In short: Cream cheese frosting needs plain, unflavoured cream cheese of at least 22 % fat. Processed cheese, ricotta and mascarpone do not work here — they give either a loose or a grainy texture.
The names are confusing
If you hear a frosting described as curd-and-cream, cheesy or creamy-cheese, it is almost certainly the same thing: cream cheese frosting, the most widely used frosting in cake work.
What to look for
Three things decide whether the frosting will hold: fat content from 22 %, a smooth rather than grainy body, and no additives. Flavoured cheeses — with herbs, garlic or vegetables — read clearly through sugar and ruin the result.
The cheese must also be genuinely cold. Straight from the fridge it whips into a dense frosting; warm, it thins and never recovers.
What does not work
Processed cheese. Emulsifying salts make it melt rather than whip.
Ricotta. Grainy by nature; no amount of beating makes it smooth.
Mascarpone. A fine cheese, but a different frosting — it belongs in tiramisu and in creams built around it, not here.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use mascarpone instead
Not for this frosting — it produces a different cream. Mascarpone belongs in tiramisu and in creams built on it.
Why is my frosting grainy
The cheese was a curd cheese rather than a smooth cream cheese, or it was over-whipped. The curd fraction separates under the whisk.
Can I use flavoured cream cheese
No. Herb and garlic flavours come through clearly in a sweet frosting.