Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

Whip up this delicious Whipped cream cheese frosting recipe in just 5 minutes to fill and decorate all your cakes! This light and tasty frosting, similar to whipped cream but made with Philadelphia cream cheese, is super easy to make and perfect on cupcakes or carrot cake.

Jump to:

• Why you'll love this recipe
• Ingredients you need
• How to Make Cream Cheese Whipped Cream
• How to use this frosting
• Tips for this recipe
• Storage
• Variations & Substitutions
• Recipe Questions
• More Frosting Recipes
• Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

This whipped cream cheese frosting offers a lighter and fluffier alternative to the traditional cream cheese frosting made with unsalted butter like my buttercream cream cheese frosting recipe and commonly found in the traditional carrot cake or red velvet cake recipe.

This whipped cream frosting made with cream cheese is as light as mascarpone frosting but firmer than regular whipped cream frosting and offers a tangier flavor and an added touch of freshness that pairs wonderfully with spiced cakes, like this gingerbread house cake or those mini red Velvet cupcakes.

With just 3 basic ingredients— full fat cream cheese, heavy cream, and powdered sugar—this is my favorite frosting ready in 5 minutes and perfect with a piping bag onto cupcakes or for filling and decorating a cake.

Ingredients you need

You need these ingredients to make this whipped cream frosting recipe with cream cheese:

• Cream Cheese: Use full-fat and cold cream cheese (not room temperature).
• Heavy Cream: Cold heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, 30-35% fat content, and well-chilled.
• Powdered Sugar: Only use extra fine powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar or icing sugar) for a smooth frosting (no granulated sugar).
• Vanilla and Salt: Optionally, for flavoring, use liquid vanilla extract, vanilla paste or seeds from a vanilla pod, and a small pinch of salt.

How to Make Cream Cheese Whipped Cream

Here are some quick visual instructions. Don't forget that full instructions with exact ingredients can be found in the main recipe card below!

Step 1: Place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl: cold cream cheese, cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt (optional).

Step 2: Whip with an electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until thick and smooth.

Enjoy: Use your stabilized whipped cream cheese mixture immediately on all your cakes and cupcakes, or store it in the fridge.

How to use this frosting

• Red velvet cupcakes: Topping red velvet cupcakes like my mini red velvet cupcakes.
• Fill and decorate a birthday cake: Fill and lightly cover a birthday cake like this delicious strawberry whipped cream cake.
• Carrot cake: To fill a carrot cake like this delicious carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.
• Carrot cake cupcakes: This frosting is perfect for topping my carrot cake cupcakes.
• Brownies: Spread a thin layer of frosting over chocolate brownies for an indulgent, creamy variation.
• Cookies: Make chocolate or vanilla sandwich cookies with this frosting.
• Fruit tarts: Use the frosting as a lightly sweetened base under fresh fruit like fresh berries to add a creamy texture.

Storage

In the fridge: Store leftover frosting in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.

Freezing: It's not recommended to freeze this frosting, as its texture may change after thawing. It's possible to freeze it when it's already spread inside a layer cake.

Recipe Questions

Can this cream cheese frosting be colored?

Yes, it's possible to color it naturally with fruit purees or food coloring, preferably gel food coloring so as not to affect its texture or very small quantities of liquid food coloring.

How do I make whipped cream cheese frosting dairy-free?

Use dairy-free cream cheese and a plant-based whipping cream alternative. Ensure they're suitable for whipping to achieve a similar texture.

Can this frosting be used for piping?

Yes, it's possible to use it with a piping bag, but its texture won't be as firm as buttercream. You can use a 1:1 ratio of cream cheese and heavy cream to thicken it, and be sure to let your cakes chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour to firm up.

How can I thicken whipped cream cheese frosting if it's too runny?

If your frosting is runny after following my recipe amounts, it means you haven't whipped it enough. The ingredients also need to be very cold to ensure a thick frosting.

More Frosting Recipes

I hope you love this whipped cream and cream cheese frosting. If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Happy Baking!

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