Cream Cheese Frosting

Did you head over here to whip up some rich, not too sweet cream cheese frosting while your Carrot Cake is baking? 

Yes?  Then just grab the ingredients and let’s get going!

No?  Well, I guess I can forgive you for not making my Carrot Cake, but next time you’re looking for a super easy, super moist carrot cake recipe, head over here: My Carrot Cake Recipe

Meanwhile, back to the cream cheese frosting.  I came up with this recipe back in the early 1980’s because I wasn’t happy with the runny consistency and too tangy-too sweet taste of the standard cream cheese frosting.  I wanted something thicker, more like buttercream frosting but with that creamy texture that cream cheese frosting is supposed to have.  Eventually I settled on this recipe.

The ingredients for my Cream Cheese Frosting:

Be sure that butter is at room temperature, then hit it with the beaters till it’s fluffy and almost white in color.

Now drop in the room temp cream cheese and beat them together till they’re all smushed together and happy.

Now it’s time for a pinch of salt and a little vanilla.  The salt is the key to this cream cheese frosting recipe!  It balances out the sweetness of the sugar.  Thanks for teaching me that trick Mom. 🙂 

Start adding your confectioner’s sugar.  Add 2 cups and beat well. 

Add another 2 cups and beat some more.  Once you have 4 cups of sugar in there, add 2 tsp. of milk and then another cup of confectioner’s sugar.  And then beat, beat, beat that stuff into submission!  You’ll know it’s done when it’s light yellow in color, super fluffy and makes lovely small peaks when you lift up the beaters.

Toni’s Notes:  Please excuse the mess all around the sides of the bowl – I’m a better baker than I am a photographer.  Tim, my dear husband is quickly taking up the slack and learning how to photograph food for the Dang Good Cooking blog.  He’s my hero!

And you’re done!  Cover tightly and leave it in a cool place till you’re ready to frost your carrot cake.  Oh sorry, for anyone who came just for this cream cheese frosting recipe, you probably don’t need a link back to this carrot cake recipe. 

Then again, why NOT go look at it – it’s lovely – I swear it!  Back to my Carrot Cake Recipe

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Cream Cheese Frosting

I invented this version of Cream Cheese Frosting back in the early 1980's when I wasn't happy with the taste and texture of the "standard" recipes I found. This one has more butter, a pinch of salt and even with all that sugar it doesn't taste too sweet!

Course Frosting

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Author Toni

Ingredients

• 1 cup Butter softened - 2 Sticks
• 1 8- ounce package Cream Cheese softened
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 Pinch of Salt abt. 1/4 tsp.
• 2 teaspoons Milk
• 5 - 5 1/2 cups Confectioners Sugar

Instructions

• Beat softened butter till light and fluffy.
• Add softened cream cheese and beat on medium speed of a mixer till well mixed and smooth.
• Add vanilla and salt, then gradually add in confectioners sugar 2 cups at a time. Increase the speed of the mixer as the frosting gets thicker.
• Once 4 cups of confectioners sugar has been added, add in the milk and 1 more cup of confectioner's sugar. Continue to beat till the frosting is light and creamy.
• You can use the frosting immediately if your cake is cooled. If you refrigerate the frosting for more than 1/2 an hour, be sure to leave it covered to warm on the counter for 30 minutes, then beat again to regain the fluffy consistency before you frost your cake.

Notes

Many times the consistency of frosting will vary depending on the humidity of the room, the moisture content of your butter, etc.

For frosting that's too thin and runny - Add 1/2 cup more confectioners sugar while beating, then test the frosting again. Continue adding 1/2 cups of sugar till the frosting holds its shape and can be spread or piped onto your cake.

For frosting that's so thick you can't spread it smoothly or pipe it from a bag - Add milk, 1 tsp. at a time while beating till the frosting is smooth and creamy and still holds its shape.

If your frosting looks like it's separating or splitting, it means that your kitchen is too warm, or that the butter got TOO soft. To correct it, STOP beating immediately. Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes, then add 1/2 cup confectioners sugar and rebeat the frosting. Most times this will fix the problem and produce a lovely creamy frosting.