I LOVE Cream Cheese Frosting,.  It deserves its own post, and should not be an afterthought tacked onto a Carrot Cake or Banana Cake recipe.

TBH…it needs its own post because I was today years old when I learned how to make a creamy, luscious, LUMP-FREE Cream Cheese Frosting.  Yep, all those years I struggled to achieve a smooth and creamy frosting.  I tried cream cheese and butter at room temp before combining. I tried smooshing the cream cheese first that didn’t work. Sometimes, I resorted to using a hand blender to get rid of lumps which worked but added an extra step.  Then… on an episode of Zoe Bakes, I learned the secret to making lump-free, voluptuous, thick frosting.  Hallelujah.

COLD Cream Cheese Meets SOFTIE Butter

Cream Cheese- Start with cold cream cheese, beat it until it is smooth. Cold cream cheese prevents the frosting from becoming too thin as it is whipped.

Butter- Use unsalted butter at room temperature (~68 degrees).  It should be soft enough that it gives with little finger pressure but should not be melty.  Gradually add softened butter, approximately 2 tablespoons at a time to the cream cheese. Adding soft butter to the cold cream cheese minimizes lumps in your finished frosting.

Powdered Sugar- MY OPINION:  Cream cheese frostings have too much sugar.  Add powdered sugar to the level of sweetness you want. I add about 1-1/2 cups of powdered sugar to this recipe.  If I add sour cream or creme fraiche I bump it up to 1-3/4 cups.  Add sugar in 2-3 parts beating at medium-low speed and scraping the bowl after each addition (mandatory).  Be careful not to beat too much which can cause the frosting to break and become too thin.  If the frosting seems a little soft, chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or until it reaches a thick, creamy, consistency then frost your cake.

Creme Fraiche- A touch of creme fraiche adds a hint of tanginess and creaminess to the frosting.  Feel free to substitute with sour cream or mascarpone.

I made Zoe’s Devil’s Food Chocolate Cake and followed her frosting directions.  It worked like a charm.  Cream cheese frosting being my favorite frosting, it’s also featured in Hubby’s Carrot Cake, Smitten Kitchen’s delightful Carrot Graham Cake, my favorite banana cake from Clementine Bakery, and Sally’s Baking Addiction Banana Snacking Cake.  YUM!

Enjoy!