How to Make Cream Cheese Icing

Cream cheese icing is good on any number of confections.

Cream cheese icing is the classic topping for carrot cake, but it's extremely versatile. The tangy flavor of cream cheese works well with lemon and other citrus flavors. It's great on cinnamon rolls, just like the pricey ones at the mall. It also makes a great topping for other vegetable or fruit based cakes and breads, like zucchini bread or persimmon cake. Last, but not least, try it on chocolate cake or brownies.

Things You'll Need

• 4 oz. (1 stick) butter, room temperature
• 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 lb. confectioners' (powdered) sugar
• 1 tbsp. milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tsp. freshly grated lemon or orange rind (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine cream cheese and butter in mixing bowl. Whip on low speed to combine.

2. Increase speed and whip until mixture is light and fluffy.

3. Reduce speed to low and add sugar slowly. Combine thoroughly after each addition.

4. Add milk and vanilla on low speed. Add rind if using. Combine completely.

5. Increase speed to high and whip until very light and fluffy. Makes about 2 1/2 cups icing.

Tips & Warnings

• Substitute lemon juice for milk and add the grated rind of one lemon for lemon cream cheese icing. Omit vanilla.

• Substitute orange juice for the milk and use orange rind. Omit vanilla. Delicious on carrot cake!

• Double recipe for a large cake or to ice and decorate.

• Omit rind and add 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa or 4 oz. melted semisweet chocolate for chocolate cream cheese icing.

• If you substitute stick margarine your icing will be softer.

• Make sure the butter and cream cheese are soft or they won't combine and whip.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• "150 Dessert Cakes, Pies, Tarts & Bakes"; Ann Kay; 2007