My grandma was kind of the queen of all things cream cheese. My second favorite recipe of hers that uses cream cheese is this decadent and easy cream cheese frosting but my first love with always be cheesecake.

Cream cheese frosting is one of my favorites and my grandma's version is the absolute best cream cheese frosting I've ever tasted!

However, my mom would probably disown me if I ever shared my grandmother’s prize-winning cheesecake recipe on this here blog. She’s threatened it every time I’ve asked and I think she’s capabale. But Mom ~~begrudgingly~~ sweetly allowed me to share her cream cheese frosting in memory to my grandma who passed in 2014.

What I love about this recipe is that it starts with COLD cream cheese which isn’t what you normally see in a cream cheese frosting recipe. Typically, you want everything to be room temperature. But when it comes to cream cheese frosting you tend to end up with a pretty slack mixture that’s hard to pipe or use to fill a cake. Unless you add a ton of powdered sugar and make it super sweet.

But when you start with COLD cream cheese and then add in super-soft butter you end up with a perfectly pipeable cream cheese frosting that isn’t too sweet or too soft. Which is good because there are so many amazing vessels to get cream cheese frosting into your body. Like these easy lemon cupcakes.

These lemony lemon cupcakes are the perfect mix of tart and sweet! And with lemonade powder for that tangy lemon flavor they couldn't get any easier!

Or you could go with a delicious spring classic like the best homemade carrot cake you’ll ever put in your mouth. I’m not usually a carrot cake fan but that one is perfection. Chef’s kiss. You’ll never need another carrot cake recipe again. And it marries perfectly with this frosting, too. So you’re welcome.

Then you have my personal favorite red velvet cupcakes. Because honestly, are you even allowed to eat any other frosting besides cream cheese frosting on a red velvet cupcake? The answer is no. And if you like those check out my red velvet trifle which is a fun way to use up cake scraps from a red velvet cake or just a different way to serve your favorite cake + frosting pairing.

Classic red velvet cupcakes are a southern staple and the perfect treat for Valentine's Day, a sweet spring picnic, or a backyard barbque!

Whether it’s chocolate, piled high on cupcakes, slathered on cookies, enveloping a cake, or eaten off a spoon this cream cheese frosting is melt in your mouth goodness and you will be in l.o.v.e. at first bite!

Grandma's Favorite Cream Cheese Frosting

Name: Grandma's Favorite Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 3 h
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 3 h 30 min
Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients: 3 8oz packages cream cheese, cold; 8 Tbs unsalted butter, very soft; 2 1/2-3 cups powdered sugar, sifted; 1 1/2 Tbs vanilla extract; Pinch of salt

Prep Time: 3 hours

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

3 8oz packages cream cheese, cold
8 Tbs unsalted butter, very soft
2 1/2-3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 1/2 Tbs vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Instructions

In a stand mixer beat the cold cream cheese until creamy and smooth, about 5-8 minutes.

Add the powdered sugar, half a cup at a time, and mix well after each addition.

Add the vanilla and the soft butter and beat well until completely incorporated.

Notes

Make sure your butter is VERY soft but not melted. You want it soft enough that you could spread it on a piece of plain, untoasted bread and not break the bread. This method avoids that super soft, almost runny cream cheese icing that you usually get when both the butter and the cream cheese are room temp.

This recipe makes enough to frost a 2 layer 8-inch cake or generously frost 24 cupcakes.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 269Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 96mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 0gSugar: 35gProtein: 2g