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Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting (Lighter, Better)
By Alexandra Stafford
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Last Updated: 04/06/2026
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Made with cold cream cheese and whipping cream, this cream cheese frosting is especially light and perfectly sweet. It comes together in no time and complements many a cake or cupcake!
My friend Sally, an avid baker, passed along this Stella Park’s recipe for whipped cream cheese frosting several years ago. She told me it had become her go-to for all sorts of cakes and urged me to give it a try.
A few things struck me about the recipe, namely the use of granulated sugar as opposed to confectioners’ sugar, the use of cold cream cheese as opposed to room temperature, and the absence of butter.
For years I had made Ina’s cream cheese frosting recipe, which calls for confectioners’ sugar and equal parts softened butter and cream cheese. As you can imagine, no one complained.
But I loved the idea of a lighter, more whipped-textured frosting, and I loved the idea of not having to soften anything.
Though I knew Sally would never steer me wrong, I questioned every step of the process: Will the granulated sugar dissolve? Will the cold cream cheese lighten? Will the heavy cream work in place of butter?
It turns out: yes, yes, yes.
Friends, I have never posted about a frosting recipe on its own, but I think this one really deserves its own space. It’s especially light and perfectly sweet, and it comes together in no time. Every time I make it, either for this flag cake or this birthday cake, or this carrot cake, someone asks for the recipe, always calling out its texture.
I have no doubt you will approve.
PS: Chocolate Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting, Step by Step
Gather your ingredients: cold cream cheese, cold heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt.
Start by beating the cold cream cheese and sugar together until…
… soft and creamy.
Add a pinch of salt, the vanilla, and the heavy cream.
Beat until light and whipped in texture:
Taste, and adjust with more cream, if necessary, to lighten the texture further. I always add a splash more cream and often another pinch of salt, too.
Use as desired! I love it on this American Flag Sheet Cake:
And on this One-Bowl Birthday Cake:
And this heavenly carrot cake:
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting (Lighter, Better)
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
Description
Made with cold cream cheese and whipping cream, this cream cheese frosting is especially light and perfectly sweet. It comes together in no time and complements many a cake or cupcake!
Notes:
Adapted from this Stella Park’s recipe. I use a slightly different method: I beat the cream cheese and sugar first; then add the heavy cream. And I use slightly more cream, too.
If you want to make a chocolate variation, see this recipe: Chocolate Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, cold
- 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
- 3/4 cup (187 g) heavy cream
- pinch sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Beat the cold cream cheese and sugar together until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the heavy cream, a pinch of salt, and the vanilla. Beat again until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes more.
- Taste. Adjust with more heavy cream, if desired, and beat again to lighten. I often add a pinch more salt, too.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stand Mixer
- Cuisine: American
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
142 Comments on “Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting (Lighter, Better)”
I’m excited to try this recipe for the carrot cake I’m making tomorrow. I saw the term “Ank” referenced in the comments. What i is it?? AI couldn’t tell me. Thanks!!
Hi! It refers to the mixer: Ankarsrum — that’s what I used to make the frosting 🙂
Thank you for the info! I made the frosting on Friday for a carrot cake that I baked for my dad‘s 92nd birthday celebration. I’m not a fan of frosting, with exception of some whipped cream frosting. Oh my goodness, as someone else said this is a game changer!! it is delicious, light, fluffy, not too sweet and was a complement to the cake. The first carrot cake that I’ve enjoyed with frosting that I enjoyed, thoroughly!! I was licking the spatula after I frosted the cake, that’s how good it is!! thank you so much!!
Great to hear, Rebecca! Thanks so much for writing and sharing all of this. I love this one with carrot cake… heaven 🙂
This was unexpectedly so good. I put it on pumpkin cupcakes but I think it would be better as classy whipped cream served with cake or cheesecake
Great to hear, Della! I love this one, too 🙂
I made a sourdough vanilla cake using Farmhouse on Boone’s recipe. This frosting went so well with it, Thank you.
Oh fun! I’ll have to look up that recipe. Sounds lovely. So glad this frosting went well with it 🙂
Being dairy allergic I’m always having to substitute ingredients. Could this work with cashew cream cheese and coconut cream?
Rita, I wish I knew! I’m afraid my experiments have not extended to dairy-free ingredients. I have no idea how those ingredients whip up and what the final texture/flavor will be. I’m sorry!
A great recipe – thank you. I notice that someone else has asked about whether this would work with dairy-free alternatives. I’m happy to report that it does: I made it with dairy-free cream cheese and cream and it was absolutely delicious. It doesn’t whip to quite as stiff a consistency as the original, but is still fine for frosting a cake. I’m in the UK and the brands I used were the plant-based versions of Philhadelphia cream cheese and Elmlea cream. It’s Mother’s Day in the UK tomorrow and my dairy-intolerant mum will be very happy indeed!
Awww, I’m so happy to read all of this, Fiona! Thanks so much for taking the time to write and share your notes. So helpful for others looking to make this dairy free. Happy Mother’s Day to your Mum!
Hello, I am new to your site. I made this frosting for a GF carrot cake and it is AMAZING!! Sweet enough and not heavy like the traditional cream cheese frosting I’ve made in the past. I used the Kroger store brand cream cheese and didn’t have any issues with specks in final product. Thanks for the experimenting to arrive at this final simple but delicious recipe. My new GO TO. (I did also read the info on the Stella Parks site just to see and understand the differences, cause I like the backstory!)
Great to hear, Sharmain! Thanks so much for writing and sharing this. And I love that you read the Stella Parks backstory… I do the same. It helps me understand the method and I love having an overall context of whatever I am setting out to make.
THE VERY BEST Cream Cheese Icing!! I have always thought Cream Cheese Icing could be so much better if it wasn’t so sweet with the 3 cups of powdered sugar, stick of butter along with the cream cheese, that you could barely taste! I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical that this icing would be any better than the sweet stuff I’ve made every year to ice my carrot cake, but I figured I had plenty of cream cheese and heavy cream in the fridge, so I gave it a go!
This is the icing recipe you have been dreaming of! Deliciously, light and fluffy and so easy to work with as well! My cake is iced in the fridge and I am anxious to hear what my Easter Dinner guests think of the Whipped Cream Cheese Icing on my Carrot cake! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, Ali!
So nice to read this, Jane! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes/experience. I too never thought I would stray from a classic butter-cream cheese-confectioners sugar frosting, but I’ll never go back. I hope your Easter guests approve. I have no doubt they will 🙂 Happy Easter!
This recipe was a winner for my Easter Dessert….so much so that every guest had second helpings and asked if they could take a slice home!! Make this as soon as you can!
Great to hear, Jane! Thanks so much for circling back. So glad it was a success 🙂
Game changer! I wanted a cream cheese frosting that was lighter in texture and that allowed the cream cheese flavor to shine. This is it. I added the finely grated zest of an orange because that played well with my spiced carrot cake blondies but otherwise made it exactly as written. This is the only cream cheese frosting recipe I will use from now on.
Great to hear, T! Thanks so much for writing. I LOVE the idea of adding citrus zest here. Orange sounds lovely.
How long can I keep it in the fridge before I use it 🤔
Honestly, I’ve used it as long as 2 weeks later… it probably can last longer.