Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream cheese frosting is a universal favorite, getting dolloped on cakes from carrot to red velvet and anything in between. This version from Bea Vo adds mascarpone to lighten it up, as well as whipped cream. Creamier, cheesier, lighter, and fluffier. What are you waiting for?

A close view of swirled cream cheese frosting.

Adapted from Bea Vo | Tea with Bea | Ryland Peters & Small, 2011

This frosting is very different from most other cream cheese frostings because it’s lightened with mascarpone and whipped cream. If you prefer a sturdier frosting, simply omit the whipped cream.–Bea Vo

DOES CREAM CHEESE ICING HARDEN UP IN THE FRIDGE?

If your frosting is too soft to pipe into swooping swirls and curving curls, you can pop it into the fridge for 30 minutes.

Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting

A close view of swirled cream cheese frosting.
Cream cheese frosting is a universal favorite, getting dolloped on cakes from carrot to red velvet and anything in between. This version from Bea Vo adds mascarpone to lighten it up, as well as whipped cream. Creamier, cheesier, lighter, and fluffier. What are you waiting for?

Prep 15 minutes
Chill 15 minutes
Total 30 minutes
Condiments
American
12 servings
211 kcal
5 / 2 votes
Print RecipeBuy the Tea with Bea cookbook

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Ingredients 

  • 1 cup heavy cream very cold
  • 3/4 cup mascarpone
  • 3/4 cup cream cheese
  • 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar sifted
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions
 

  • In a large bowl, whisk or beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
  • In another bowl, beat the mascarpone, cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until well combined.
  • Add 1/3 of the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and beat until combined. Gently fold in the rest of the whipped cream until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before using.
Print RecipeBuy the Tea with Bea cookbook

Want it? Click it.

Show Nutrition

Serving: 1portion (1/4 cup)Calories: 211kcal (11%)Carbohydrates: 9g (3%)Protein: 2g (4%)Fat: 19g (29%)Saturated Fat: 11g (69%)Cholesterol: 57mg (19%)Sodium: 61mg (3%)Potassium: 36mg (1%)Sugar: 8g (9%)Vitamin A: 679IU (14%)Vitamin C: 1mg (1%)Calcium: 47mg (5%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

#leitesculinaria on Instagram If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We’d love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Recipe Testers’ Reviews

This homemade cream cheese frosting is awesome. I’m not a frosting person, but I was eating this straight with a spoon!

This homemade cream cheese frosting is just sweet enough, though I didn’t add the heavy cream as I prefer a thicker frosting.

A creamy, cream-cheesy frosting. It looked marvelous (despite my poor frosting capabilities) and I definitely need to try it again.

Originally published April 24, 2021

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#leitesculinaria on Instagram If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

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