0 mins

Total Time:

10 mins

Servings:

10

Yield:

Makes enough for one 9-inch, three-layer cake

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This easy cream cheese frosting for carrot cake is simple to pull together and has just the right balance of sweet and tangy. And, you only need four basic ingredients to make it: cream cheese, unsalted butter, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract. We recommend using an electric mixer to achieve a smooth, fluffy, and ultra-spreadable consistency (A stand-mixer and held-held one will work equally well here). While cream cheese frosting is a natural partner for a mildly spiced carrot cake, you can also use this dreamy topping to frost cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, or doughnuts. It pairs particularly well with chocolate, strawberry, and cinnamon-flavored treats.

Frosting vs. Icing: What's the Difference?

Cream cheese: Tangy cream cheese provides a counterbalance for the rich butter and sweet confectioners' sugar. You'll need 12 tablespoons of it for this recipe, which is the equivalent of one and one-half bars. Be sure to let it come to room temperature on the counter before adding to your bowl; it'll make mixing much easier.

Vanilla: A couple teaspoons of vanilla extract lends delicious flavor to this frosting. You can use an equal amount of vanilla bean paste in place of extract, or scrape the seeds from a four-inch piece of vanilla bean pod instead if you'd prefer.

Butter: Similar to making buttercream, you'll gradually add small pieces of butter to the frosting while mixing to achieve a rich and fluffy end product. As with the cream cheese, be sure to let the butter come to room temperature before working it into the frosting.

Confectioners' sugar: Made from a mixture of finely-ground sugar and a touch of cornstarch, confectioners' sugar—also called powdered sugar or 10x sugar—is the key to smooth, spreadable frostings and drizzle-able icings. For the best texture, sift it using a fine-mesh strainer or sifter before adding it to the frosting. There are about 4 cups of unsifted confectioners' sugar in one pound, and you'll need 6 cups of it for this recipe.

If you don't have an electric mixer, you can make cream cheese frosting using your food processor: Combine all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until frosting is smooth and fluffy. You can also mix cream cheese frosting by hand using a large bowl and whisk, but it will require quite a bit of elbow grease.

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Ingredients

12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and brought to room temperature

1 1/2 pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted

Directions

Beat cream cheese and vanilla with mixer on medium speed until creamy.

Gradually add butter, beating until incorporated after each addition.

Reduce speed to low. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, and beat until fluffy and smooth.

Because it contains dairy, you'll definitely want to store cream cheese frosting in the refrigerator. Pack it into an airtight container, it will stay good for up to one week. You can also freeze cream cheese frosting for up to one month, but keep in mind the texture may be a bit grainy after it defrosts.

If you find yourself with leftover cream cheese frosting—or simply want to put it to use on something other than carrot cake, we've got a few delicious ideas:

Originally appeared: Martha Stewart Living, August 2007

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Updated by

Esther Reynolds

Esther Reynolds

Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.