Sweet, creamy and super easy to make, this frosting can be piped or spread. And I give you both options, as the ratio of ingredients vary a little.
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Warm flavors
Regular cream cheese frosting is a fantastic idea.
Adding cinnamon makes it warm and cozy, perfect for piping or spreading on cakes, cupcakes and other fall desserts.
It can be kept in the fridge for a week or in the freezer for a month.
We use it for the cinnamon cupcakes and the Mexican chocolate cake. But it also pairs wonderfully with pumpkin cakes, orange cinnamon rolls, or to make a Hummingbird cake with an extra dose of spice.
Pipe it on chocolate cupcakes, use it to fill or frost vanilla layer cakes or old-fashioned spice cakes.
Ingredient Notes
Quantities are listed on the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
- Cream cheese: full fat, regular cream cheese is needed for best results.
- Unsalted butter. If you want to use salted butter, go ahead. Omit the salt in the recipe.
- Cinnamon: use any ground cinnamon you love. I like to use Vietnamese ground cinnamon or this roasted cinnamon.
- Powdered sugar.
- Vanilla extract.
- Salt: optional, but it balances the sugar and deepens the flavor.
Steps to make it
Butter and cream cheese
Whip both at room temperature until very smooth and lump-free. It should be unctuous, like silky night cream.
I like to use a stand mixer because it's easier, but it can be made with an electric mixer and a mixing bowl or even by hand with some patience and arm muscle.
Powdered sugar
Add it in parts, ½ cup at a time, and sift it first for easier mixing.
Depending on where you are, it can be known as icing or confectioners' sugar.
Cinnamon
Add it at any point with the sugar and the vanilla. Taste and adjust to your liking.
The final texture is creamy, thick and the frosting is delicious!
Paula's Tips
Cream cheese frosting goes with everything. Well, almost.
- Cinnamon flavor: this is the moment to use your favorite, pungent ground cinnamon. I love this organic Vietnamese cinnamon. A dash of vanilla extract or paste and a pinch of salt are added to bring out the flavor.
- Room temperature ingredients: this is very important! Make sure the butter and cream cheese are soft and completely lump-free before adding the rest of the ingredients.
Decorating cupcakes
You can use a spatula and do it by hand, or use a piping bag with a simple tip. The latter is, for me, the easiest way to frost cupcakes.
Even if decorating is not your forte (it sure isn't mine!), it's pretty easy to frost these beauties.
- Piping bag: I use disposable large piping bags because they're fuss-free, and regular ones can be a pain to wash. I sometimes reuse disposable ones twice. If you have leftover frosting, you can keep the bag in the fridge for a week.
- Piping tips: There are two that I constantly reach for that are great (especially for beginners), the round tip and the star tip. You can buy a decorating piping tip set that includes the most common ones.
- To frost cupcakes, place the piping bag at the edge and squeeze as you circle it. When you're about to reach the beginning, move the tip towards the center and repeat.
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Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For piping:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar, or more if needed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla, optional
For spreading:
- ½ cup cream cheese, at room temperature
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt, optional
Instructions
- Beat cream cheese in a medium bowl with the softened unsalted butter until very creamy and no lumps remain.
- Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until you have a thick, very creamy consistency, good enough to spread.
- Add the ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt if using. Beat again until completely incorporated and smooth.
- It keeps well in the refrigerator for a few weeks. Beat again before using to attain a creamy consistency.
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