If you find yourself looking for an alternative to American-style buttercream—which we all know can be cloyingly sweet—you may enjoy this whipped frosting instead. Made from only 4 simple ingredients, this lightly sweetened frosting is fabulously creamy and fluffy, but still holds its shape when piped with a piping tip. Enjoy it with vanilla cupcakes, white cake, chocolate cake, lemon blueberry cupcakes, or anywhere you’re looking for a lighter frosting option.
One reader, Erika, commented: “I wanted an alternative to buttercream, which always seems overly sweet and heavy. This came out amazing. I followed the directions exactly and it came out so silky smooth and light. ★★★★★“
Enjoy Creamy, Lightly Sweet Frosting
Today’s recipe can really be known as “all the things” including whipped frosting, creamy lightly sweetened frosting, whipped cream frosting that pipes well, won’t-give-you-a-toothache-frosting, etc. I settled on Not-So-Sweet Whipped Frosting so you understand the selling point as soon as you read the title… this is a whipped frosting that isn’t too sweet.
If you’ve made this cookies and cream cake before, you’ve made a version of today’s frosting!
One reader, John, commented: “This is the best ‘whipped’ frosting recipe I have ever made. I was cautious to make it about a year ago for my daughter’s birthday cake, but I went ahead and tried it. I was not let down. EVERYONE LOVED IT. I have not bought store-made frosting since. I have used it at least half a dozen times and it has been a hit every single time. I have been asked by multiple people for the recipe. The great part is that it’s not a difficult recipe. In addition, you make it very easy to follow, so thank you for that. I look forward to using this for years to come. Thank you. ★★★★★“
Whipped Frosting Details
- Texture: This frosting is basically a very sturdy whipped cream. Think of a thicker, fluffier version of soft whipped cream. Even though it’s thick, it’s still pretty light and airy. There’s something known as stabilized whipped cream and I suppose today’s recipe could fall into that category, but it does contain cream cheese so there’s a little extra flavor. It can be piped on cupcakes, spread on cakes or ice cream cake, or even used between layers of pastry in homemade mille-feuille.
- Flavor: Like the consistency, the whipped frosting flavor is light. It’s a little sweet, a little tangy, and flavored with vanilla extract. I especially love it with soft cakes that have strong flavor such as lemon blueberry cake, pumpkin cake, and citrus cake. You can’t really taste the cream cheese, but if you really dislike cream cheese, you may be able to detect it. (A few taste testers had no idea there was cream cheese in the frosting.)
- Ease: If you love the consistency and structure of Swiss meringue buttercream, but are looking for something simpler, this whipped frosting is a prime choice. It’s probably the easiest frosting you’ll ever make because even if you mess up, there’s likely a solution to fix it. All you’re doing is mixing the ingredients together in a particular order at various speeds.
Pictured: vanilla cupcakes with today’s whipped frosting.
Even though this recipe is easy, I want to set you up for success by giving you all the information you need to get started. Review these headnotes before you try the recipe for the first time because they will help you understand the best ingredients to use and the ideal consistency you need.
This Whipped Frosting Has 4 Ingredients
And with only 4 ingredients, it’s imperative you use the correct ones!
- Room Temperature Cream Cheese: Cream cheese is the magical ingredient because it acts as the sturdy, structured base. I hesitated publishing this recipe because I know there’s been a massive cream cheese shortage. However, recently I’ve been able to find it more and more so hopefully you can get your hands on some too! Make sure you use brick-style cream cheese, not cream cheese spread. It must be softened to room temperature so you can successfully rid any lumps. You need 6 ounces, which is a little less than one 8-ounce brick.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Confectioners’ sugar sweetens the frosting and compared to many frosting recipes like vanilla buttercream, you need a fraction of the amount to produce the same volume of frosting. Wow!
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract adds flavor. If you want to get started or already have some going, homemade vanilla extract is fantastic in this whipped frosting.
- Cold Heavy Cream: Emphasis on the COLD temperature. You may remember this from making regular whipped cream, but the colder the heavy cream, the easier and more successfully it will whip. Make sure you use cream labeled heavy cream, heavy whipping cream, or double cream. All contain 36% or higher milk fat. Whipping cream (without “heavy” in the title) is a little lighter with 30% milk fat. Do not use that because your frosting will never firm up.
By the way, this recipe is very easy to scale up or down. Use 2 ounces of cream cheese per 1/4 cup (30g) confectioners’ sugar and 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream. Add more or less vanilla extract. When you’re whipping in the heavy cream, reduce or extend that length of time based on the volume. Whip shorter if you scaled down the recipe and whip longer if you scaled up the recipe.
I didn’t want to call this recipe whipped cream frosting because you have a little flavor from cream cheese. Again, even though the flavor is very faint, if you’re sensitive to the taste of cream cheese or simply do not care for it, I would skip this recipe.
FAQ: Can I Make This Without Cream Cheese?
No. Instead, try a different recipe.
If you’re looking for a lighter topping, I recommend regular whipped cream. For a sturdy, yet lightly sweetened frosting, try Swiss meringue buttercream. If you need a whipped buttercream, use the frosting found with this vanilla sheet cake. Or search for whipped frosting made without cream cheese—some recipes use cornstarch or instant pudding mix instead.
Let’s Make Whipped Frosting!
In terms of preparation, the recipe reminds me of no-bake cheesecake. We’re using mostly the same ingredients found in the filling, except that recipe instructs you to whip the cream cheese and heavy cream separately. Here, we’re doing it all in 1 bowl in different stages. First, beat the cream cheese to begin breaking it down. Then add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract and beat together. You really want to rid all the lumps:
Now here comes the *magic!* Switch the mixer to low speed and in a slow and steady stream, whip in the heavy cream. After you add all of the heavy cream, turn the mixer up to high speed and watch your new favorite frosting fill with air and rise up in the bowl.
You’re looking for a thick, airy consistency with stiff peaks. If you were to shimmy and shake this bowl, the frosting would hardly move:
Now let me show you what not to do.
Too Thin Vs Too Thick
Too thin: If you do not whip the mixture long enough, you’ll have soft, soupy, thin frosting. If you were to shake a bowl of under-whipped frosting, it will jiggle all around like a jello mold. This is an easy fix—just keep whipping until you have the consistency above.
Too thick: If you over-whip the frosting, it will appear chunky and curdled. While my fix isn’t perfect, it will certainly help—by hand, stir in more liquid heavy cream 1 Tablespoon at a time until the frosting smooths out again.
Whipped Frosting: 3 Success Tips (Do Not Miss These!)
- No lumps in cream cheese. While you can over-whip the frosting after you add the heavy cream, you cannot over-mix the 1st 3 ingredients in the recipe. Beat the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract together for as long as you need to rid all of the cream cheese lumps. Stop and scrape down the mixing bowl as needed.
- Don’t leave. Do not walk away and let the mixer run after you add the heavy cream. Sometimes the frosting sets up in 1 minute and sometimes it takes 3 minutes. Keep your eyes on the mixture to avoid over-whipped frosting.
- Pop the air if needed. After you make the whipped frosting, you’ll notice that the consistency can change the longer it sits in the bowl. The frosting develops more air bubbles and if you want the silky, yet thick consistency back, stir the frosting by hand a few times to deflate the air. I don’t notice this as much when the frosting sits on a finished cake and that’s likely because you handled it a lot in the frosting process—the bubbles develop most when the frosting is just sitting in the bowl before you use it. Likewise, if you notice the frosting really airy and looking over-whipped as you pipe it, either “massage” the frosting while it’s in the piping bag (sounds weird, but this can help deflate air bubbles) or pipe back into the mixing bowl and gently stir it.
The success of this recipe depends on the ingredients used and length of time mixing. Follow the recipe below carefully. It’s so nice to have an easy sturdy frosting that isn’t too sweet!
Pictured below: my soft and springy white cake with today’s whipped frosting. Dessert perfection!
Not-So-Sweet Whipped Frosting
- Prep Time: 8 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 8 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Whipping
- Cuisine: American
Description
Made from only 4 ingredients, this lightly sweetened whipped frosting is creamy and fluffy, yet holds its shape when piped with a piping tip. For best results, review the success tips above and recipe notes below before you begin.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces (170g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (90g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) cold heavy cream or heavy whipping cream (very cold!)
Instructions
- In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed until creamy. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract, and then beat on medium speed until combined and completely smooth (absolutely no lumps), at least 2 full minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to smooth out.
- Switch to a whisk attachment (if you haven’t already been using it). Turn the mixer to low speed and with the mixer running, carefully pour in the cream in a slow and steady stream. After all of the cream has been added, turn the mixer up to high speed and whip until thick and stiff peaks form, about 1-2 minutes. This time can vary depending on exact temperature of ingredients, temperature in kitchen, and even the humidity. Do not walk away during this time and do not be concerned if your frosting takes longer to whip. You’re looking for a thick, airy consistency with stiff peaks. If you were to shimmy and shake your bowl, the frosting would hardly move. If your frosting appears soupy now or at any point you are working with it, it needs more whipping to introduce more air. If your frosting appears chunky or curdled, it’s over-whipped. To fix, stir 1 Tablespoon of heavy cream into the frosting by hand to smooth out again. Use more heavy cream if needed to smooth out.
- Use it: After you make the whipped frosting, it’s ready to frost your cupcakes, cake, or other confections. After frosting a cake or cupcakes with this frosting, I strongly recommend refrigerating them uncovered for at least 30 minutes to help “set” the frosting (especially when using on a layer cake). Then you can serve or set out for a few hours before serving. And please note that you’ll notice the frosting becomes thicker and airier the longer it sits in your mixing bowl. This is not a problem and can easily be fixed by gently stirring it to pop any air bubbles. Likewise, if you notice the frosting really airy and looking over-whipped as you pipe it with piping tips, either “massage” the frosting while it’s in the piping bag (sounds weird, but this can help deflate air bubbles) or pipe back into the mixing bowl and gently stir it. You can even stir in a splash of heavy cream to thin/smooth out if needed.
- Serve or Make Ahead: After the 30 minutes of refrigerating to “set” the frosting as instructed in step 3, frosted confections are fine to serve or sit out at room temperature for a few hours. If you plan to serve later than that, such as the next day, I recommend storing in the refrigerator. Lightly cover as best you can. Confections topped with this frosting can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: This whipped frosting freezes and thaws surprisingly well. For best results, I recommend freezing the frosting after you’ve already frosted your cake or cupcakes– as opposed to freezing the frosting in your mixing bowl or other container. Frost your baked good(s), refrigerate for at least 1 hour to really set the frosting, and then cover and freeze for up to 3 months. (Note that covering this frosting can get messy and I haven’t found a workaround for that.) Thaw your frosted baked good(s) at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Piping Bag (Disposable or Reusable) | Wilton 1M Piping Tip
- Can this frosting sit out at room temperature or in a warm environment? A few hours at room temperature is fine. If you’re serving your frosted confections outside on a hot day (I’ve done this a few times), refrigerate your frosted cake/cupcakes for up to 1 day. Remove from the refrigerator 30-60 minutes before serving them. This way they start out a little colder and can last longer in the heat.
- Can I leave out or replace the cream cheese? No. See notes above. Instead, I would try a different recipe like regular whipped cream, Swiss meringue buttercream, or this whipped buttercream.
- Can I tint this frosting a color? Yes. This frosting holds onto food coloring nicely and I strongly recommend using gel food coloring or natural food coloring powder. If you plan to tint the frosting, it’s best to add the food coloring when you add the heavy cream. If you need to add more food coloring after the frosting is done, gently stir it in by hand. If the frosting becomes too thick, stir in a splash of heavy cream to thin out again.
- Can I flavor this frosting? Yes. Feel free to replace up to 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract with another extract of choice such as lemon or coconut extract. If it’s a potent extract such as peppermint extract, I would only use 1/2 teaspoon. You can also turn this into a whipped strawberry frosting by replacing 1/4 cup (30g) confectioners’ sugar with 1/4 cup freeze-dried strawberry crumbs/dust. See strawberry frosting for how to do that.
- If your frosting begins losing shape: If your frosting becomes unstable or thins out/loses shape overtime, whip it on high speed until stiff peaks form to reintroduce more air.
- Quantity: This recipe yields about 4-5 cups of frosting. This is enough to heavily frost 12-16 cupcakes (as pictured), a 9×13 inch quarter sheet cake, or a 2 layer cake. For a 3 layer cake, I recommend slightly scaling up the recipe by using 8 ounces (226g) of brick cream cheese, 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 2 cups (480ml) heavy cream. After adding the heavy cream, you may need to whip the mixture for slightly longer.
- Piping Tip: I used (affiliate link) Wilton 1M piping tip in the photos above. This is one of my favorite piping tips and you can watch how to use it in this Piping Tips tutorial video.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hi! I love your recipes, they are always amazing! I am wondering if this particular recipe would work to frost an ice cream cake?
Hi Katie, Yes definitely!
While making this frosting I wanted to stabilize it. So I added 1/4 teaspoons of instant clear jel to the sugar. Mixed it well with a small whip. Wasn’t sure if it would work. But it did! The frosting was still stable 2 days later!
I used this for my Buche Du Noel last year and it was a hit! I will be using it this year as well. One question, how long can this icing sit in the fridge for on a cake in a cake box. With Christmas being on a Wednesday this year I was hoping to make it tonight and serve Wednesday. Will it still be good?
Hi Kat, confections topped with this frosting can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
This is the best “whipped” frosting recipe I have ever made. I was cautious to make it about a year ago for my daughter’s birthday cake, but I went ahead and tried it. I was not let down. EVERYONE LOVES IT. I have not bought store made frosting since (well, we did for cut out cookies since this doesn’t stiffen up). I have used it at least half a dozen times and it has been a hit every single time. I have been asked by multiple people for the recipe. The great part is that it’s not a difficult recipe. In addition, you make it very easy to follow, so thank you for that. I look forward to using this for years to come. Thank you.
Can I add freeze dried strawberry powder
We LOVE adding freeze-dried strawberry powder. See the “Can I add flavor” section in the recipe notes.
I made this and it was so soupy, big disappointment. I had to throw it away. I even put the already cold heavy cream in the freezer for a few minutes.
Hi Camille, I’m so sorry to hear that. We’re happy to help troubleshoot. Are you using brick-style full-fat cream cheese? Does the mixture appear curdled when it’s soupy? If you decide to try it again, you can try adding an additional Tablespoon of cold heavy cream. Keep on whipping—-eventually it will introduce enough air and the mixture will start to whip up nicely. This time can vary depending on exact temperature of ingredients, temperature in kitchen, and even the humidity-—so if it’s especially humid where you live, that could certainly be a factor in how this batch is turning out. Thanks for giving this recipe a try!
Hello Sally, I use several of your recipes. Thank you so much for sharing Them! Question: can I use fondant and edible sugar sheets on top of this frosting? Regular whipped frosting “eats” the fondant and sugar sheets.
Hi Elaine, we do not recommend this frosting under fondant. This doesn’t really crust up like regular buttercream does, and just isn’t the best choice under fondant.
Hi, do you think you could use this instead of whipped cream for a Yule log or is it too stiff/thick? It looks perfect but I don’t want to destroy the delicate sponge of the “log”
Hi Nell, we haven’t tried it, so can’t make any promises, but I think it should probably be fine. Just spread it really gently! If you try it, let us know how it goes!
Hi just wanted to let you know I made this and used your chocolate Swiss roll recipe for my daughters birthday cake request (yes, she wanted a chocolate Yule log with snickerdoodle flavor so I put cinnamon in the frosting with the powdered sugar) and it worked PERFECTLY!!!!! Didn’t crush the cake at all and tasted like snickerdoodle because of the tang of the cream cheese. Thank you!!
I am going to make this cream during the weekend. Two questions: can I add lemon or orange flavour to the frosting? Can I prepare the cake and the frosting two days in advance?
Hi Natalia! See recipe Notes about adding flavors and the last step for details on making this frosting ahead of time. Happy baking!
Hello… can I use cocoa powder for chocolate frosting, if yes, how much?
Hi Naomi, we haven’t tested a chocolate version, but we’re sure adding some cocoa powder would be great place to start. Let us know how it goes!
I use this recipe when making your cheesecakes! I use it like a stabilized whipped cream. It allows me to pipe beautiful boarders and holds fillings on top well too! Soooo many compliments on it! Sally always makes me look like a professional baker!
This is my favorite frosting recipe! Wanting to try a variation next time. Have you ever made this into a coffee or expresso frosting? If so, what do you recommend using?
Hi Abby, we haven’t tested a coffee flavored version of this. However, you could start by adding some espresso powder, such as 1 teaspoon when you add the confectioners’ sugar. Let us know how it goes!
I dislike buttercream flavor, so I choose this frosting to top my cupcakes. It wouldn’t reach stiff peaks. The more I beat it, the more soupy it became! until I frosted my cupcakes with very liquidy frosting. can you recommend a cream cheese frosting that is stable not soupy? thanks in advance! I did use heavy whipping cream so do you have any idea why this happened?
Hi Eliana, was your whipping cream very cold? Using extra cold whipping cream is crucial for reaching stiff peaks. If you try this frosting again, you can place the mixing bowl in the refrigerator and then try whipping again. It’s possible it needs a bit more time in the mixer, too. If it’s particularly warm or humid on a day that you’re making this, it can take longer to whip into stiff peaks. For a thicker frosting, you can try our cream cheese frosting instead. Hope this helps!
Mine was just too soupy. Used brick style cream cheese and my cream was in fridge for days so it was extra cold. Trying to make icing that isn’t too sweet for my daughter’s birthday cake. Only a few hours left to figure something out.
I hate buttercream, way too sweet. Can I use this to stack a two tier cake? And can I make the cake the night before and put it in the fridge uncovered? Thanks!
Hi Amanda! We haven’t tested it, but this may not be the best recipe for a tiered cake. Perhaps you would like our Swiss meringue buttercream, which is also less sweet than American buttercream.
I love this. It’s easy too. I’m not much of a baker but I needed a simple but good tiny dollop on my small pumpkin cheesecakes. This worked awesome!
Just the recipe I was looking for, was going to create my own with cream cheese and cream..I’m going to add some disolved gelatin (like I do for whipped cream ) for extra stability as I want to use this as a topping instead of frosting hope it works – I’m sure it will all be edible
I can only get whipping cream at 35% would this be ok to use.
Hi Jan, yes, that should work just fine!
This came out great when I made it with the freeze dried strawberry powder! Would adding cocoa powder also work?
Hi Flora, we haven’t tested a chocolate version, but we’re sure adding some cocoa powder would be great place to start. Let us know how it goes!
This recipe is amazing!! Absolutely perfect, especially as a frosting to my sticky toffee pudding cake since it doesn’t overpower the taste of the cake. thank you!
This is a huge hit with my family.
Have you tested adding a little meringue powder for added stability? Do you think it might work?
Hi Melissa, we’re so glad to hear that! Meringue powder helps with stability, yes, and certainly could here. We haven’t tested it to be certain though, but we can’t see it *not* helping. Let us know if you try it!
Could you replace the cream cheese with mascapone cheese?
Hi Liv, Several readers have substituted mascarpone with zero issues—let us know if you try it!
I loved this recipe!!!
Planning to make a cake for kids and wondering if it is possible to add a little more sugar to reduce tanginess from cream cheese? Have you tried or any thoughts?
Hi Pankti, we haven’t tried this, but this frosting in particular should stick closely to the ratios listed in order to whip up properly. If you’d like a lighter option without cream cheese, you could use whipped cream or Swiss meringue buttercream instead. Hope this helps!
This was perfect. I always find frosting to be too sweet and that it takes away from the flavor of a good cake. This was sweet but not overpowering and had a beautiful soft finish for frosting a cake and smooth texture for eating.
So good!
I used it for cupcakes and have some left over. Can I freeze it?
Hi Kate, absolutely. See recipe notes for freezing details!
To put your baked frosted cake in refrigerator, put toothpicks (just a bit into the cake) in the cake and gently place plastic wrap over the cake. Save some frosting to put on cake later if you wish.
I loved the frosting. Easy to make and not too sweet.
I would like to use this for my granddaughter’s birthday party. Will it hold up in an enclosed swimming pool facility?
Hi Pam, it really depends on the exact temperature and humidity of the facility. If it’s especially humid, you may want to use something a bit thicker like vanilla buttercream.
Ugh….wouldn’t stiffen up….stayed very soft even after beating with a whip for 8 minutes. Followed the recipe to a T, even popped my heavy cream into the freezer to make sure it was really cold….now have it in the fridge hoping that it will firm up so I can frost my cupcakes.
Hi Susan, we’re happy to help troubleshoot. Were you using full-fat brick-style cream cheese? That will be important for helping the frosting to take on the proper texture. After you cool your frosting in the refrigerator for a few minutes, you can try rewhipping it again to help introduce more air, which should help give it more shape. Hope this helps for next time!
I made this for granddaughter’s birthday cake. I used the adjusted recipe for a 3 layer cake and just a handheld mixer. Came out perfectly. I used the handheld as my daughter has the newer model mixer which has the bowl lift up into place and the beaters on that model touch Neither the sides nor the bottom of the bowl, which may be why some people have so much trouble with the recipe. Also, I get my heavy whipping cream from Costco and it is 40%. That also makes a huge difference. At any rate, just wanted to say this is a quick and easy frosting and it is delicious.
Hi! I’d like to use this recipe for a Coconut 3 layer cake, could I use fresh lime, or lemon juice instead of the vanilla? Thank You
Hi Shelley, we’d recommend 1 teaspoon of lemon or lime extract. You could use 1 teaspoon of lemon or lime juice instead, but the flavor will not be as prominent. We don’t recommend adding more liquid than that, as it will throw off the consistency of the frosting too much.
I had to make this 2xs because I altered the recipe the first time..needless to say I was upset with myself. The second time I followed exactly and it turned out perfectly. My only negative is that it only uses 6oz. of cream Cheese, I wish it was the whole 8oz.pk. I used on my birthday treat for work and I’m sure they will enjoy it because it’s not that overwhelmingly sweet. The test will be how it holds up during break time in a factory.