Frosting should not be underestimated. If not done properly, you could ruin a whole cake. For that reason, you should find that one recipe that you really master so you have something to fall back on in case of emergency. For special occasions, I always try to find a new vanilla frosting recipe but generally, I always go back to this one. It's simple and easy to make.
Personally, I am not a fan of buttercream frosting. First, because it requires a lot of temperature control: if the butter or the room you're baking in is too cold, the cream will be too thick but if it's too hot, the cream will be curdled. Very frustrating. And the second reason why I don't like buttercream is that it requires so much butter and sugar! I mean, 2 sticks of butter and 4 cups of sugar is just too much!
My favorite recipe only uses 1 cup of sugar and is made with cream cheese and whipping cream. Not only is cream cheese my favorite spread for my morning toasts, it is also perfect for frosting because it ads a bit of tanginess, thus providing some balance taste-wise for the cakes. The dessert will not be over sweet and the whip cream makes the frosting super light.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp vanilla paste (optional)
DIRECTIONS
- Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream on high speed, until thick and fluffy. About 2 minutes. Be careful not to over whip! The cream should not be so thick that it looks like butter.
- Transfer the cream into another bowl and store it in the refrigerator.
- Now back to the stand mixer, whip the cream cheese and slowly add the powdered sugar, one 1/4 cup at a time. Beat at low speed. Once all the sugar is incorporated, increase speed to medium-high.
- Add the vanilla extract and mix. I also like to add a little bit of vanilla paste for a fuller taste and also because the tiny little vanilla seeds make the frosting look so much better!
- Then, fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. This step is delicate so it should be done by hand, with a spatula.
- And that's it! Your frosting is ready to be piped or stored until ready to be used.