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This Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting requires just six ingredients and delivers the most deliciously smooth and creamy chocolate frosting for your cakes or cupcakes.
The cream cheese adds a subtle tang that complements and balances the sweet chocolate flavours. It really is so good that you could eat it by the spoonful!

Ingredients for Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
To make this frosting you need:
- cream cheese (I use the Philadelphia brand)
- butter
- icing sugar (you might know this as confectioners’ sugar/powdered sugar)
- vanilla extract
- cocoa
- milk.
Ingredient quantities can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Note that this recipe makes enough frosting to generously ice a 20-25cm round cake or 12 cupcakes.

Making Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Start by beating the cream cheese and butter together on high speed in a stand mixer (or handheld electric mixer) for 3 minutes.
Sift the icing sugar and cocoa together.
Add sifted icing sugar and cocoa to the cream cheese and butter mix gradually, mixing on low speed until combined.
Next, add the vanilla and milk and then increase speed to high. Continue beating for 3 minutes or until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.


Use a spatula to cover your completely cooled cake or cupcakes in frosting.
Alternatively, use a piping bag and nozzle to frost your cake or cupcakes.
Tips for making Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
To ensure the smoothest and creamiest frosting, remember:
- let the cream cheese and butter stand out of the fridge for a bout half an hour before starting to make the frosting
- make sure you use the cream cheese block that’s stored in the fridge as opposed to cream cheese spread
- don’t skip the sifting step for the icing sugar and cocoa
- scrape the bowl down with a spatula to ensure all ingredients are combined.
What tastes great with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting?
If you’re looking for cakes that go well with this frosting, try these recipes:

More frosting and icing recipes
You can find more lovely frosting and icing recipes here.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 250 grams cream cheese (the block that's stored in the fridge as opposed to cream cheese spread)
- 90 grams butter
- 2 1/2 cups icing sugar (confectioners' sugar/powdered sugar)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup cocoa
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Beat cream cheese and butter together on high speed for 3 minutes.
- Add sifted icing sugar and cocoa gradually, mixing on low speed until combined. Add vanilla and milk and then increase speed to high and continuing to beat for 3 minutes or until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
- Use a spatula to cover your completely cooled cake or cupcakes in frosting. Alternatively, use a piping bag and nozzle to frost your cake or cupcakes.
Notes
- let the cream cheese and butter stand out of the fridge for a bout half an hour before starting to make the frosting
- make sure you use the cream cheese block that’s stored in the fridge as opposed to cream cheese spread
- don’t skip the sifting step for the icing sugar and cocoa
- scrape the bowl down with a spatula to ensure all ingredients are combined.