This raspberry cream cheese frosting is tangy, tart, and sweet, with a smooth and spreadable consistency. Make this easy frosting recipe in just 10 minutes using only 5 ingredients!
Why you’ll love this recipe:
If I had to pick a favorite frosting, cream cheese frosting would be at the top of the list! I seriously can’t get enough of it, which is why I don’t think I’ll ever stop creating new flavor variations.
Now that I have both lemon cream cheese frosting, a light and springy option, and chocolate cream cheese frosting, an indulgent and decadent choice, I’m thrilled to add cream cheese raspberry frosting to the mix!
- Flavor – Many versions of this frosting are made with fresh raspberries or jam. However, I believe freeze-dried raspberries are superior! They add just the right amount of fruity flavor without making the frosting overly sweet.
- Texture – Creamy, fluffy, and sturdy, this frosting is also thick enough to pipe.
- Versatile – Spread raspberry cream cheese frosting on everything from vanilla cupcakes to a classic white cake. The options are endless!
This frosting is so good that you’ll want to eat it with just a spoon!
Key Ingredient Notes:
- Freeze-dried raspberries – These berries have all their water content removed, making them light, crisp, and shelf-stable. When crushed, they add flavor and color to cream cheese frosting, without adding extra moisture.
- Cream cheese – For a smooth and creamy texture, use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese, softened to room temperature.
- Unsalted butter helps to stabilize the frosting, making it easier to pipe and spread.
- Powdered sugar sweetens the raspberry cream cheese frosting without making it overly sweet. Powdered sugar is key here because it mixes into a silky-smooth consistency.
- Kosher salt – A pinch of salt balances the sweetness for a well-rounded flavor!
How to make this raspberry frosting:
1. Prepare the raspberry powder
- Place the freeze-dried raspberries in a large plastic freezer bag, squeeze out the air, and seal the bag shut.
- Use a rolling pin to crush the raspberries into a fine powder.
- Sift the crushed raspberries through a fine mesh sieve, separating the powder from any seeds and large bits. Keep the powder, and discard the rest.
Sift the berries
While sifting the crushed raspberries is optional, I highly recommend it for a smoother frosting. After all, nobody enjoys having raspberry seeds stuck in their teeth!
2. Make the raspberry cream cheese frosting
Before you get started, fit your electric mixing bowl with the paddle attachment.
- Beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Add the powdered sugar, raspberry powder, and salt.
- Beat the mixture on low speed for 1 minute.
- Increase the speed to medium-high, and continue to beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Big batch
This is a big-batch recipe that makes up to 4 cups of frosting. That’s enough raspberry cream cheese frosting to frost up to 48 cupcakes or a 9-inch triple-layer cake!
Tips for Success:
- Bring the cream cheese to room temperature. This prevents the frosting from becoming lumpy and ensures a smooth and velvety texture.
- The butter should also be at room temperature. Room-temperature butter will leave a little dent when you press into it. If your finger sinks right through, your butter is too warm. Warm butter will result in a soupy, runny frosting.
- Don’t overbeat the frosting. Overbeating warms up the sugar, causing it to melt, which again, results in a runny frosting.
Make-Ahead Tips:
You can save some time on baking day by making cream cheese raspberry frosting in advance.
- Prepared frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Thaw frozen cream cheese frosting overnight in the fridge.
- Bring stored frosting to room temperature, and re-whip before using it.
Storing Tips:
- Store cream cheese raspberry frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Remember, cream cheese will spoil if left at room temperature for too long! Decorated cakes and cupcakes should also be stored in the fridge.
FAQs:
No, fresh raspberries will add too much moisture to this cream cheese frosting recipe. The added moisture would result in a soupy, loose frosting that doesn’t spread or pipe well.
Powdered sugar not only sweetens cream cheese frosting, but it thickens it as well. However, if you have runny frosting, I don’t recommend adding extra powdered sugar. Instead, try adding up to 1/2 cup of cornstarch. Cornstarch helps to soak up excess moisture, without changing the flavor of the frosting.
A traditional American buttercream recipe is made using just butter and powdered sugar. On the other hand, cream cheese frosting contains butter, powdered sugar, and cream cheese. Both types of frosting are smooth, fluffy, pipable, and easy to whip up. Which one you choose is up to you!
More Frosting Recipes:
Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 0.53 oz (15 g) freeze-dried raspberries
- 16 oz (450 g) cream cheese at room temperature, Note 1
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 5 cups (520 g) powdered sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
To prepare the raspberry powder:
- Place the freeze-dried raspberries in a freezer bag and crush them with a rolling pin until fine powder.0.53 oz freeze-dried raspberries
- Sift the crush raspberries through a fine mesh sieve and discard the seeds and large bits.
To make the frosting:
- In a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 1 minute.16 oz cream cheese, ½ cup unsalted butter
- Add powdered sugar, raspberry powder, and salt. Beat on low speed for a minute. Then increase the speed to medium-high and continue to beat until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes.5 cups powdered sugar, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Tips & Notes
Sifting the crushed raspberries is optional. But I recommend it for smoother frosting.
Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature to prevent lumpy texture. Storing Tips:
– Keep cream cheese frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
– Freeze leftover frosting for up to 3 months.
– Thaw frozen frosting in the fridge overnight. Then, whip it until smooth and fluffy again.
– Any cakes or cupcakes frosted with cream cheese frosting will also need to be refrigerated!
Nutrition
