For a 9×13 cake you need about 3 cups of cream cheese icing: 8 ounces of cream cheese, 1/2 cup of butter, 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and a pinch of salt. That covers the top of a 9×13 sheet cake with a generous, swoopy layer. If you want to frost the sides too, or you like it thick, make one and a half times the recipe.
This is the classic icing for carrot cake, red velvet, banana cake, hummingbird cake and pumpkin bars, all of which are usually baked in a 9×13 pan.
How Much Icing a 9×13 Cake Needs
| What you are frosting | Icing needed | Recipe amount |
|---|---|---|
| Top of a 9×13 cake, in the pan | About 3 cups | 1x recipe |
| Top and sides of a 9×13 cake, out of the pan | About 4 1/2 cups | 1 1/2x recipe |
| Thin glaze-style layer on bars | About 2 cups | 2/3 of the recipe |
| Two 9-inch layers (filling, top, sides) | About 4 1/2 cups | 1 1/2x recipe |
| 12 cupcakes | About 2 1/2 to 3 cups | 1x recipe |
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (225 g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 1/2 cups (420 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1 to 2 teaspoons milk, only if needed
Instructions
- Soften. Leave the cream cheese and butter out for about 1 hour, until soft but still cool (around 65°F). Too warm and the icing turns runny.
- Beat the butter and cream cheese. Beat them together on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until completely smooth with no lumps.
- Add the sugar. On low speed, add the powdered sugar a cup at a time, then the vanilla and salt.
- Whip briefly. Beat on medium-high for 1 minute until light. Do not overbeat; long beating warms and thins cream cheese icing.
- Adjust. If it is too stiff to spread, add milk a teaspoon at a time. If it is too soft, chill it for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Frost. Spread it over a completely cooled 9×13 cake with an offset spatula.
Cook and Prep Times
- Softening: 1 hour
- Prep: 10 minutes
- Makes about 3 cups, enough for the top of a 9×13 cake
Fixing Runny Cream Cheese Icing
- Use block cream cheese, not the spreadable kind sold in tubs; tub cream cheese has more water.
- Keep the ingredients cool. Warm butter is the most common reason the icing will not hold.
- Chill before adding more sugar. More sugar makes it sweeter and only slightly thicker; chilling firms it without changing the flavour.
Variations
- Less sweet: use 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar and chill before using.
- Brown butter: brown the butter, chill it until solid again, then proceed.
- Lemon or orange: add 1 teaspoon of finely grated zest.
- Cinnamon: add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon for carrot or pumpkin cake.
Storage
A cake with cream cheese icing should be covered and refrigerated after about 2 hours at room temperature, and keeps for up to 5 days in the fridge. Leftover icing keeps for 1 week refrigerated or 2 months frozen; bring it to room temperature and beat briefly before using.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I frost a warm cake? No. The icing melts on a warm cake. Cool it completely first.
- Can I use reduced-fat cream cheese? It works but makes a softer icing; chill before spreading.
- Can I pipe this icing? Yes. Chill it for 20 minutes first so it holds its shape.
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