Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to make can cream cheese frosting taste homemade? ›

Whip the frosting with half a block of cream cheese and an extra cup of powdered sugar and a few drops of the appropriate flavoring extract. If you're using chocolate, add cocoa powder. If you want a richer buttery flavor add a few tablespoons of butter as well.

But, there are ways to make it more interesting; one such way is to hit it with a shot of vinegar. Don't worry, the icing won't taste sour or like vinegar at all, but the acid will help balance out the sweetness, making it taste more pleasant. Even better, it will make the icing stronger and more durable.

If you do over mix, the water in the cream cheese starts to separate out, and it makes the frosting really loose. Stop mixing when it looks like this, and then it's ready to use on your cakes and cupcakes.

Always begin by scraping the frosting into a mixing bowl and stirring vigorously or mixing with a mixer until smooth and creamy. This simple step of incorporating air into a can of dense store-bought frosting will make it fluffy and enhance the flavor. It may be all you need to do.

Sugar is the most important ingredient in all types of frostings, providing sweetness, flavor, bulk and structure.

Italian Meringue Buttercream

This is considered one of the very difficult methods for making buttercream because the sugar syrup must be cooked to a specific temperature and then, while piping hot, poured into the whipped egg whites.

Cornstarch is a good way to thicken the frosting without increasing its sweetness. Mix 1 tablespoon (25 grams) of cornstarch into the frosting. If it is still too runny, add a little more. Continue to add cornstarch until you are happy with the texture.

While you can over-whip the frosting after you add the heavy cream, you cannot over-mix the 1st 3 ingredients in the recipe. Beat the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract together for as long as you need to rid all of the cream cheese lumps. Stop and scrape down the mixing bowl as needed.

Why is my cream cheese frosting not stiff enough? ›

Cream cheese frosting will hold its decorative piped shape if you refrigerate it prior to piping. Fit your piping bag with a piping tip, fill your bag with the frosting, then refrigerate it for 20-30 minutes before piping. However, don't expect it to be as sturdy as buttercream.

Buttercream is smooth, sweet, and versatile, while cream cheese frosting offers a tangy twist and pairs well with specific cakes. The choice between them ultimately depends on your preference and the recipe you're working with.

Cream cheese is about 55% water - so when you add lots of cream cheese, you're adding a ton of water. Lots of water (combined with sugar) equals runny and loose frosting.

Elevate the flavor of canned frosting by adding a personal touch. Incorporate a splash of vanilla extract, a pinch of salt, or a dollop of creamy peanut butter to enhance the taste and give it a homemade, gourmet twist.

Identifying the Causes: What Makes Cream Cheese Frosting Sour: Factors like inferior quality cream cheese, using ingredients past their prime, and an imbalance in acidity can lead to a sour frosting. Opting for premium cream cheese and fine-tuning the acidic components can be effective in avoiding that sour flavor.

You will probably need to soften the cream cheese (microwave for a bit, but don't melt it), whip it, and then add in the store-bought frosting and whip until fully incorporated. Depending on how much cream cheese flavor you like, I'd recommend something like 4 oz. per can of frosting.

Making a glaze from canned frosting

The basic process is simple: scoop any flavor of canned frosting into a microwave-safe bowl and heat it on high for 30 to 45 seconds, stirring in between each interval until you achieve your desired consistency.