My favorite part of making cupcakes (besides eating them) is FROSTING THEM! My favorite recipe is my Butter Cream Cheese frosting. It has just 4 ingredients – and can be whipped up – literally – in minutes! It is essential that you let the butter and cream cheese come to room temperature. The cream cheese gives it a really smooth texture, and cuts some of the sugary sweetness that other frostings can have. The butter makes it truly “butter cream”. I don’t like frostings that use shortening in them – I find the texture too “greasy”. You can also flavor this frosting any way you like – vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, raspberry – I’ve even tried adding a little espresso powder for a wonderful coffee flavor. So that makes this recipe PERFECT!
This recipe will frost about 12 – 15 cupcakes, or 1 layer cake. You can double it easily, and believe it or not, this frosting freezes very well! I just put it in a zip lock baggie, freeze, and take it out and thaw as needed! It will keep in the freezer for about 3 months!
Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup butter (room temp)
8 oz cream cheese (room temp)
4 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract (or other flavoring)
Add butter, cream cheese, and flavoring to a stand mixing bowl, with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until very smooth. Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Start the mixer on LOW (you can even pulse it a few times, to incorporate the sugar into the creamed mixture, to avoid the sugar going all over you and the counter!) Then mix on med – med high, til well-blended. Once all 4 cups of sugar are incorporated, blend on high til there is a smooth, whipped appearance. Now is the time to add any coloring you may like. Blend again.
You can add 2-4 Tbsp of your favorite preserves, to make this a fruit flavored frosting. For a coffee-flavored frosting, dissolve 1 1/2 tsp espresso powder in 1 1/2 tsp vanilla – add to frosting mixture. To make it chocolate flavored, replace 1/2 c of the powdered sugar, with 1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder. Of course you can add any coloring you like – I prefer paste food colors since they allow for the most brilliant colors. Use a very small amount however – if you want a more “pastel” color.
Then it’s time to decorate! You can slather on the frosting with a knife, for a more “rustic” look. But my favorite way to decorate is using a disposable pastry bag, and Wilton frosting tip #1M open star tip. Place this into the pastry bag, and cut off the end so the tip comes through the bag.
Fold down the edges of the bag, and fill with the frosting. Try and avoid air pockets, so push it all down to the bottom. Close up the bag tightly, and begin decorating! I start on the outside and swirl inward – to make more of a taller, “pirouette” appearance, or you can start from the center, and swirl around to the outside for more of a shorter, “rose” appearance. Try drizzling with some chocolate ganache! They will look beautiful!
Refrigerate the cupcakes uncovered, to “set” the frosting, for at least 1 hour. I do like to cover them, once the frosting has developed a bit of a “crust” on it. I use plastic wrap set LIGHTLY over the cupcakes, and continue to store in the refrigerator. You can also use a cupcake storage container, with a lid. They will stay fresh for a week. They are best served at room temperature. Enjoy, and share the love with your family and friends!
