Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting (Made with Jam!)
This raspberry cream cheese frosting is sweet, tangy, and perfectly pink with a bold raspberry flavor thanks to raspberry jam (not fresh berries). It’s smooth, creamy, and takes only a few minutes to make. It’s the perfect topping for cupcakes, cakes, brownies, or even sandwich cookies. No fancy techniques needed, just butter, cream cheese, sugar, raspberry jam, and a good chocolate cake to top it over!
I have such a soft spot for raspberry desserts. The tang, the color, the way it instantly makes everything feel a little more fancy? I’m obsessed. Also it’s one of my husbands favorite flavors when combined with chocolate desserts.
But here’s the deal: fresh raspberries are not it when it comes to frosting. They’re too watery, too seedy, and honestly? Kind of a letdown in the flavor department.
That’s why this raspberry cream cheese frosting skips the fresh berries and uses raspberry jam instead. It gives you that concentrated sweet-tart raspberry flavor without ruining the texture.
I first made this when I had a random half jar of raspberry jam in the fridge and needed a quick frosting for some small batch chocolate cupcakes. I decided to throw it into the base of powdered sugar, cream cheese, and butter and see what happened.
Turns out- the combo of raspberry + cream cheese? Absolute magic. It’s smooth, tangy, bright pink, and insanely delicious over these chocolate raspberry filled cupcakes.
As a professional baker, I test out a lot of fun recipes ideas, sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. I am happy to report this ones a total winner!
You need any kind of raspberry jelly or jam here- its up to your preference whether or not you want to use one that has seeds or not. Just know that it doesnt make a difference in flavor, just texture.
If you want an even more concentrated flavor you can also add in a drop or two of raspberry extract but you really don’t need it if you use a quality jam.
Recipe step by step instructions
Add the sugar: After scraping down the mixer with a rubber spatula, add the confectioner’s sugar, then work your way up to medium speed until the sugar is fully incorporated with the butter and cream cheese mixture.
Easy recipe tips
- The butter needs to be softened. If you forgot to leave out your butter, learn how to soften butter quickly.
- Use a full-fat cream cheese for this recipe as it will give the frosting a richer flavor and creamier texture.
- If you want to pipe the frosting, let it chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes so it’s firm enough to hold its shape- you can also skip adding in the milk at the end.
- You can find raspberry extract in most baking aisles near vanilla extract or find it easily online.
If you want a deeper pink color you can totally add food coloring. Start with 1-2 drops and go from there.
Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting (Made with Jam!)
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese, (1 block) at room temperature 227g
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 113g
- 4 cups confectioners sugar, 454g
- 1/2 cup jelly, 98g
- ½ tsp raspberry extract, optional
- ½ tbsp milk, or cream
Instructions
- In the bowl of a hand or stand mixer, add the 1 block cream cheese and the 1/2 cup unsalted butter and mix on low- medium speed for 2-3 minutes until fully creamed.
- Stop and scrape down the mixer. Add in the 4 cups of confectioners sugar. Mix on low speed working your way up to medium speed as the sugar mixes in. Mix for 2-3 mins more until fully mixed.
- Turn the mixer to low and add in the 1/2 cup raspberry jam, ½ tsp raspberry extract (if using) and 1/2 tbsp milk. Mix again on medium speed for 2-3 more minutes until super light and fluffy.
- If you want to pipe the frosting, chill it for 20 minutes first, otherwise slather it all over your cake!
I would love it if you can I am going to make it now