1/ WhY IS MY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING RUNNY?

You’re not alone, cream cheese frosting can turn runny very quickly and easily and here is the reason why:

1. Cream cheese is made up of 60% water

2. Sugar is hygroscopic which means is attracts and holds onto water if it can.

Essentially, the icing sugar is grabbing the water from the cream cheese and turning it into a liquid (aka – runny cream cheese frosting). 

2/ How to fix runny cream cheese frosting

DO NOT ADD MORE ICING SUGAR. I repeat, whatever you do, do not add more icing sugar. As I explained above, the icing sugar will draw more water from the cream cheese and make it more runny.

Instead, the best and most guaranteed way to fix your runny cream cheese frosting is to put it in the fridge to firm up again (roughly 20 minutes). Once it has been cooled, beat it up again until it is light and creamy (1-2 minutes). If you have done this and your cream cheese frosting is still runny, add some more butter and/or cream cheese and mix until incorporated.  It should eventually thicken and firm up once you have done this.

3/ How to Prevent runny cream cheese frosting

It may be too late this time, but if you want to avoid your cream cheese frosting liquifying in the future, follow these tips:

1. Don’t over mix!

Over-mixing cream cheese frosting is easy to do and most recipes are written in a way which encourages you to do so. However, over-mixing gives the sugar a higher chance of drawing out water from the cream cheese.

2. Use Full Fat Cream cheese 

Low fat cream cheese contains more water than full fat which increases chances of runny cream cheese frosting

3. Beat butter first

Beat room temperature butter first, then add icing sugar. This allows the sugar to be coated in butter, making it harder for the sugar to access the water from the cream cheese. Once the butter and icing sugar are well mixed, slowly add the cream cheese in increments.

4/ Why Does my cream cheese frosting have lumps in it?

Okay so now it’s not runny, but what if the opposite problem occurs and it’s  l u m p y !?

Lumpy cream cheese frosting is the worst! The lumps are usually due to the cream cheese or butter being too cold when making the cream cheese frosting. 

Or, sometimes the lumps are little balls of icing sugar…

HOW TO AVOID THE LUMPS:

1. Before you start making the frosting, ensure that everything is at room temperature or slightly softened in the microwave before getting started. Also, ensure that you SIFT the icing sugar into the bowl. 

2. Beat the room temperature butter until light and creamy first, then gradually add the cream cheese a couple of spoonfuls at a time until it is all combined.

3. Try not to overmix!

HOW TO FIX THE LUMPS:

If it’s too late and you didn’t use room temperature butter and cream cheese then it’s okay!

These tips will help – 

If it is the icing sugar causing the lumps, blitz the mixture with an immersion blender.

If it is ‘fat’ lumps from the butter or cream cheese, use a hair dryer to warm the mixing bowl whilst you beat on medium speed (a warm cloth will also work).