Classic Cream Cheese Frosting

This classic cream cheese frosting recipe is smooth, creamy, and easy to make in just a few minutes. It's sweet without being too sweet and has just the right amount of tang from the cream cheese. Perfect for carrot cake, red velvet cake, or spreading on cupcakes.

This recipe was originally shared in 2013. The recipe post, directions and photos have been updated on 2 February 2026.

Classic Family Recipes

Over the years, I've shared quite a few frosting recipes here on the blog. The method for making cream cheese frosting really never changes, but the ingredient ratios can make a big difference in the final flavor and texture. One of my favorites is a crème fraîche cream cheese frosting I adapted from a classic recipe, and it's been a go-to in my kitchen for years.

Before Easter one year, I asked my mother-in-law Bonnie if she had a carrot cake recipe tucked away in her recipe box. And of course she did. She had this old fashioned carrot cake recipe.

Bonnie is the family recipe keeper, and her collection spans several generations with recipes from her mother, aunt, and grandmother. A few years ago, she even let me borrow her treasured recipe box so I could scan all those handwritten cards for my Vintage Recipe Project, where you will find some of them.

One recipe that caught my eye was a carrot cake recipe dated "1973 - Alaska." My husband's family lived in Alaska for a few years while his father was stationed there, so that little note made the recipe extra special. But when I looked closely at the frosting ingredients for the Old Fashioned Carrot Sheet Cake, I knew right away there was a problem: there simply wasn't enough frosting to generously cover a 9×13 cake. And in my book, running out of cream cheese frosting is never an option - especially when you're making a full cake or a batch of Classic Carrot Cake Cupcakes.

So I adjusted the original recipe, keeping the classic flavor but making sure there was plenty of frosting to go around. The result is the best cream cheese frosting I've ever tasted. It's sweet without being overly sweet, and the cream cheese flavor really shines without overpowering the rest of the frosting. It's rich, smooth, and exactly what a classic carrot cake (or cupcakes) deserves.

Ingredients

Classic cream cheese frosting only needs four ingredients!

• sifted powdered sugar: sifting the powdered sugar is an extra step that really makes a difference in how smooth and creamy the frosting turns out. I use a fine metal mesh strainer.
• full fat cream cheese: you will have the best flavor using full fat. I pre
• unsalted butter: in a pinch you can use salted butter.
• pure vanilla extract: I always use my homemade vanilla. Try making some for yourself and you will never buy store bought again

Directions

• Step 1: Beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth.
• Step 2: Add the pure vanilla extract and beat for one minute on high.
• Step 3: Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time. Beating until smooth in between each cup of sugar.
• Step 4: After the 3rd cup of powdered sugar check the consistency. Add remaining ¼ cup of sugar if needed.

• Step 5: Once all of the powdered sugar has been added beat for 2 minutes or until the frosting is thick and creamy.

• Step 6: The frosting will be soft. It is best to chill for at least 30 minutes before using.

How many cupcakes with this recipe frost?

This recipe makes a generous amount of frosting. It will cover 24 cupcakes with a swirl of frosting using a large star tip and a 16 inch piping bag.

Helpful Recipe Tips

• Make sure the cream cheese and butter are completely softened.
• Sifting the powdered sugar is optional but the frosting will be easier to beat and turn out creamier if you do this one easy step.

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Old images!