Grab your favorite cake or cupcake recipe and top it with this lightly sweet, super creamy Vanilla Whipped Cream Frosting. With only four-ingredients, it’s light and fluffy like whipped cream but holds its shape and can be piped like cream cheese frosting. 

Now that our family has this super simple, weeknight-friendly Vanilla Snack Cake in the rotation, we needed a vanilla frosting to go on top. Most vanilla frosting recipes I found made way too much for this snack-sized cake, so I wanted a go-to version that would make just enough frosting for an 8×8 cake or a dozen cupcakes. (This is especially important since extra frosting mysteriously finds its way into my mouth.)

This version of vanilla frosting is much lighter than buttercream. It has a light but sturdy texture that makes it easy to spread and can be made a day in advance and just left at room temperature to cool down before using it.

Here’s how to make my favorite Whipped Cream Frosting!

Ingredients

• Cream Cheese – Be sure to get the cream cheese that comes in a block, not the kind in a tub that has a different texture and won’t work in this recipe. Be sure to let it soften to room temperature. The flavor of the cream cheese is subtle in this frosting, but it helps the frosting to be sturdy and hold its shape. Light or Low-fat Cream Cheese will work here.
• Powdered Sugar – This frosting uses just enough powdered sugar to lend the frosting a bit (but not too much) sweetness. Powdered sugar is sometimes also labeled “icing” or “confectioners” sugar.
• Heavy / Whipping Cream – Look for this labeled as either heavy cream or whipping cream. Be sure to keep this chilled right up until you add it to the frosting. This gives the frosting its light and fluffy texture reminiscent of whipped cream.
• Pure Vanilla Extract – A bit of pure vanilla extract gives it vanilla flavor. Even without this, the frosting still has great flavor.

How to Make Vanilla Frosting Ahead

This frosting can be made up to a day ahead. Just transfer it to any container and cover with plastic wrap, pressing down to seal the top of the frosting. When you’re ready to use it, take it out of the refrigerator about an hour before using. Let it come close to room temperature and then give it a few really good stirs with a spatula before spreading it on the cake / cupcakes.

FAQs

Other Snacking Cakes and Frosting Recipes

• One Bowl Chocolate Cake 
• Easy Vanilla Snack Cake
• Creamy Chocolate Frosting (for an 8×8 cake) 
• Applesauce Cake 
• Smash Cake – If you have any young people in your life that are about to turn one, this sweet little cake is the perfect thing for “smashing” into on their first birthday.

Favorite Tools

• Mixer – Use a stand mixer or a handheld mixer for this frosting.
• Anchor 3-Piece Glass Mixing Bowls – My go-to mixing bowls for baking.