Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Chocolate cream cheese frosting is silky, undeniably creamy, and absolutely delicious! This recipe is enough to frost 18-24 cupcakes, one 9×13-inch sheet cake, or one 3-layer 9-inch round cake
Servings: 1 batch
Ingredients
- 12 ounces full fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature* use the brick style cream cheese - see recipe notes below
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 1/2 cups icing sugar
- 2/3 cup unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1-2 tbsp milk or heavy cream
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Sift the icing sugar, cocoa powder together to remove any lumps and set aside.
- In a large bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese for 1 minute on high speed until completely smooth and creamy. Beat in the butter until combined.
- Add the sifted icing sugar cocoa powder mixture, vanilla extract, 1 tbsp milk, and salt and beat on medium-high speed until combined and creamy. Add 1 more tbsp of milk to slightly thin out, if desired, to get it to an easily spreadable consistency. Taste, then add another pinch of salt if desired.
- Cover and store leftover frosting for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. After freezing, thaw in the refrigerator then beat the frosting for a few seconds so it’s creamy again before using.
- This recipe is enough to frost 18-24 cupcakes, one 9×13-inch sheet cake, or one 3-layer 9-inch round cake (like I did here).
Notes
Make Ahead Instructions: Cover and store leftover frosting for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. After freezing, thaw in the refrigerator then beat the frosting for a few seconds so it’s creamy again.
*Cream Cheese: Make sure you’re using the blocks of cream cheese, not cream cheese spread. They’re typically sold in 8 ounce blocks, so you’ll need 1 and 1/2 blocks.
Tip for Piping Cream Cheese Frosting: Refrigerate the frosting inside the piping bag for at least 30 minutes prior to piping. Cream cheese frosting holds its shape much better when it’s piped cold!
This recipe is enough to frost 18-24 cupcakes, one 9×13-inch sheet cake, or one 3-layer 9-inch round cake.