Easy Frosting Recipe

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Once you master this easy frosting recipe, you’ll never go back to the canned stuff again! It’s ready in mere minutes!

Frosting placed on a cupcake or a simple cake will make it more yummy and pleasing to the eyes. Add food color and you can have a nice presentation to whatever bake goods you have.

This easy frosting recipe will start you on the road to making great cupcakes and other baked goods.

Our recipe for easy frosting, topped with sprinkles, on top of a vanilla cupcake

This is one of the easiest ways to make frosting at home. Once you learn the secret to this simple icing recipe, you’ll be able to make all sorts of modifications to it.

Just master this base recipe and you can make different types of homemade frosting so easily.

Vanilla frosting on the whisks of a hand mixer

How To Make Homemade Frosting With Powdered Sugar

You only need four ingredients to make thick and luxurious homemade cream cheese frosting!

Kitchen Tools Needed: 

Ingredients:

Aeriel view of vanilla frosting on vanilla cupcakes

Homemade Frosting Tips

Follow along and I’ll share my best tips so that you always get the creamiest, tastiest, and all-around-best frosting every single time.

Soften the Cream Cheese

Before you mix the cream cheese with the powdered sugar, let it soften on the counter for about an hour. This will make it easier to whip.

Vanilla frosting topping on two vanilla cupcakes with plain cupcakes in the background

Make Frosting For Cake

If you want to make a homemade frosting for cake, leave out the cream cheese. Just mix together powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla.

The cream cheese is perfect for cupcakes. but it isn’t very easy to spread on cake. Buttercream frosting is better for cakes.

Cupcakes stacked on each other, two topped with vanilla frosting and sprinkles

Change the extract

I used vanilla extract to make vanilla frosting. Instead of vanilla, try it with almond extract. If you are frosting chocolate cupcakes, use peppermint extract.

Be creative and change how it tastes – you’ll notice a huge difference.

Vanilla frosting topping on two vanilla cupcakes with plain cupcakes in the background

Refrigerate homemade frosting

If you have leftover frosting or you are making it ahead of time, store it in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to three or four days.

Cupcakes stacked on each other, two topped with vanilla frosting and sprinkles
Vanilla frosting topping on two vanilla cupcakes with plain cupcakes in the background
Vanilla icing swirled on top of a vanilla cupcake and topped with sprinkles, surrounded by additional cupcakes
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Easy Frosting Recipe

Print Recipe
This family favorite cream cheese frosting recipe will start you on the road to making great cupcakes and other baked goods.! 
Prep Time:5 minutes
Cook Time:0 minutes
Total Time:5 minutes

SERVINGS

12

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cream cheese
  • 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
  • 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

  • Using an electric mixer with the appropriate paddle attached, mix the cream cheese and butter until it is smooth. Add the vanilla extract.
  • Reduce the speed of the mixer to low then beat the confectioners’ sugar a little at a time. Increase the speed as you put the sugar. The mixture must be smooth.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 264kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 63mg | Potassium: 30mg | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 607IU | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cream cheese topping, cupcake frosting, easy frosting
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 264kcal
Vanilla icing swirled on top of a vanilla cupcake and topped with sprinkles, surrounded by additional cupcakes

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