Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Name: Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 sticks (226g) unsalted butter, slightly softened; 2 8oz packages cream cheese (453 total gram weight) softened very slightly. Use full fat cream cheese. Do not use reduced; 1 Tablespoon maple syrup (optional); 2 teaspoons (8g) maple extract; 6 to 6 1/2 cups (690g to 747g) powdered sugar, adding more if necessary

Today we're sharing a delicious Maple Cream Cheese Frosting that is so silky smooth and flavorful, you'll want to put it on everything!

We love this easy and delicious Maple Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe, especially on our fall cakes and spice cakes! Works as a great filling and frosting!

We love to pair this Maple Cream Cheese Frosting with our fall cakes and spice cakes, including our Maple Carrot Cake, Maple Toffee Cake and Apple Walnut Cake recipe!

If you love pound cake recipes, we also have an amazing maple pound cake with caramel glaze (but this frosting could be substituted as well!)

Table of Contents

How soft is Maple Cream Cheese Frosting?

Just as with our classic cream cheese frosting, orange cream cheese frosting, and more, this maple cream cheese frosting recipe has a softer consistency.

If you notice that your frosting is too soft, you can add a bit more confectioners sugar just as we do to thicken up many of our American buttercream recipes.

However, the culprit is often the temperature of the frosting. If you suspect that this is the issue, just go ahead and chill it for a bit.

We like to chill our cream cheese frostings for a few minutes just after making a batch, and then as needed during the decorating process.

Homemade Apple Walnut Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting!

Delicious Apple Walnut Cake Frosted in Maple Cream Cheese Frosting — Here's our Apple Walnut Cake frosted in Maple Cream Cheese Frosting!

Maple Buttercream Frosting

Although we absolutely love this Maple Cream Cheese Frosting, sometimes you may need a frosting that can sit out at room temperature for longer. This Maple Buttercream frosting (as used in our Maple Pecan Cake) is a wonderful option!

It is an American buttercream, meaning it is composed of softened butter, confectioners sugar, a pinch of salt, a splash of milk, and flavorings (in this case, vanilla extract and maple extract). It would be okay to sit out at room temperature for 1-2 days.

More Fall Cakes

We have several layer cakes that we just love for fall celebrations- everything from pumpkin cakes to caramel cakes, carrot cake and Pumpkin Spice Cake, to gingerbread cakes, and more.

Whether you are celebrating a fall birthday or need something to bring to Thanksgiving dinner, you just can't go wrong with any of these delicious options.

Here are a few of our favorites, but don't miss our full roundup of fall cake recipes here: Sharing the BEST Cakes for Fall!

Recipe FAQs

Yes, Maple Cream Cheese Frosting should be refrigerated. Before using, warm to closer to room temperature. Briefly remix if needed.

Cakes that are frosted or filled with maple cream cheese frosting should be refrigerated, preferably in an airtight container or cake dome.

However, for best flavor and texture, bring the cake from the refrigerator about two hours before serving. This will allow the cake time to warm and soften.

We do not recommend reduced fat cream cheese for this recipe. This is because cream cheese frostings are already on the softer side.

Reduced fat cream cheese is softer than full-fat. This would make the frosting more difficult to work with.

We like to chill our cream cheese frostings after making a batch- at least for a few minutes to thicken the consistency.

While adding more confectioners sugar is an option, we prefer to simply chill the frosting when it becomes too soft to decorate with. This applies to the piping bag, bowl of frosting, or even the cake!

Usually a 5-10 minutes in the refrigerator is enough time to restore it to its optimal consistency for decorating. (If it is still too soft after chilling, add additional confectioners sugar.)

Because of the softer nature of cream cheese frostings, we do not want to add a lot of additional liquid. So, we use maple extract which provides a stronger maple flavor (in addition to the tablespoon of maple syrup).

It would also be fine to only use maple extract and leave out the maple syrup altogether. Just adjust the amount to your liking!

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

This heavenly Maple Cream Cheese Frosting is so delicious and easy to make! We love it with our fall and spice cake recipes!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

2 sticks (226g) unsalted butter, slightly softened
2 8oz packages cream cheese (453 total gram weight) softened very slightly. Use full fat cream cheese. Do not use reduced
1 Tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
2 teaspoons (8g) maple extract
6 to 6 ½ cups (690g to 747g) powdered sugar, adding more if necessary

Instructions

Cut the butter into ½ inch slices and add to the bowl of your mixer, mix on medium speed until smooth
Cut the cream cheese into pieces and add to the butter, mixing on medium speed until well blended.
Add the maple syrup and maple extract
Gradually add powdered sugar and mix until well blended. Do not over mix or beat above medium speed . If beaten too long it will become very soft. If this happens, just put in the refrigerator for a short while to firm it up a bit, then frost the cake.
This frosting will pipe best if used while chilled. You can make in advance, refrigerate and when ready to use let it soften slightly and remix. Do not microwave to soften.

Will frost a 3 layer 8 or 9 inch cake