This post for Whipped Cream Cream Cheese Frosting was originally published on February 7th, 2015. It has been updated with additional photos, text and a new video! (I’ve left many of the original photos, for nostaligia’s sake and to insure that repeat visitors recognize that, yes, this is still that same favorite, creamy, not too sweet, frosting recipe 😊)
Whipped Cream Cream Cheese Frosting is one of my most popular recipes. But, it was published almost three years ago! Many of you don’t even know that it exists!
So, consider this an introduction to one of the single best frosting recipes you’ll ever make. If you’ve never gotten rave reviews for frosting, it’s because you haven’t yet made this amazing recipe.
I’ve also been dying to make a video of it. One, because a video is worth a thousand words, and two, because I’m so excited to show the versatility of the recipe. It’s a fun video to watch, too! (Scroll down to the bottom to view it.)
Whipped Cream Cream Cheese Frosting has been my favorite frosting ever since I discovered it in 2005. Yep, that’s 12 years of deliciousness! In all that time, I’ve made this frosting a million times more than any other frosting.
Why? Because it combines my two favorite frostings of all time, whipped cream and cream cheese. I love them because they always fall into the creamy, not too sweet category.
I’m not a sweet frosting kind of girl. When it’s too sweet, I scrape it all off or leave just a transparent layer to sweeten whatever lies beneath it.
If the frosting crusts, it’s even worse. That’s one of my friend’s favorite frostings, the kind that makes your teeth hurt. Ugh! Not for me.
But, I do love a good buttercream if it’s not too sweet, not too buttery and whipped to an airy lightness. I rarely run into great buttercreams and I’m still working on my own ratios to get to my ultimate recipe for that.
Over the years, I’ve found a few that I like, namely this Whipped Vanilla Frosting and Whipped Chocolate Frosting and they’ve served me well.
However, this Whipped Cream Cream Cheese frosting is the favorite of that small group and is nothing like those teeth gratingly sweet, sugary buttercreams.
People always want to know what kind of frosting it is, because it doesn’t look like a cream cheese frosting and yet has more body than a whipped cream frosting. It looks a lot like buttercream when you pipe it, but doesn’t taste like buttercream.
Therefore, you end up with many questions like, “What kind of frosting IS this? Or, ” I usually hate frosting but this is sooo good!”
Even my friend who loves crusty sweet frosting likes this frosting. And, one of my son’s teachers hates cream cheese frosting, but loves this. So, I’d say that it has pretty wide appeal.
It’s also very easy to make and generally foolproof. I’ve never ever had an issue when making it because, frankly, there’s not much to mess up. Friends, my husband, who is not a baker, can make this frosting.
That said, from the many comments I’ve received, I do realize that some of you have had issues. I’ve added many notes to the recipe to try to insure your success. But, it really comes down to a few things:
Tips for making Whipped Cream Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Ingredients Matter! Use block cream cheese, not whipped. I use Philadelphia.
- Use the proper cream. I use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream. They are 30-36% fat. It’s the cream you buy to make whipped cream. If you aren’t sure, ask someone in the dairy department.
- Keep everything cold. That goes for the cream cheese and the heavy cream. (A cold bowl and beaters is also good, though I never need to take that step.)
- Don’t over beat. If you over beat the cream cheese, the mixture will become soupy. If you over beat the whipped cream, you’ll end up with butter.
You can make this frosting in one bowl or two. I made it in two bowls for years. I call it,“The Two Bowl Method.” I suggest those of you who are having issues use this method.
For the “Two Bowl Method”:
- In one bowl, whip the cream cheese with sugar, salt and vanilla. In a second bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Fold them together, then whip with your mixer for another minute to fully combine the two mixtures.
But then, I started making it with what I call, “The One Bowl Method.” This is the only way I make it now and the way I show it in the video.
For the “One Bowl Method”:
- In a large bowl, simply whip the cream cheese with sugar, salt and vanilla.
- Then, slowly drizzle cold heavy whipping cream down the side of the bowl until you get stiff peaks. Done and done! It’s one bowl easy.
This is my family’s request for just about every birthday cake. Above are just two of the birthday cakes (this Kimochi cake and this Minecraft cake) that have been graced with this frosting.
I’ve used this to frost anything from cupcakes to large, multi-tiered cakes. The year that I posted this recipe, I featured it on the delicious Strawberry Cake above.
You can use it for filling whoopie pies. It pipes beautifully so it can make anything you put it on just a little bit more special.
It’s amazing on top of pumpkin pancakes or any pancakes! It’s delicious as a sweet spread for muffins. With a few adjustments, you can make it into a fruit dip or top a bowl of cut up fruit for a delicious dessert.
One morning, I had leftovers of the frosting and no pancakes. So, I tried topping our oatmeal with it along with some fresh berries.
It was un-be-lievable! That’s right. Say, “Hello,” to strawberry or blueberry cheesecake oatmeal!
The frosting on a spoon shot? Well, it’s one of the original photos. But, I was running out of ideas that day for how to shoot this amazing frosting so I just piped it on a spoon.
And really, that spoon shot really says it all.
Trust me when I tell you that it’s just gonna happen. Whether you dip a spoon right into that billowy bowl of goodness or you file it under, “licking the bowl,” it’s gonna happen.
At my house? It not only “happens”…
They line up for it!
You’ll see…this Whipped Cream Cream Cheese Frosting is quickly going to become one of your favorites!
For all of you looking for another version of this amazing frosting…
And here’s the perfect option to top your fall flavored cakes like this Pumpkin Ale Cake, Brown Sugar Cinnamon Whipped Cream Cream Cheese Frosting!
Whipped Cream Cream Cheese Frosting
Whipped Cream Cream Cheese Frosting. A combo of two favorites, you'll use this creamy, not too sweet frosting and filling for much more than topping cakes.
Ingredients
- 1 (8 ounce) package, block cream cheese, cold, you can use Neufchatel if you're not planning to pipe it
- 1 cup granulated white sugar, or 3/4 cup, if you prefer less sweet
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream or heavy cream, cold
Instructions
For the traditional "Two Bowl Method":
- In a large bowl, whip cream with a mixer until it forms stiff peaks.
- In another bowl, beat cream cheese for about 15 seconds or until creamy.
- Add sugar, salt and vanilla to the cream cheese and whip until fully combined and creamy. It should only take a minute or two to whip up the cream cheese and sugar mixture. Don't worry about checking for sugar grittiness. Just make sure it's fully combined and still fluffy.
- Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture then use mixer until it's fully combined and fluffy.
For the easy "One Bowl Method":
- In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese for about 15 seconds or until creamy. Add sugar, salt and vanilla and whip until fully combined.
- Drizzle cold cream down the side of the bowl (to prevent splashing) and beat until stiff peaks form. You'll see your beaters leaving clear trails in the mixture at this stage.
- Use immediately for frosting, piping or filling. Store leftovers and whatever you've frosted or filled in the refrigerator.
Notes
*I've always used the full cup of sugar, but yesterday I tried reducing it to 3/4 cup and I liked it better with less. Either way, it's delicious. Update 11-12-21: I've been using only 1/2 cup sugar for the past couple of years and my family loves it just the same. For those of us who love a not too sweet frosting, this is another win!
*I have a stand mixer and a hand mixer, so to save time, I usually let my stand mixer whip the cream while I mix the cream cheese mixture with my hand mixer. (Now I use the "one bowl" method, so only one mixer is needed!:)
*Update 9-17-19: If you use a stand mixer for the one bowl method, use the paddle attachment for the cream cheese portion, then switch to the whisk attachment before adding the cream.
*You want to work quickly and keep everything cold for best results when piping or frosting. If I have leftovers, I usually leave them in the piping bag and place the piping bag in a Ziploc and store in the refrigerator up to 3 days. It still pipes beautifully one day after storing, however, I've only used that option for leftovers.
*If I have leftover cake that has this frosting on it, I slice individual pieces, wrap in wax paper and place the wrapped pieces in a freezer Ziploc bag. I either thaw in the refrigerator overnight, or allow to thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or very carefully use the microwave on a 50% power setting. You want to thaw the cake without melting the frosting.
*Update 8/31/15...Many readers have asked about leaving this frosting out at room temperature. Here's the response I've given...It depends on how hot it is. When I use this recipe, I always keep my frosted cake/cupcakes etc... refrigerated until I have to take them anywhere, but they’ve been out up to two hours (in air conditioning or cool weather) and held up well, though I think they’re probably best up to one hour. I don’t like to leave anything perishable out more than two hours anyway. I wouldn’t leave them out for long at a hot picnic or in very warm weather. I actually like to take my cakes out about 1/2 hour or up to an hour before serving so that they can lose the chill of the refrigerator and the cake isn't too dense from being cold. So, I try to serve the frosted baked good almost at room temperature. But this is not a recipe I would leave out for hours and hours at a party. My Whipped Vanilla Frosting recipe is perfect if you need something that can live for a longer time at room temperature.
Update 12-26-15: I've recently started making this in one bowl and it has worked perfectly for me. Just beat the cream cheese mixture together first as stated in the recipe, then gradually add the heavy cream (unbeaten) and continue beating until you get stiff peaks. (I usually have to stir the cream in a little bit so that it doesn't splash when I turn the beaters back on.)
*Update 8-4-16: Yes, you can tint/color this frosting! I use gel food colors. You can see this used as a colored frosting in my Minecraft Cake and Kimochi Cake posts.
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_The Merchant Baker Copyright © 2015_
K
Tuesday 10th of September 2024
Love the idea of this frosting! My daughter wants a lemon drizzle celebration cake for her birthday on Friday and I’m thinking this would make an ideal filling and piped frosting as the glaze underneath will be quite sweet and tart. I’m nervous this will fail for me on the day (I’ve never made frosting!). Can I make it in advance to take the pressure off?
Ramona
Tuesday 10th of September 2024
Hi K! You can make the frosting in advance as long as you frost the cake immediately after. In other words, you can make the frosted cake in advance. I generally frost my cakes the day before a celebration type event so that I'm not worried about it while I'm busy with everything else.
Joanne
Monday 19th of August 2024
Made this frosting multiple times and love love love it. Do you think it will hold up well to coloring it? Someone is requesting a cake for a soon to be boy mom and wanted a baby blue frosting.
Joanne
Wednesday 21st of August 2024
@Ramona, at what point do you add the food coloring? I have the one that you use a toothpick to dip it into the frosting. I tested it on a very small amount to see the color. I don’t want to deflate the cream.
Ramona
Wednesday 21st of August 2024
Hi Joanne, yes, you can definitely color this frosting. (See recipe notes.) I use gel coloring and I've done some deeper colors. Baby blue shouldn't be an issue at all!
Emily
Saturday 3rd of August 2024
Do you think caramel could be added to this recipe? This is my go to frosting recipe (thank you so much for sharing!) I was wondering what changes would need to be made if I added caramel sauce and tried to make a caramel cream cheese frosting (going to top with toffee pieces).
Ramona
Sunday 4th of August 2024
Hi Emily, revisions like this always require some testing, but here are things I would be thinking about.... the kind of caramel sauce you use will matter. Some stay liquidy even when chilled. This type will affect the structure of your frosting. This might be ok depending on whether or not you're looking to pipe it. So in that case, it will be softer. You'll have to reduce the sugar, because you're adding more sweetness with the caramel. Another option, of you're not piping and using a fluid sauce is to frost your cake with swirls instead of piping and the sauce while you're swirling with your knife to get a pretty marbled affect. I've done that before. If you're looking to maintain structure, I think you'll have to use a caramel that get firm when chilled. In other words, soft enough to incorporate with the cream cheese, but not so soft that it will compromise the structure. Again, having not tested it, these are just some initial thoughts. I hope they help!
Nova
Friday 19th of July 2024
I’ve always made this frosting I actually thought of it one day while doing the whipped cream for a filling and the cream cheese for a topping and just threw the two together to save time. But I’ve always done it in two bowls however coming across your recipe I decided to try the one bowl method which sadly ended up an epic fail. Anything with a cream cheese frosting the longer it’s whipped the more likely it will become soupy so whipping the cream and the cream cheese together didn’t work for me I’ve gone back to the two bowls but even with this method my frosting has never been stiff enough to pipe I will try your tip of having everything cold because I always have the cream and cream cheese at room temperature so wish me luck and thank you for sharing :)
Ramona
Saturday 20th of July 2024
Hi Nova, I'm disappointed to hear that the one bowl method did not work for you. It makes the process so much faster and easier. And yes, cold cream cheese. Whipped cream likes cold, so just whip it up straight from the fridge. Also, I pipe right after the frosting is ready. I don't let it sit in the refrigerator first. Finally, this is a difficult frosting to make on a hot day in a hot or warm kitchen. So, I would chill everything if it's hot and once I filled the piping bag, I would put the remainder of the frosting in the fridge until I was ready to refill the piping bag. You need to work quickly when it's warm. There's tons more tips in the post and in the comments to help guide you. Good luck!
Ruth
Monday 8th of July 2024
Would this work on cheesecake? I'm thinking about making my own wedding cheesecake and don't care for buttercream, so would love something lighter.
Ramona
Monday 8th of July 2024
Hi Ruth, it depends on what you're looking for. This frosting is sort of friend to cheesecake, so it's certainly not going to clash with it. If you don't care for buttercream and you love cheesecake, then you're likely going to love this frosting. Before using it on your wedding cake, I would make a quick half batch and see if it's what you're looking for. I have used it to frost cheesecake cakes, where the cheesecake is the middle layer of a three layer cake and is sandwiched between two cake layers (It's great with red velvet.) I hope that helps!