Food Recipes Desserts Chocolate–Cream Cheese Frosting 4.5 (2) 3 Reviews This frosting is delicious, and it spreads beautifully thanks to the cream cheese, which lends an ultra-smooth finish to your cake. As a bonus, the tartness of the cream cheese cuts straight through the rich sweetness of the cake in the most delightful way. Beat down the frosting with a wooden spoon before spreading on your cake to knock out any extra air bubbles. This frosting would also be great with cupcakes or on a classic yellow cake. By Anna Theoktisto Anna Theoktisto Anna Theoktisto is a recipe tester and developer. Anna has been working in Dotdash Meredith test kitchens since 2017, and her recipes and writing have appeared in over 10 nationally distributed print publications, as well as on various digital platforms. When not in the kitchen, Anna enjoys hiking with her son, husband, and two dogs, and fostering puppies for a local animal rescue group. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on July 20, 2023 Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Recipes published by Food & Wine are rigorously tested by the culinary professionals at the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in order to empower home cooks to enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing meals they will love. Our expert culinary team tests and retests each recipe using equipment and ingredients found in home kitchens to ensure that every recipe is delicious and works for cooks at home every single time. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Greg Dupree Active Time: 5 mins Total Time: 5 mins Yield: 8 cups Ingredients 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1 cup unsalted butter (8 ounces), softened 2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 (32-ounce) package powdered sugar 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa Pinch of kosher salt Directions Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium bowl. Gradually add to cream cheese mixture, beating on low speed just until blended after each addition. Increase speed to medium, and beat until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Rate It Print