.