A Highly-Specific Guide to No-Split Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream cheese frosting can be notoriously difficult to get right, especially the consistency (if you can’t relate, I commend you). The goal: a silky frosting that’s pipable and holds its shape. And yet—cream cheese frosting can easily turn into a concoction that spreads too easily and doesn’t hold up. Then you end up adding too much powdered sugar to compensate, which makes the frosting way too sweet and not nearly cream cheese-y enough. If you’ve been there, keep reading for a few tips I’ve picked up along the way—including what to do if it splits. 1. Add Heavy Cream I think it’s safe to say I’ve made hundreds of batches of frosting over the last 15 years (I got lots of practice from making and selling dozens of cupcakes on the weekends in high school). The best tip I’ve found is to add heavy cream—whether you’re making a standard buttercream or, in this case, a cream cheese frosting. And I don’t just mean a tablespoon or two; I mean anywhere from ¼ to ¾ cup, depending on the consistency you want. The heavy cream whips up with the butter and sugar, making the frosting fluffier, lighter, and not-so-cloyingly sweet. It also helps stabilize it, making it more pipable and reliable. Read More >>
Cream cheese frosting can be notoriously difficult to get right, especially the consistency (if you can’t relate, I commend you). The goal: a silky frosting that’s pipable and holds its shape. And yet—cream cheese frosting can easily turn into a concoction that spreads too easily and doesn’t hold up. Then you end up adding too much powdered sugar to compensate, which makes the frosting way too sweet and not nearly cream cheese-y enough. If you’ve been there, keep reading for a few tips I’ve picked up along the way—including what to do if it splits.
1. Add Heavy Cream
I think it’s safe to say I’ve made hundreds of batches of frosting over the last 15 years (I got lots of practice from making and selling dozens of cupcakes on the weekends in high school). The best tip I’ve found is to add heavy cream—whether you’re making a standard buttercream or, in this case, a cream cheese frosting. And I don’t just mean a tablespoon or two; I mean anywhere from ¼ to ¾ cup, depending on the consistency you want. The heavy cream whips up with the butter and sugar, making the frosting fluffier, lighter, and not-so-cloyingly sweet. It also helps stabilize it, making it more pipable and reliable.
