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
Can I use the died strawberries in this recipe?
Hi Colleen, yes, you can use freeze dried fruit in the frosting—see recipe Note “Can I flavor this frosting?” for more details. Enjoy!
Would you recommend this frosting to fill pumpkin roll cake ? I have the hardest time
With the cream cheese frosting that is standard for it , it’s always too soft & runny. This recipe sounds better .
Yes, it would be great in a pumpkin roll cake!
Hi sally I haven’t tried this icing recipe yet but have a birthday coming up soon and I always make the cake and decorate it ,so I was wondering if you can also make roses with it I usually make whipped cream icing but it tends to soften when I make the roses I think maybe from the heat from my hands.
Hi Elaine, this recipe will work well to pipe simple roses. Hope you enjoy it!
Hi Sally,
I’d like to use this recipe for piping. I need three shades of pink. I use gel colouring. Will it hold up to blending in the food colouring? I’m afraid the mixing will deflate it/ make it too runny.
Hi Lori, you can certainly color this 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 so that it doesn’t deflate.
hello, can this be used as sponge cake frosting?
Hi Aisha, yes, you can really use it on any cake.
This is the most amazing frosting recipe it doesn’t taste like cream cheese and it isn’t cloyingly sweet like most frosting. Perfect!
Can you add cocoa powder to make it a whipped chocolate frosting
Hi Cathy, 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 cannot find ‘brick style’ cream cheese – only the soft bread type in a plastic tub – will that work in this frosting? You do state the ‘brick style’ so I am not confident
Hi Lynne, it will not work for this frosting. Are you located outside of the US by chance? You’ll want to use Philadelphia brand cream cheese.
The first batch of this frosting I made was perfect, took only a few minutes to fluff up. I followed the same instructions for the second batch but it just wouldn’t whip no matter how long I used the mixer. I thought I had gotten the measurements wrong so I scrapped the batch, bought more ingredients, and tried again. It had the same issue, the frosting was just liquid goop! Not sure what happened I made sure the cream was extra cold 🙁
Hi KS, we’re happy to help troubleshoot. Are you using brick-style full-fat cream cheese? Making sure the heavy cream extra cold is key, too. Does the mixture appear curdled when it’s soupy? You can always try adding an additional Tablespoon of 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 hot and humid where you live, that could certainly be a factor in how this batch is turning out. Hope this helps!
I made the cookies and cream cake recipe in the Ninja Foodie (steam & bake option) appliance. I used your frosting and topped with crushed Oreos. Wonderful! Everyone seemed impressed and I heard a lot of “MMMmmmmm this cake frosting is so good!” Thank you!
This is my absolute favorite frosting recipe! I found it when looking for something light and not too sweet, because my stepkids are oddly picky about frosting (not fans of fondant, buttercream, or anything thick or very sweet). They LOVED it, and it’s so easy to make, so it’s now adopted as our forever frosting.
Would it be okay to sub maple syrup or honey for the confectioners sugar? We are trying not to do processed sugars yet for our toddler so was looking for something with a natural sweetener. Thank you!
Hi Karly, adding honey would be great! We would not reduce the confectioners’ sugar much, though– because it helps the frosting hold shape. It may be better to search for a recipe that doesn’t call for processed sugars.
Would it make a difference to sift the powdered sugar?
Hi Shelby, we don’t find it necessary here, but you certainly could if you find yours to be a bit clumpy.
Perfect
Could you recommend a way to boost the cream cheese flavor in this recipe, my client would like cream cheese frosting, but I’m afraid it’s too runny and soft for the application, which is a naked cake with a lot of frosting between the layers
Hi Sarah, we’d recommend using our cream cheese frosting instead—it is thick enough to use between cake layers and as an outer coat for a naked cake.
Great recipe! In summer it might be necessary to whip the cream by itself and then mix it in with the cream cheese/butter/sugar.
i just used this for a jello cake. The slight sweetness was a hit. The frosting did not overpower the cake and was much better than plan whipped cream as some were asking for.
I love this recipe SO MUCH! I use it to make boarders around my cheesecakes (your recipe too of course)! Always a hit every time and super easy directions.
Horrible. I could NOT get it to thicken. Followed the recipe to the T, even popped the whipping cream (HEAVY) into the freezer to be sure it was chilled. Creamed the 6 ounces of cream cheese till light and fluffy with the powdered sugar. Added the 1 &1/2 cups heavy whipping cream and beat on high for a very long time….7-10 minutes! It never got thicker than pancake batter and never peaked or got stiff….I threw it all away and went back to my standard butter cream. Something is ‘off’, maybe not enough powdered sugar? Don’t waste your time & money.
Hi Susan, thank you for your feedback. Is it warm or humid where you live at this time? I wonder if that had something to do with it. I was making swiss meringue buttercream yesterday (a humid and hot day) and it took nearly 60 minutes of mixing (on and off, I gave the mixer some breaks!) to reach stiff peaks. If you ever want to try this recipe again, more cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar can certainly help. And try mixing it for longer; it could simply be that it needs longer to incorporate more air.
I have experimented with making a no- or low-sugar version of this. I think it might work better to whip the heavy cream separately from the creamed butter/sweetener and mix together aftet. Also adding modified potato starch (2T?) can help. Full fat cream cheese and heavy, not light, cream are needed. It is n excellent combo fir frosting and especially great because you can lower the sugar to make it healthier. (Using more cream cheese might also help thicken.)
I fill a large bowl halfway with ice and place the mixing bowl in the ice bowl to help maintain that necessary low temperature. Then i add half of the amount of sugar to begin mixing until it starts to thicken and then add the other half of sugar to finish it up.
Can I add cacao in this recipe to make chocolate Frosting?
Thanks
Hi Jane, we haven’t tested a chocolate version, but let us know if you try anything. We’re sure adding some cocoa powder would be great place to start.
I’m so bummed! I was excited to use this recipe for my birthday cake today. I followed the ingredients and instructions carefully but I ended up with soup. It looked promising at first, but then I followed the instructions to keep whipping if it moved at all when shaking the bowl. Also got close to stiff peaks, but they kept flopping over when checked. So, I keep whipping and it curdled. So, I gently stirred in a tablespoon more cream and it got worse. Now I’ve wasted all the ingredients and I don’t have a cake for my birthday.
Hi Lisa! We would try adding more cream and stirring to bring it back together. This frosting is forgiving!
Will this recipe frost a 9×13 inch cake?
Hi Deb, this recipe yields about 4-5 cups of frosting, which is enough to frost a 9×13-inch cake.
Hello, I’m making a half sheet cake; so what would be my measurements to scale up from your recipe with enough to pipe around the cake? I calculated this: 2 bricks (8 oz.) cream cheese, 3 1/2 half cup of heavy whipping cream, 2 c. of confects, and abt 3 t. of vanilla. How close am I?
Hi Marcia, we’re unsure exactly how much you would need. Let us know how it goes!
Dear Sally
I live in Europe and it’s impossible to find cream cheese in brick. Do you have any suggestions for substitute? I can only find spreadable cream cheese
Hi Aga, In the U.S. block cream cheese is very different than the tubs and is the only cream cheese that will work for frosting. We have been told by readers outside the U.S. that cream cheese in a tub is different from ours and can work, but we have not tested it. Please let us know if you try!
You might try mascarpone.
I made this to go on my daughter’s birthday cake and we all loved it! I also live in Germany and we don’t have the block cream cheese, only the tubs. I used 8 oz of that and it still worked out beautifully. I didn’t have to alter the recipe at all. I have also made this recipe keto using a powdered sweetener and it was delicious on our keto cake! I will definitely be making this again. Thanks for a great recipe!
I love this recipe, but have a question about the cream cheese. Recipe says a “6 ounces full fat brick”, but it seems that all the standard brands of cream cheese are 8 oz. bricks. So, should the recipe be 6 or 8 oz of cream cheese??
Hi Shari, 6 oz of cream cheese is correct. You’ll have a 2 oz. from the brick leftover.
I actually just made this frosting and was not reading closely and used the whole 8 oz. brick of cream cheese – oops! BUT It still turned out fantastic and I’m the only one who knows. 🙂 That being said, I would stick with the 6 oz. going forward and have some left over for a bagel treat or to put on zucchini bread. Now I want to make that!
Hi I am going to make this recipe this weekend since I want a lighter cream filling. what should I add if I want to make a chocolate cream. Thank you
Hi Mil, we haven’t tested a chocolate version, but let us know if you try anything. We’re sure adding some cocoa powder would be great place to start.
I need to make this one day ahead and pipe it onto cupcakes right before the event. Can I store and pipe it straight from the refrigerator or let it sit at room temp for a while before piping? And approximately how many cupcakes would you say this recipe would cover?
Hi K! See the last step of the recipe for storage instructions and the recipe Notes for details on quantity!
Mine completely broke and turned soupy right before peaks. I tried added more cream per the recommendations but it never thickened up. Followed the recipe to the T.
Mine is broken and I don’t have the ingredients to remake! It was close to stuff peaks, then went back to soupy! HELP
Hi Kayla! See the end of step 2: 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.
Mine is doing this too… just feel back soupy… adding more cream is for lumpy.. but what about soupy?
How about adding some starch? We have something called ‘Sahnesteif’ in Germany. Main ingredients are icing sugar and potato starch. Found a recipe which calls for 1 tbsp of icing sugar and starch each. This is enough for 250 ml (about 1 cup) of cream. Whisk the dry ingredients thoroughly and then add them to the cream. Preferably, this shoud be done before whipping the cream. Since whipping cream in Germany contains mostly only 30% of fat, you may want to use more of that starch/sugar mixture.
Hope I could somewhat help.
Can this be made into a chocolate version?
Hi Mary, We haven’t tested a chocolate version, but let us know if you try anything. We’re sure adding some cocoa powder would be great place to start.
I enjoy this recipe as written if just spreading on a cake. However the best I could get was soft peaks and trying to pipe it was very sloppy. I tried first with 33% whip cream (commonly available in Canada). I then hunted down some 35% whipping cream (highest I could find). Still sloppy. Then I found a different but similar recipe that combines a higher proportion of cold cream cheese with granulated sugar until smooth, and then add the cold whip cream. It was still a smidge soft but you could pipe it and it was light and airy with a slight taste of cream cheese. I am going to try adding some meringue powder next to see if that gives a stiffer icing that maintains sharper edges for piping.
Yummy!!
This was absolutely delightful! I can’t wait to experiment with flavors.