This homemade Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting is a super easy and delicious raspberry jam buttercream, ready in just 15 minutes. With the perfect balance of tangy whipped cream cheese, tart raspberries, and some sweet sugar, this raspberry frosting is the perfect pink finish for any cake or cupcake you bake up!
Jump to:
- Raspberry Frosting (with Jam!)
- Ingredient Tips for Better Baking
- Special Tools You'll Need
- How to Make Raspberry Frosting
- Orange or Lemon Raspberry Frosting
- Recipes to Pair with This Raspberry Frosting
- Troubleshooting Cream Cheese Frosting
- More Tips + FAQs
- Other Cake and Frosting Recipes You'll Love
- 📖 Full Recipe
- Comments
Raspberry Frosting (with Jam!)
So I know what you're probably thinking, isn't it always better to use fresh fruit in your recipes?
While in many cases I would answer "yes that's true," when it comes to frostings like this cream cheese raspberry jam buttercream in particular, fresh fruit isn't always the best.
Making a cream cheese frosting raspberry flavored can be done one of 3 ways - fresh fruit, dried raspberry powder, or jam.
- Fresh fruit: you'll find varying levels of water content in the berries. This means your frosting could separate and the texture will be unpredictable, and possibly too loose.
- Dried fruit powder: using powder you will have a predictable texture. However, I find that you often can get an unpleasant, almost-acidic flavor. It also can be expensive to get enough powder to flavor up a full batch of frosting.
- Raspberry jam: a jam-based raspberry frosting will have a much more stable, and predictable texture. Jam frostings can be made ahead of time thanks to that stability, and overall they tend to be a much better option for pretty piping as they're nice and thick, but also don't have any large berry chunk to clog up your piping tip. Jammy frostings also give you a concentrated flavor using less than a single jar, and they can handle a whipped prep too so your frosting is thick enough to work with, but still fluffy.
Ingredient Tips for Better Baking
(Pssst…if you're ready to just get baking, get all the details in the recipe card below!)
- Cream Cheese: use full fat, Philadelphia brand. Their level of gums (stabilizers) and texture is consistent and will yield the same, dependable (very tasty) results each time. They're my go to for all my whipped cream cheese frostings.
- Butter: I love cream cheese frosting as much as the next gal, but some recipes I find are just too heavy and almost feel like you're eating straight cream cheese on your cake. This recipe cuts the cream cheese down by using some butter as well. This not only adds a more complex flavor profile (because really, who doesn't love buttercream?!), but it also allows us to have a lighter texture and flavor. But don't worry - there is still plenty of cream cheese in there to satisfy your cravings for a sweet and cheesy tang.
- Raspberry Jam: of course the raspberries are the star of the show here, so we want a really flavorful, clean tasting raspberry jam. If you have time, I highly recommend cooking up a batch of my Homemade French Raspberry Jam, but if not, just go for a high quality jam you can grab at the grocery store.
- Vanilla Extract: while vanilla extract isn't required, I do recommend including it as I feel like it really helps to round everything out and offset the starchiness of the powdered sugar as well.
(p.s. for all the basic tips that no one ever taught you, that are super important to help you bake your best, check out my Baking 101 series!)
Special Tools You'll Need
You'll definitely want to use either a hand or stand mixer for this recipe, as they'll do all the work for us by incorporating lots of air into the batter for that smooth and whipped texture.
How to Make Raspberry Frosting
(Pssst…if you're ready to just get baking, get all the details in the recipe card below!)
- Whip together the fats and vanilla extract.
2. Add the powdered sugar in three batches, mixing well after each addition.
3. Mix in the jam.
4. Frost your favorite cake or cupcakes, serve up a slice and enjoy!
And check out the full RECIPE WEB STORY for a click-through tutorial!
Orange or Lemon Raspberry Frosting
Feel free to add some citrus flavor to your frosting as well if you like:
- Lemon Raspberry Frosting: add the zest of one lemon to your frosting to start, then add additional zest to taste if you like at the end.
- Orange Raspberry Frosting: add the zest of one orange to your frosting to start, then add additional zest to taste if you like at the end.
Recipes to Pair with This Raspberry Frosting
- Cupcakes: swap out the frosting in my Lemon Prosecco Cupcake recipe for this tasty berry one to make Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes with Prosecco instead.
- Bundt Cakes: trade out the cream cheese glaze on this Red Velvet Bundt, or the white chocolate sauce on this Raspberry Bundt to add some extra berry flavor!
- Layer and Sheet Cakes: this frosting is perfectly flavored and sized for standard layer cakes, and to top my 9" x 13" Easy Vanilla Sheet Cake for a quick, easy, and impressive dessert for a crowd.
- Filling macarons: this flavor-packed fruity frosting is also great for filling macarons.
- Filling cakes and cupcakes: last but not least, you can of course use this recipe as raspberry cream cheese filling for cupcakes or any layered cake as well.
Troubleshooting Cream Cheese Frosting
I frequently hear bakers, both beginners and pros, struggling with cream cheese frostings...
- It can get too loose if you over-whip it and break down the structure of the cream cheese.
- It can be way too think if there isn't enough powdered sugar to help lighted in up, or not enough mixing time to lighten everything by incorporating lots of air.
- It can be too sweet if the recipe relies entirely on the powdered sugar for structure, and doesn't balance it with enough of the other ingredients.
- And if you want to use a non name-brand cream cheese, your guess on what your final texture ends up being is as good as mine.
In other words, for what should be a very simple recipe, if not developed correctly, these types of recipes can go wrong in a lot of way. But not here!
I promise that this recipe can be counted out to be not too runny, not too thick, firm enough to be pipe-able, but light enough to enjoy as an afternoon treat (with the perfect balance of tangy and sweet flavors too of course)!
More Tips + FAQs
Can you make this raspberry frosting ahead of time?
Yes! Because the jam keeps this frosting nice and stable as compared to fresh fruit, you can make it up to two days ahead of time. Simply thaw it out to room temperature on the counter for a few hours, and give it a quick re-mix right before you're ready to use it.
How do you store cream cheese frosting? Does it need to be refrigerated?
Yes! We have a lot of dairy in the frosting so you'll want to keep this frosting refrigerated whether it's by itself or on your favorite sheet cake or cupcakes. It will last for up to a week in the fridge.
How much frosting does this recipe make?
I sized this recipe to be not too big, and not too small. It's the perfect size for a two-layer 8-inch cake, three-layer 6-inch round cake, 12-18 cupcakes (depending on how much frosting you pile on), a generously frosted 9 x 13 cake or two 8 or 9-inch square cakes.
If you're generous with your frosting or just want to make sure you have plenty, there are instructions for a 1.5X batch in the recipe notes, and a 2X batch in the recipe ingredients toggle button.
Can I turn this recipe into an orange or lemon raspberry cream cheese frosting?
Yes! Just add the zest of one lemon or orange to your frosting to start, then add additional zest to taste if you like at the end.
Can I make this frosting with a seedless raspberry jam?
You can use a seedless raspberry jam if you prefer for this recipe. Seedless jams tend to be a little looser than the seated ones, so you may find that you have to add a little extra powdered sugar if you want a nice, stiff pipe-able frosting.
If this is the case, add powdered sugar, a sifted ¼ cup at a time (mixing well after each addition), until you reach your desired consistency.
Can I substitute another berry jam?
Full disclosure, I haven't tested this recipe with other jams, but there's no reason that another berry shouldn't work. I think you'd be fine using a blueberry, blackberry, black raspberry, golden raspberry, strawberry, or mixed berry jam in this recipe in equal amount to the called-for raspberry jam.
Because the texture might be slightly different based on the consistency of those alternative jams, you may need a bit more powdered sugar for a pipe-able frosting.
If this is the case, add powdered sugar, a sifted ¼ cup at a time (mixing well after each addition), until you reach your desired consistency.
Other Cake and Frosting Recipes You'll Love
Craving more delicious treats? Here are a few of my other favorite cake and frosting recipes:
- CAKES
⭐ If you gave this recipe a try please give it a ⭐ rating and tag me on Instagram @mint.and.mallow.kitchen so I can see what you're baking up! ⭐
📖 Full Recipe
Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting (made with jam!)
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (softened)
- ½ cup (½ brick) full-fat Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 5 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
- ⅓ cup raspberry jam
Instructions
- Whip fats and extract: whip butter, cream cheese, and vanilla until fluffy (about 1-2 minutes on medium-high using a hand-mixer).
- Add powdered sugar in batches: add sifted powdered sugar in 3 batches, beating for 30 seconds on medium-high after each addition until well combined. (You technically can add the powdered sugar all at once, but you’ll have a lighter, smoother, and fluffier frosting if you incorporate it in batches.)
- Add jam: add in the raspberry jam and beat for 30 seconds on medium-high until blended and smooth.
- Frost and enjoy! Slather or pipe this fruity pink frosting onto your favorite cake or cupcakes and enjoy!
Test Kitchen Tips
- Prep Ahead + Storage: because the jam keeps this frosting nice and stable as compared to fresh fruit, you can make it up to two days ahead of time. Simply thaw it out to room temperature on the counter for a few hours, and give it a quick re-mix right before you're ready to use it. It'll keep in an airtight container for a week in the fridge.
- Orange or Lemon Raspberry Frosting: to add a citrus note, just add the zest of one lemon or one orange to the fats in the first step, then add additional zest to taste if you like at the end.
- How much does this recipe make? I sized this recipe to be not too big, and not too small. It's the perfect size for a two-layer 8" cake, three-layer 6" round cake, 12-18 cupcakes (depending on how much frosting you pile on), a generously frosted 9" x 13" cake or two 8" or 9" square cakes.
- 1.5X batch: if you'd like a little extra frosting to work with (for some bigger cakes or more elaborate decorations), but don't need a full double batch, use these amounts for a 1.5X batch (about 4 ½ cups of frosting):
- ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) butter (340g)
- ¾ cup (6 ounces; ¾ of a brick) cream cheese (340g)
- 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 7 ½ cups powder sugar, sifted (850g)
- ½ cup raspberry jam (160g)
Bill says
The flavor and texture are excellent! Easy to prepare, also. You might want to cut up the butter and cream cheese into smaller pieces before beating, depending on your house temperature (and your mixer).
Jocelyn at M+M says
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Bill, and you are absolutely right! Even if you're starting with pretty soft butter, I always recommend cutting it up into about tablespoon-sized pieces to help it incorporate better. Thanks for sharing your tip and taking the time to let me know you loved this recipe!
Amanda says
An extra star for flavor! I doubled this recipe for piping on to 36 vanilla chocolate chip cupcakes for my granddaughter's unicorn-themed birthday. The pink color was perfect. I did increase the cream cheese by 50% as I felt the cream cheese flavor got a little lost in the raspberry. I also added 1 cup of cornstarch to thicken. The kitchen was warm, though, so that didn't help. But definitely some of the best tasting icing I've made. Thanks for sharing!
Jocelyn at M+M says
Thanks so much for sharing your take on this recipe, Amanda! This definitely is a recipe that leans more into the raspberry flavor with cream cheese playing a supporting role, so I'm so happy you were able to dial that flavor up to your liking. Thanks again so much for coming back and sharing your experience with me and I hope your very lucky granddaughter loved it too!