A lightly sweet, ultra-fluffy whipped cream frosting stabilized with cream cheese for silky texture that pipes beautifully without being cloying.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese on medium-high speed until completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract; beat until fully combined and no lumps remain, stopping to scrape down the bowl until perfectly smooth.
With the mixer on low speed, pour in a few tablespoons of the cold heavy cream and mix until the mixture loosens and smooths out.
Still on low speed, slowly stream in the remaining cold heavy cream until incorporated.
Increase mixer speed to high and whip until thick, airy, and forming stiff peaks; 1–5 minutes depending on mixer and batch size. Do not overwhip.
Use immediately to frost cakes or cupcakes. If the frosting develops extra air bubbles while standing, gently fold by hand to deflate to a silky consistency.