Magical Cream Cheese Frosting
A magical take on cream cheese frosting! A hybrid of magical (ermine/flour) frosting & cream cheese frosting, this recipe is firm, pipeable, & more stable.
*This post originally published on September 9, 2013. I thought it was due for an update! So, I’ve included new photos, added a how-to video, and given some more detailed instructions and tips for success. Hopefully you’ll enjoy this cream cheese frosting as much I do!*
I am always on the lookout for new frostings to try. There are so many different ways you can top your cakes and cupcakes, from American style buttercream to Swiss Meringue Buttercream to Seven Minute Frosting, I’ve tried (and loved!) them all!
So when I first heard about Magical Frosting (aka: ermine frosting, cooked flour buttercream, or boiled milk icing), I wasted no time trying it out.
It’s really good! Very fluffy, and smooth. I liked it a lot!
But the one thing that really struck me about Magical Frosting was how well it held up. It really holds its shape, doesn’t weep or slump or get all melty. It got my wheels turning…
I love a good cream cheese frosting. There are so many things that just require it. Red Velvet. Carrot cake. Lemon Cupcakes. But a lot of times, it can be a little loose and gloopy.
So naturally, I set out to try and make a Magical Cream Cheese Frosting. And guess what? It worked.
WHAT IS MAGICAL CREAM CHEESE FROSTING?
Magical cream cheese frosting is basically just a hybrid of magical frosting (aka: ermine frosting) and regular cream cheese frosting. It’s made with no powdered sugar. Instead, you cook a sweet, thickened milk mixture and then whip cream cheese and butter into that.
WHAT DOES MAGICAL CREAM CHEESE FROSTING TASTE LIKE?
This frosting has a really pronounced cream cheese flavor. It’s really tangy and just sweet enough.
But the magic is in the texture. It’s super fluffy and smooth. Because it’s made without powdered sugar, there’s no grittiness whatsoever. It’s light as a cloud and so silky!
HOW TO MAKE MAGICAL CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
To make this unique icing, start by cooking up your roux.
In a small pot, whisk sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt together until combined. Then, slowly dribble in the milk, while whisking. It’s important to go slow for this step, so you don’t end up with a lumpy roux!
Cook this mixture until it starts to bubble and thicken. Just be sure to whisk continuously, so it heats evenly. Again, you don’t want lumps! As soon as it comes to a bubble you’ll see it transform into a really thick, almost gluey mixture.
Strain the roux into a heat-safe container, and pop it into the fridge to chill. It needs to be cold before the next step.
Once you have it good and cold, add the lemon juice and vanilla extract. Whip the mixture on medium-high speed, adding the cream cheese just a tablespoon at a time. Let each tablespoon of cream cheese become completely incorporated before you add the next one.
When all the cream cheese has been added, do the same thing with the butter. One tablespoon at a time, until your buttercream is smooth and fluffy.
The final step is to crank up the mixer to high, and whip that frosting until it’s super light and airy. You’ll see the icing nearly double in volume, right before your eyes!
WHAT KIND OF CREAM CHEESE SHOULD BE USED FOR THIS FROSTING?
I recommend using the highest quality, lowest moisture-content cream cheese you can get your hands on. The higher the moisture content, the harder it will be for this buttercream to hold its shape.
That’s why I only use the kind of cream cheese that comes in a brick.
If you can only get tub cream cheese where you live, by all means give it a try if you like. But I can’t guarantee that you’ll have exactly the same result.
IS THIS CREAM CHEESE FROSTING PIPEABLE?
As you can see in the video below, this magical cream cheese frosting is totally pipeable! It pipes like a dream, and holds its shape very well.
It’s a little stiffer when it’s cool, so if you’re working with it on a very hot day, you might want to chill it beforehand.
DOES THIS FROSTING CRUST OVER?
Because it does not contain any powdered sugar, this frosting will not crust like a classic cream cheese frosting would. It does however become a little drier on the surface, as it sits exposed to air. So it’s not completely soft on the outside either.
CAN THIS FROSTING BE TINTED?
You can tint this frosting if you’d like! I would recommend using gel paste icing colors. They are highly concentrated so you only need a tiny bit, and they won’t add a lot of excess liquid to your cream cheese frosting.
HOW MUCH FROSTING DOES THIS RECIPE MAKE?
This recipe makes about 3 cups of frosting, which is enough to top 24 cupcakes, to frost and fill one 6-inch diameter triple-layer cake, one 8-inch diameter double-layer cake, or, if you stretch it, one 9-inch diameter double-layer cake.
You can double or halve this recipe no problem, if you need less or more.
CAN MAGICAL CREAM CHEESE FROSTING GO UNDER FONDANT?
You can definitely use this cream cheese icing as a base under fondant. It holds its shape best when cool, so it’s a good idea to chill the frosted cake prior to covering it with fondant, so it stays nice and smooth under all that handling.
CAN THIS FROSTING BE MADE AHEAD?
It’s a good idea to plan ahead if you want to make this frosting recipe. You need to allow plenty of time for the roux to chill before adding in the cream cheese and butter.
Once made, you can store the frosting in the fridge for several days, up to a week. When you’re ready to use it, it may seem a little less airy or workable from sitting in the fridge so long. It can settle and become compacted over time, but if you pop it into the mixer and fluff it back up- it works like a charm!
DOES MAGICAL CREAM CHEESE FROSTING NEED TO BE REFRIGERATED?
This frosting can sit out at room temperature for a few hours, but anything longer than that and it should probably go in the fridge. It should last for a least a week refrigerated, maybe even a little longer!
TROUBLESHOOTING: WHY IS MY MAGICAL CREAM CHEESE FROSTING RUNNY?
It’s all about the temperature with cooked frostings like this one. Here are some important things to remember:
- Make sure the roux is fully chilled before mixing in the other ingredients. If it’s still too warm, it will melt the cream cheese and butter.
- Your cream cheese should be softened, but still cool.
- Your butter should also be soft but cool. If it’s too melty your frosting could come out soupy. Just leave it out on the counter for about 30 minutes, and it should be just right.
- Use cream cheese with the lowest moisture content you can find. I mentioned this above, but it bears repeating. Whipped cream cheese, or cream cheese in a tub, is much softer than the kind in a brick. That soft, loose quality will translate into your cream cheese frosting. So use a stiffer cream cheese, and you’ll end up with a stiffer frosting.
- If you’ve goofed up on the temperatures and you find yourself with runny cream cheese frosting, all is not lost! Just put everything into the fridge for about 20 minutes, then re-whip. You should see it come together pretty quickly!
Awesome, tangy, cream cheese flavor, with a whisper of vanilla and a hint of lemon, and so stable to boot! This frosting pipes like a dream and has a super fluffy texture. You’re going to love it!
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Magical Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened but still cool
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened but still cool
Instructions
- Place the sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt in a small pot and whisk to combine.
- Gradually whisk in the milk, ensuring there are no lumps.
- Place over medium-low heat and cook, stirring often, until thickened.
- Pass the mixture through a fine mesh strainer, and into a heat-safe container.
- Refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Place the cooled mixture in a large mixing bowl, along with the lemon juice and vanilla, and whip on medium-high speed.
- Whip in the cream cheese, a tablespoon at a time, allowing each addition to fully incorporate before adding the next.
- Whip in the butter, a tablespoon at a time, allowing each addition to fully incorporate before adding the next.
- Turn the mixer up to high speed, and continue to whip until very fluffy.
This recipe was a total failure. It would not whip up. I made sure my “roux” was chilled in the fridge for over two hours. I whipped in the cream cheese & butter. However, it never whipped up . I then tried to recover the soupy mess and put it in the fridge for over 20 minutes and it still wouldn’t whip up. I am so upset that I waisted ingredients. I really wanted this to work.
Hi! I want to use this to make a brightly colored frosting, How well does it take on color? I’m a little bit nervous because I’ve had other frostings reject the color, even the gel variety.
Hey there! Please have a look at the info under the heading “CAN THIS FROSTING BE TINTED.” It should take on the color as well as any other buttercream or cream cheese frosting. Good luck and I hope that helps!
I think this may be the Cream Cheese Frosting I have been looking for. I want one that I can pipe shells, garlands, and string with. I look forward to trying this. Thank you.
I love this recipe however the instructions need edited. I recommend whipping the cream cheese and butter together then slowly adding the roux to it. Also if the roux is too cold it will cause your butter and cream cheese to stiffen and it will not go well. You want all your ingredients around the same temperature when you are mixing them together.
LOVE IT! THANKS FOR SHARING!
Sounds amazing! I was just wondering if you could use all cornflour or a gluten free flour for this? Would be great for coeliacs if so?!?
I haven’t tried it myself but I think it should work! Good luck!
Excited to try this recipe. Can we add cocoa powder or drinking chocolate powder to make chocolate frosting?
I haven’t tried that so I can’t say for sure, but I would imagine that cocoa powder would work best since it doesn’t contain any additional sugar. Good luck!
Awful. Like three hours of work for soup. Something went horribly wrong and honestly it’s way too much effort to try it again.
Hi, I was wondering whether this frosting will harden when put into the fridge?
Hey there! It does get harder when it’s cold, bc of the butter in it, but it doesn’t form a dry crust like a powdered sugar buttercream would.
I thought it would be more firm with a more flavorful taste. The cooked mixture was cooled in the fridge 3 hours. I beat on the highest speed up to 10 minutes and it was not what I was looking for. I could pipe it, but then it collapsed. Any suggestions?
Thank you so much, for your magical frosting, genius!! Ihave never made creamcheese frosting before & made this for the first time for my son’s 2nd birthday, and everyone was asking for this frosting recipe!! I doubled the measurement, but used sugar 1.5 cup. This recipe is a keeper for sure. ❤️❤️ All i want to know is that, how long this frosting will stay during hot humid summer (temperature around 32-35°C) of Bangladesh? Is there anything I can do to stable THIS frosting?
Hello! Thank you for sharing your recipes.
I’d like to know the time that the roux needs to be cooked. I was just cooking mine but didn’t know when to stop cooking it. Mine looks a bit darker than yours and I don’t know if that is still ok.
Thanks!
Hey there! You shouldn’t have to cook it very long- maybe a minute or two? Just enough to make sure there aren’t any lumps and the “raw” taste is gone. Once you add the milk, you’ll want to cook that until it’s very thick. It won’t begin to thicken until it reaches a simmer. It should become very thick and almost gluey before you remove it from the heat. Hope that’s helpful!