Have you ever been in the middle of baking something absolutely delicious, like a warm pan of cinnamon rolls or a fresh carrot cake, only to reach into your pantry and realize you’re completely out of powdered sugar? It’s that sinking feeling that your beautiful dessert is doomed to be naked and incomplete. It is a true baker’s nightmare scenario.
What if I told you there was a brilliant, two-ingredient baking hack that could completely save the day? A magical recipe that creates a perfectly creamy, tangy, and sweet frosting without a single grain of powdered sugar. It sounds completely impossible, but it’s a true game-changer.
Today, we are making this incredible 2-Ingredient Cream Cheese Frosting. This simple trick uses a surprise ingredient from your pantry to create a luscious, smooth, and delicious topping in just a matter of minutes. Get ready to have your new favorite frosting hack in your back pocket forever.
The Ultimate Baking Shortcut: Easy Cream Cheese Frosting
This Easy Cream Cheese Frosting is the ultimate baking shortcut. It eliminates the need for measuring out powdered sugar and creates a perfectly smooth and creamy frosting with just two simple ingredients. This foolproof method guarantees a delicious, tangy, and sweet topping every single time you make it.
A Perfect Simple Baking Hack for Quick Dessert Toppings
You will find that this is the perfect simple baking hack. It is a lifesaver for those moments when you are out of powdered sugar but still want a delicious, homemade frosting. This is also one of the absolute best quick dessert toppings, as it comes together in less than five minutes with minimal effort.
Your Guide: What Can I Use Instead of Powdered Sugar for Frosting?
For anyone wondering what can I use instead of powdered sugar for frosting, the secret weapon for this recipe is a can of sweetened condensed milk. Sweetened condensed milk is milk that has had most of its water removed and sugar added, which results in a very thick, sweet, and syrupy liquid. When this is whipped together with softened cream cheese, it provides all the sweetness and the smooth, creamy consistency needed for a perfect frosting, completely eliminating the need for any powdered sugar at all.
Why You’ll Love This 2-Ingredient Cream Cheese Frosting
You are going to love this recipe because it is an absolute lifesaver that allows you to make a delicious frosting, even when you’re out of powdered sugar. You’ll also adore the wonderfully creamy, smooth, and tangy flavor that is the perfect topping for cinnamon rolls, cakes, and so much more. Plus, it’s a completely foolproof and unbelievably easy recipe that comes together in less than five minutes.
Nutritional Benefits
This simple frosting is a wonderful homemade topping for your favorite baked goods. The cream cheese provides a little bit of protein and calcium. By making your frosting at home with just two simple ingredients, you know exactly what is in your delicious treat.
Full Recipe
Are you ready to discover the magic of the easiest and fastest frosting you will ever make? This detailed guide will walk you through the unbelievably simple process for creating this delicious and creamy two-ingredient wonder. Get ready to master a new go-to frosting that will save the day.
No powdered sugar? No problem! This super simple 2-ingredient frosting is creamy, tangy, and the perfect topping for your quick cinnamon rolls. Get the frosting hack that will save your dessert.
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 5 minutes | Yield: 1.5 cups (enough for 12 cinnamon rolls or a 9×13 cake) | Category: Frosting, Icing | Method: Mixing | Cuisine: American | Diet: N/A
Essential Ingredients for 2-Ingredient Cream Cheese Frosting
This magical and easy frosting comes together with just two simple pantry staples.
- Cream Cheese: 1 block (8 oz / 225g) of cream cheese, softened
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: ½ cup of sweetened condensed milk
Ingredients Notes
A little more detail on our key ingredients will ensure your frosting is a spectacular success.
- The Cream Cheese: For the absolute creamiest and smoothest frosting with no lumps, it is essential that you use a block-style, full-fat cream cheese. It is also a non-negotiable step that it must be fully softened to room temperature. Cold cream cheese will not whip into a smooth consistency and will leave you with a lumpy frosting.
- The Sweetened Condensed Milk: This is our secret, all-in-one ingredient that provides both the sweetness and the smooth, liquid element for our frosting. It is very important that you use “sweetened condensed milk,” not “evaporated milk,” as they are two very different products. A good quality, full-fat sweetened condensed milk will provide the best, richest flavor.
How to Make a Frosting Hack
Let’s walk through the incredibly simple steps to create this “dessert-saving” frosting.
- Step 1: Prepare Your Cream Cheese. Place your block of fully softened cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl.
- Step 2: Whip the Cream Cheese. Use an electric hand mixer to beat the cream cheese on a medium speed for about 1 to 2 minutes. You want the cream cheese to be completely smooth, creamy, and free of any lumps before you add your next ingredient.
- Step 3: Add the Sweetened Condensed Milk. Pour the sweetened condensed milk into the bowl with the whipped cream cheese.
- Step 4: Whip to Perfection. Continue to beat the mixture on a medium speed for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the sweetened condensed milk is fully incorporated and the frosting is light, smooth, and creamy.
- Step 5: Use Immediately. Your delicious, two-ingredient cream cheese frosting is now ready to be spread on your favorite warm cinnamon rolls, cooled cakes, or cupcakes.
Storage Options
This easy cream cheese frosting stores beautifully. You can store any leftover frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. The frosting will firm up considerably in the cold, so you will want to let it sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes and give it a quick whip with your mixer to make it smooth and spreadable again.
Variations and Substitutions
This incredibly simple two-ingredient recipe is the perfect blank canvas for your own creative additions. For a classic vanilla flavor, you can beat in about a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract at the end. For a bright, citrusy frosting that is perfect for a carrot cake, you can add the zest of one orange or lemon. For a delicious chocolate cream cheese frosting, you can beat in about a quarter cup of unsweetened cocoa powder along with the other ingredients.
Practical & Valuable Tips
For the absolute best and smoothest result, it is highly recommended to use an electric hand mixer for this recipe; it is the key to a light and airy texture. The most important tip is to make sure your cream cheese is completely softened to room temperature before you begin, as this is the secret to a lump-free frosting. Finally, if you find your frosting is a little too thin for your liking, you can simply place it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to allow it to firm up before you use it.
Frequently Asked Questions
- I don’t have an electric mixer. Can I make this by hand? You can, but it will require a lot of arm power! You will need to make sure your cream cheese is very, very soft. Use a sturdy whisk or a spatula to beat the cream cheese against the side of the bowl until it is completely smooth before you vigorously whisk in the sweetened condensed milk.
- Is this frosting very sweet? This frosting has a wonderful balance of sweet and tangy. The sweetened condensed milk provides the sweetness, while the cream cheese provides a classic, tangy flavor. It is generally considered to be less overpoweringly sweet than a traditional powdered sugar buttercream.
- Can I use low-fat cream cheese for this recipe? It is not recommended to use a low-fat or a whipped cream cheese for this recipe. The full-fat, block-style cream cheese is what provides the best, richest flavor and the most stable, creamy texture.
- Can I add food coloring to this frosting? Yes, absolutely! This white frosting is a perfect base for any color. It is best to use a gel food coloring, and you would simply beat it in, one drop at a time, at the very end of the mixing process until you have reached your desired shade.
- What are the best desserts to use this frosting on? This tangy and sweet frosting is absolutely perfect for spreading over warm, gooey cinnamon rolls. It is also a fantastic frosting for a classic red velvet cake, a spiced carrot cake, or a simple batch of vanilla or chocolate cupcakes.
Conclusion
This 2-Ingredient Cream Cheese Frosting is the ultimate baking hack for a delicious, quick, and incredibly easy dessert topping. It’s a recipe that proves you can create something wonderfully creamy and flavourful with just a couple of simple pantry staples. It is a foolproof, surprisingly delicious frosting that is guaranteed to save the day when you are in a pinch. This simple trick will save your dessert. If you love this easy and delicious recipe, don’t forget to share it and save it to your favorite baking tips board on Pinterest!
Leave a Comment