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cream cheese frosting
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5 from 2 votes

Cream Cheese Frosting + 10 Flavor Variations

Ingredients

  • 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 cups confectioners sugar

Instructions

  • Add room temperature butter, full-fat cream cheese, and pure vanilla extract in a large bowl.
  • If using an stand mixer, use the paddle attachment, otherwise use a hand mixer. Beat these ingredients together on low speed until creamy.
  • Slowly and gradually add in the powdered sugar in batches until it's all used up. Continue mixing on low as you add the sugar. Each time after you add in more sugar, increase the speed to high for a few seconds to incorporate air into the frosting. Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
  • Your frosting is finished once it has the perfect consistency.

10 Cream Cheese Frosting Flavor Variations

  • Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting: Add 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder for a rich chocolate flavor.
  • Lemon Zest Frosting: Mix in the zest of one lemon to your frosting for a citrus twist.
  • Maple Cinnamon Frosting: Combine 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup into your frosting.
  • Strawberry: Puree fresh strawberries and mix them into your frosting for a fruity flavor with a nice, pink color. Use about 1/4 cup of puree for every 2 cups of frosting.
  • Coconut Cream Frosting: Add 1/2 cup of toasted coconut flakes and a teaspoon of coconut extract to your frosting for a tropical flavor.
  • Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting: Sometimes I’ll add a little brown sugar in my frosting, like in my amazing Peach Cake with Cake Mix.
  • Almond Cream Cheese Icing: Incorporate 1 teaspoon of almond extract into your frosting for a nutty, sweet flavor.
  • Coffee Flavors: Dissolve 1 tablespoon of instant coffee in 1 tablespoon of hot water. Mix this into your frosting for a mocha flavor.
  • Vanilla Bean Specks: Add some beautiful specks to your frosting by scraping the seeds from a vanilla bean into it.
  • Bourbon Pecan Frosting: Mix in 2 tablespoons of bourbon and 1/2 cup of finely chopped pecans to your frosting for a boozy, nutty flavor.