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Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting is a combination of sweetened whipped cream and cream cheese frosting. It’s lighter and less sweet than regular frosting and easy to make in ONE bowl or two. Delicious and stable enough for spreading or piping onto cakes and cupcakes.

Focus is on a cupcake piled high with whipped cream cheese frosting.

The best frosting you’ll ever try!

If you love traditional cream cheese frosting, you’ll love with this cream cheese whipped cream frosting even more!

It’s oh so light, creamy, and not too sweet. Perfectly pipeable and makes a lot! (About 4 cups to be exact!)

Spread it on thick, or pile it high on those cupcakes. Because it isn’t as sweet as buttercream frosting, you can enjoy more of it.

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting piped high into a clear glass bowl.

Ingredients

Heavy whipping cream (30-36% fat) adds a lot of volume and texture to this whipped cream cheese frosting. And the cream cheese makes it like a stabilized whipped cream.

You can use full fat cream cheese or Neufchatel. I didn’t even use the name brand. Just remember to use it COLD, straight from the fridge.

It’s best to use the brick cream cheese. NOT whipped cream cheese or any other cream cheese in a tub.

Other than that all you need is powdered sugar, a small amount of salt, and vanilla for flavoring.

You’ll know the frosting is ready when it leaves ripples in the bowl and is thick with stiff peaks. It pipes just like buttercream without any actual butter.

Bowl with ripples of cream cheese whipped cream frosting.

How to Use and Store Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

The only downfall is that this whipped cream cheese frosting needs to stay refrigerated. It should only sit out for up to 2 hours at room temperature (inside/climate controlled), or one hour if it’s a hot day or brought to an outdoor picnic.

For best results, frost the cake or cupcakes with this whipped cream cheese frosting just before serving. Otherwise you will need to refrigerate the frosted cake/cupcakes.

TIP #1: If the cake/cupcakes have been frosted and refrigerated, remove the cake 20-30 minutes before serving to remove the chill, so the cake isn’t too dense from being cold.

TIP #2: If you don’t want to refrigerate your cake or cupcakes, just refrigerate the frosting. You can fill the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a decorating tip and place it inside a zip-top bag to stay fresh. Then frost the cupcakes just before serving.

Whipped cream cheese frosting made in a stand mixer.

More Than Just Frosting

This whipped cream cheese frosting is so versatile, you can use it for more than just cakes or cupcakes. Try these other uses:

  • Put it in a graham cracker pie crust for a no-bake cheesecake.
  • Top waffles, pancakes, or oatmeal with it.
  • Use it like whipped cream on pie.
  • Fill whoopie pies (or other cookie sandwiches) with it.
  • Use it as a dip for fresh fruit or graham crackers.
  • Eat it with a spoon. Why not?!
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting piped high into a clear glass bowl.

How to Make Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting (One Bowl Method)

The beauty of this recipe is that you can make it one of two ways. This one-bowl method works just as well as the two-bowl method, but requires scraping the bowl a few times.

One Bowl Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting steps 1-4. Four image collage. 1- Brick of cream cheese in stand mixer with paddle attachment. 2- Cream cheese mixed. 3- Powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla added. 4- Ingredients mixed and bowl scraped with a spatula.
  1. Place the brick of cream cheese in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
  2. Beat the cream cheese for 10-15 seconds
  3. Add the powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla.
  4. Mix until combined. Scrape bowl.
  5. Switch to the whisk attachment and whip frosting on medium speed while slowly adding the heavy cream until light, fluffy, and thick. Scraping the bowl as needed. (Collage image below shows the progression.)
One Bowl Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting steps 5-8. Four picture collage. 5- Switch to whisk attachment. Slowly pouring cream while mixing. 6- Slowly pouring more cream while mixing. 7- Progress of adding cream while mixing. 8- Finished whipped cream cheese frosting.

NOTE: The edge where the cream is added, tends to be softer than the center, which is why it’s good to scrape the bowl and mix a little longer or fold the whipped cream cheese frosting together after all the cream has been added.

Whipped cream cheese frosting in mixing bowl with spatula.

Use the frosting immediately for optimal piping and spreading. The frosting will lose some volume if refrigerated and used later on.

How to Make Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting (Two Bowl Method)

The two-bowl method for this frosting is nice because you can have both parts — the cream cheese and whipped cream — mixing at the same time, but it will obviously result in more dishes.

The final product of whipped cream cheese frosting will be exactly the same, regardless of which method you use. You decide which method you like better.

Collage image for how to make whipped cream cheese frosting. Image One: Ingredients. Image Two: Cream cheese, beaten with powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla.
  1. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese for 10-15 seconds with an electric hand mixer, until creamy.
  2. Add the powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla. Beat until combined. (Take care not to beat too long or it may become stringy.)
Collage image for how to make whipped cream cheese frosting. Whip heavy cream to stiff peaks. Shown in bowl, and then on whisk.
Combining the whipped cream and cream cheese mixture.
  1. In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. (Be careful not to whip too long or it will turn to butter.)
  2. Add the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture. Use the electric hand mixer to beat until smooth and combined.
Whipped cream cheese frosting in mixing bowl with spatula.

Tips and Important Information

  • It’s best to use the frosting immediately for spreading, piping, or filling.
  • Use COLD cream cheese and COLD heavy cream. You can even use a COLD bowl and beaters for optimum results.
  • Store leftover frosting or cakes and cupcakes that have been frosted in the refrigerator.
  • Refrigerate the frosting separately in a piping bag placed inside of a zip-top bag for added freshness. Or refrigerate frosting in an airtight container. NOTE: May lose some volume after 1 day, but can be refrigerated up to 5 days.
  • You can tint/color this frosting for decorating. It’s best to use gel food coloring.
Whisk full of whipped cream cheese frosting in the mixing bowl.

More Delicious Frosting Recipes

Focus is on a cupcake piled high with whipped cream cheese frosting.

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 cups

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting combines whipped cream & cream cheese frosting -- made easy in ONE bowl (or two). It's fluffy, lightly sweet, & pipeable.

Ingredients

  • 8oz brick cream cheese, COLD (full fat or Neufchatel)
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream or heavy cream, COLD

Instructions

    ONE-BOWL METHOD:

    1. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese for 10-15 seconds. Scrape bowl. Then add the powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla and mix until combined. Scrape bowl.
    2. Switch to the whisk attachment and whip frosting on medium speed while slowly adding the heavy cream until light, fluffy, and thick. Scraping the bowl as needed. Use the frosting immediately for spreading, piping, or filling.

    TWO-BOWL METHOD:

    1. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese for 10-15 seconds with an electric hand mixer, until creamy.
    2. Add the powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla. Beat until combined. (Take care not to beat too long or it may become stringy.)
    3. In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. (Be careful not to whip too long or it will turn to butter.)
    4. Add the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture. Use the electric hand mixer to beat until combined. Use the frosting immediately for spreading, piping, or filling.

Notes

    • TIP: Use a cold bowl and beaters for optimum results.
    • YIELD: Makes about 4 cups of frosting. Enough to frost a 2-layer 9-inch cake or 24 cupcakes.
    • You can tint/color this frosting. It’s best to use gel food coloring.
    • STORING: Store leftover frosting or frosted cakes/cupcakes in the refrigerator.
    • Remove frosted cakes or cupcakes from fridge 20-30 minutes before serving to remove the chill, so the cake isn’t too dense from being cold.
    • Refrigerate the frosting separately in a piping bag placed inside of a zip-top bag for added freshness. Or refrigerate frosting in an airtight container. May lose some volume after 1 day, but can be refrigerated up to 5 days.
    • SERVING: Frosted cakes or cupcakes should only sit out for up to 2 hours at room temperature (inside/climate controlled), or one hour if it’s a hot day or brought to an outdoor picnic.

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author: Amber | Dessert Now Dinner Later / Category: Cakes, Cupcakes and Frosting
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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use whipped cream cheese instead of cream cheese?

When a recipe asks for cream cheese, it’s best to stick with a traditional block of cream cheese. Most of the time full fat cream cheese or Neufchatel will work interchangeably, unless otherwise stated.

Is whipped cream and frosting same?

Whipped cream is typically made with heavy cream and powdered sugar. While it can be spread, dolloped, or piped, it does not hold up well at room temperature like frosting can.

How do you make whipped cream cheese frosting from scratch?

ONE BOWL METHOD: In a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese with the powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla. Switch to the whisk attachment and whip on medium speed while slowly adding heavy cream until light, fluffy, and thick. Scraping the bowl as needed.

How long can whipped cream cheese frosting sit out?

The heavy cream makes whipped cream cheese frosting quite perishable. It should not sit out for more than 2 hours at room temperature or up to 1 hour if it’s a particularly hot day (90˚F+).