This Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting is light and airy and not dense at all. It can be easily whipped up in 5 minutes with just 4 simple ingredients. This icing holds its shape at room temperature and pipes well too! It has sweet and savory notes and pairs perfectly as a topping for fruit based cakes like banana cake.

A cupcake with white frosting piped on top.
See how this frosting pipes so nicely! It’ll hold the shape too even at room temperature.

As a trained pastry chef, I’ve made many homemade frosting recipes in my day. I love the versatility of flavors and textures! The texture of this whipped cream cheese frosting is so dreamy and silky you won’t be able to resist it. It’s not dense like classic cream cheese frosting but rather light and airy!

Making this frosting is a breeze, and you only need cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and heavy whipping cream. Whip it all together in just a few minutes and it’s done! The cream cheese adds a tangy flavor that perfectly balances out the sweetness, making it ultra creamy, while whipping the heavy cream gives it a light and airy texture. Plus This frosting is stable at room temperature!

It’s also an excellent option for those who don’t like overly sweet and dense frosting. The smooth and light texture makes it easy to pipe onto homemade cupcakes, giving them a beautiful and professional finish. It’s like a regular chantilly cream but with the added tang of cream cheese.

As a topping for a cake, my favorite way to use this is to slather it all over my 5 star rated banana cake, or pipe over these lemon blueberry cupcakes. It also pairs well with these blueberry cupcakes, or a chocolate cake.

For best results, learn how to soften cream cheese quickly to make sure it incorporates into the other ingredients fully.

Only 4 ingredients

Ingredients for whipped cream cheese frosting.
Only 4 ingredients needed!

You only need 4 ingredients for this recipe!

  • Cream Cheese
  • Powdered Sugar
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Cold Heavy Whipping Cream

Make sure to use cold cream. Cold cream whips much better than warm or room temperature cream.

You cannot substitute milk as it won’t whip up like whipping cream does and you wont get a light and airy frosting. Instead it will be dense and liquidy.

Making the frosting

You’ll need a hand mixer or a stand mixer for this recipe. I prefer to use a stand mixer because it works faster and is stronger than a hand mixer. Also my hand gets tired!

If you’re using a stand mixer, first use the paddle attachment to help cream the cream cheese, then you’ll have to switch over to the whisk attachment because thats what makes this a whipped frosting!

The whip will incorporate lots of air into the frosting which will give it stability while also keeping it light and airy.

Cream cheese and powdered sugar creamed in a bowl.
Cream the powdered sugar and cream cheese.
Vanilla added to a base of cream cheese and powdered sugar.
Add vanilla, then pour the cream in slowly while mixing.
A beater with whipped cream cheese frosting.
The frosting should have stiff peaks like this.
Whipped cream cheese frosting in a bowl.
It spreads nicely too!

Mixing

When youre adding the heavy whipping cream, pour it in slowly with the mixer on low speed. This will allow the frosting to whip up nicely and not collapse from the weight of all the cream poured in at once.

Also make sure not to overwhip the frosting. Once the stiff peaks have formed, stop mixing. Over whipping can cause the frosting to become curdled, grainy, and butter-like in texture.

Yield

This frosting makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes or slather over a 9×13 cake. If you want to use it to fill and frost a 2 layer 9″ cake, I suggest doubling the recipe.

Storing instructions

To store the frosting, place it in an airtight container or piping bag and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

If you have leftover frosting that you’d like to freeze, transfer it to a freezer-safe container or plastic bag and store it in the freezer for up to 2 months. Before using the frosting, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then bring it to room temperature and give it a quick whip with a hand mixer or whisk to restore its texture.

When thawing and using the frosting, keep in mind that the texture may not be exactly the same as when it was freshly made. It may be slightly softer or grainier, but with a little bit of whipping, it should still be delicious and usable.

A cupcake with white frosting piped on top.
5 stars (6 ratings)

Airy Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

This Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting is light and airy and not dense at all. It can be easily whipped up in 5 minutes with just 4 simple ingredients. This icing holds its shape at room temperature and pipes well too! It has sweet and savory notes and pairs perfectly as a topping for fruit based cakes like banana cake.

Ingredients

  • 8 oz (226.8 g) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 1/4 cup (150 g) powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp (1 tsp) vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cup (354.88 ml) heavy whipping cream, cold

Instructions
 

  • In the bowl of an electric mixer such as a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the 8 oz cream cheese and 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar.
  • Mix on medium speed for 1 minute until well cream. You can also do this in a hand mixer.
  • Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure all the sugar is incorporated.
  • Stir in the 1 tsp vanilla extract.
  • Switch to the whisk attachment and with the mixer on low, slowly add in the 1 ¼ cup heavy whipping cream. This should take about 1 minute because you want the cream to incorporate into the cream cheese as you pour. Don’t rush this.
  • When all the cream has been added, turn the mixer to high and whip for 30 seconds until stiff peaks form. Do not overwhip!

Notes

Make sure to watch the frosting while whipping to make sure it doesnt over whip and curdle.
Serving: 1portion, Calories: 217kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 53mg, Sodium: 68mg, Potassium: 54mg, Sugar: 14g, Vitamin A: 691IU, Vitamin C: 0.2mg, Calcium: 38mg, Iron: 0.1mg
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