Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Prepare Mixing Bowl

If you live in a warm climate or your kitchen is particularly warm, you might want to start by refrigerating your mixing bowl and sugar. This helps to keep everything cool and ensures that the ingredients come together smoothly.

2. Combine Initial Ingredients

Begin by combining the sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and kosher salt in your stand mixer with the whisk attachment or a hand mixer. Mix these ingredients on medium-low speed for about two minutes until the sugar is fully dissolved into the cream.

3. Thicken Cream Mixture

Now, increase the mixer speed to high and continue beating the cream mixture for another two minutes. You're looking for the cream to thicken to the consistency of Greek yogurt, which means it’s properly aerated.

4. Add Cream Cheese

Next, add the cold cream cheese to the cream mixture, two tablespoons at a time. Do this over a span of 30 seconds, but don't worry if the frosting looks a bit curdled like cottage cheese at this stage—it’s perfectly normal.

5. Finish Frosting

To finish, scrape down the sides of the bowl and the whisk, then continue whipping on high speed for another 2-3 minutes if using a stand mixer, or a bit longer if using a hand mixer. The frosting should become smooth and light, with maybe a few tiny flecks of cream cheese visible. The final mixture should feel cool to the touch, around 60°F (16°C).