How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting

Whether it's chocolate cake or vanilla cupcakes, the yummy factor of a dessert is the frosting. Cream cheese frosting is ideal for red velvet and carrot cakes. The sweet, cheesy flavor perfectly complements the zesty carrot flavor. When used with cupcakes and biscuits, it gives a professional, store-bought look to your desserts. You can even make cookie sandwiches by spreading the cream cheese and stacking the cookies on top of each other.

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) packet cream cheese
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 3½ cups confectioner's sugar (sifted)
• ¾ cup fresh ripe strawberries (mashed in a processor)
• ½ cup unsweetened coconut (grated)
• ½ cup pecans (chopped)

Directions: In a bowl, mix the cream cheese with butter. If you are using an electric mixer, mix at low speed for 30 secs. Add in the sugar and strawberries. Mix well until the sugar is dissolved completely into the frosting. Mix for another minute till the frosting lightens and is well-combined. Add in the coconut and pecans in the end.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
• ¼ cup butter (softened)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 cups powdered sugar

Directions: Beat the cream cheese with the butter until smooth. Add in the vanilla and milk, and mix well. Finally add the sugar and beat till the frosting turns smooth. Frost the cinnamon rolls when they are warm.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 4 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
• ½ cup cocoa powder

Directions: Mix the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing with each addition. Add the cocoa powder at the end and mix well.

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) packet cream cheese (softened)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 tablespoon honey

Directions: In a bowl, blend the cream cheese, butter, brown sugar, vanilla and almond extract together in an electric mixer. Stop the mixer when the mixture starts stiffening and then add the honey to it. Beat until the mixture turns light and fluffy. Spread the frosting on a cake and place it in the refrigerator to set.

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (softened)
• ¼ cup butter
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 cups confectioner's sugar

Directions: In a large bowl, beat the butter, lemon juice, cream cheese, lemon zest, and vanilla extract together until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. Add 2½ cups of the sugar, beat, and then add the remaining sugar. Beat until the mixture turns creamy and thick.

• For weight watchers, use reduced fat cream cheese.
• For best results, keep the cream cheese and butter at room temperature prior to usage.
• Use bourbon or maple syrup instead of vanilla extract for a different taste.

• To get that tangy cream cheese taste, reduce the amount of butter.
• Carrot cake frosting needs nuts to be mixed in.
• For a thinner consistency, add milk or cream.

• When frosting a coconut cake, add some grated or flaked coconut.
• To make the frosting thicker, add more sugar and cream cheese and reduce the amount of butter.

Try the above recipes with your own variations and have your friends and family licking their fingers and asking for more!