Hi BB! This year, for the Twelve Days of Pound Cake 2024, the theme was Sweet, Spice, and Everything Nice. Every single pound cake fit into one of those categories (some fit into two!), but there was a through line that was consistent with many of the cakes: my favorite cream cheese glaze. We used it in a bunch of the cakes (my Gingersnap Pound Cake, my Pineapple Carrot Pound Cake, and the Cherry Cheesecake Pound Cake), and I modified it to suit the needs of each cake.
But the cream cheese glaze base remained the same. So I wanted to share it with you today!
In this Post:
How to Make this Cream Cheese Glaze – a Video Tutorial
Cream cheese glaze is one of those things that can be frustratingly simple. Most of the time, the frustration lies in the fact that the glaze got thin because there was too much liquid. To prevent this from happening to you ever again, I created this video for you, where I show you, step by step, how to make this incredible glaze (and keep it delectably thick!)
The Recipe
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The Best Cream Cheese Glaze
This simple, customizable cream cheese glaze adds a tangy deliciousness to your favorite pound cakes and cinnamon rolls. It will be the glaze that makes you and your guests clamor for more!
Ingredients
- 154 g (2/3 c) cream cheese, room temperature
- 240 g (2 c) confectioner’s sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 – 3 tbsp whole milk
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
Instructions
- Place the cream cheese in a medium sized mixing bowl.
- Use a hand mixer to mix the cream cheese until it is completely smooth.
- Place the confectioner’s sugar, fine sea salt, vanilla extract, and 1 1/2 tbsp of whole milk into the mixing bowl.
- Using a small whisk, stir gently to combine. Stir until the confectioner’s sugar no longer collects moisture from the milk or the cream cheese.
- If necessary, add up to 1 1/2 tbsp more of whole milk, but do it 1/2 tsp at a time.
- The final glaze should be the consistency of thick honey, and should pour easily over the sides of the cake. Use a spoon, spouted measuring cup, or squeeze bottle to spread the glaze over the cake.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- This glaze is easily customizable! For example, you can add up to 1/4 tsp (total) of your favorite spices to make a delicious spiced cream cheese glaze.
- For cinnamon rolls, you want a thicker glaze, so start with 1 tablespoon of whole milk instead of 1 1/2 tablespoons.
Troubleshooting Cream Cheese Glaze
Why is my glaze so thin?
This happens when you add too much liquid (usually whole milk) to the glaze too quickly. There’s a point where this glaze will try and convince you to add more liquid. Ignore the urge! Keep stirring, and you’ll find that, instead of that tablespoon you thought you needed, you probably needed only another teaspoon (if that). But you really have to take your time and work the glaze to figure that out.
How long can I store this cream cheese glaze? Can I freeze it?
It’s not recommended to freeze cream cheese glaze, because the texture can change upon thawing. Although most will tell you that you can store it in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks, The most I’ll store it in my refrigerator is ten days.
How can I modify this to make a spiced cream cheese glaze?
If making spiced cream cheese glaze, start with 1/8 of a teaspoon (and no more!) of your favorite spice. If you want to mix two spices, that’s fine, but I would not recommend any more than 1/4 of a teaspoon total of spice in this glaze.
I want to use this glaze for cinnamon rolls. How would I modify?
If using this glaze for cinnamon rolls, reduce the initial whole milk amount to one tablespoon (instead of 1 1/2 tablespoons). For cinnamon rolls, you should also use your hand mixer on lowest speed to complete the glaze, since it will take a lot more elbow grease to work that one tablespoon into a cohesive, thick glaze.
The hand mixer will create some bubbles in the final glaze, which is why we don’t want to use it for cake glaze. But since cinnamon roll glaze goes onto warm rolls, any bubbles will pop anyway. 😊
Conclusion: This is the Only Cream Cheese Glaze You Need
The tanginess of this glaze beautifully keeps sweet desserts and cinnamon rolls from becoming cloyingly sweet. And I love that. So much so, that I’ve made this cream cheese glaze my default for most pound cakes. The smooth, rich texture is something that you cannot get with a regular glaze, and the taste is something that can only be achieved with cream cheese.
Be forewarned! This glaze is going to become your absolute favorite. So much so that you’ll look for things to bake, just so you can justify using it.
When you make it, let me know! Tag me on Instagram @beginwithbutter or send an email with your beautiful creation to bakingbestie@beginwithbutter.com! And make sure to share this post with your personal baking besties, to help them get on the good foot with cream cheese glaze.
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See you soon BB!