Looking for the best cream cheese frosting recipe without leftovers? Your search ends here with this Small Batch Cream Cheese Frosting! Makes enough to frost 6 cupcakes or one 6 inch cake.
If you’ve been baking for as long as I have, then you know cream cheese frosting is a classic for most cakes. I’ve been making this recipe for years and have used it on carrot cake, strawberry cake, pumpkin cake, and more.
Because I do small batch baking, usually I don’t use as much frosting. Most of the time I end up throwing half of it away. Who wants to waste all of that butter and sugar?
That’s why I’m sharing my Small Batch Cream Cheese Frosting recipe. It makes enough to cover a small 6 inch cake or pipe onto half dozen cupcakes.
When I post a recipe for small batch frosting on its own, you know that means a new cake recipe is coming up soon. If you’ve been watching my stories on Instagram, then you know what it is. If not, it’s based on a certain fruit being in season. Stay tuned later this week for the answer!
The yield for this frosting recipe will range depending on what you’re making:
- If you’re piping cupcakes, you can frost between 6-8 cupcakes, depending on how tall you make the swirls.
- If you’re frosting cupcakes with an offset spatula, you can frost 1 dozen cupcakes because you typically don’t use as much as you would piping.
- If you’re frosting a 6 inch cake, you can frost the top and edges with about a spoonful or two left over, depending on how thick you like it.
- If you’re frosting an 8 inch cake, you can still frost the top and edges. Depending on how thick you like your frosting, you may or may not have some leftover.
- If you’re frosting a small two layer cake, you can frost the middle and top. Frosting the edges will depend on how much you’ve used so far. You can always leave it as a naked cake with the edges showing.
What you’re making will also determine how much powdered sugar you should use. I found 1/2 cup sufficient enough to spread onto a cake. However, if you’re piping onto cupcakes, you may want to add a little more to stiffen it up.
Sometimes if the frosting gets too warm especially during the summer, you can refrigerate it for about 15 minutes or until it starts to firm up again. If I’m piping cupcakes, I find transferring the frosting to the piping bag then refrigerating the bag to be the easiest method.
Other Small Batch Frosting Recipes:
Yields Enough to frost 6 piped cupcakes or a 6 inch cake
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1/4 cup (2 ounces or 4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese for 30 seconds or until combined then add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and salt. Beat until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. If the frosting is too thin to pipe for cupcakes, add up to an additional 1/2 cup powdered sugar.
- Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. If the frosting is too soft to pipe right away, refrigerate in 15 minute increments until piping consistency.
Notes
The yield for this frosting recipe will vary depending on what you’re making:
If you’re piping cupcakes, you can frost between 6-8 cupcakes, depending on how tall you make the swirls.
If you’re frosting cupcakes with an offset spatula, you can frost 1 dozen cupcakes because you typically don’t use as much as you would piping.
If you’re frosting a 6 inch cake, you can frost the top and edges with about a spoonful or two left over, depending on how thick you like it.
If you’re frosting an 8 inch cake, you can still frost the top and edges. Depending on how thick you like your frosting, you may or may not have some leftover.
If you’re frosting a small two layer cake, you can frost the middle and top. Frosting the edges will depend on how much you’ve used so far. You can always leave it as a naked cake with the edges showing.
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