Cream Cheese Buttercream

By mirelsonp

Recipe Source: NY Times Food | Melissa Clark
Made with much less confectioners’ sugar than the usual cream cheese frosting, it’s sturdy, dependable and not too sweet - just right for a child’s birthday party or to ice three-dozen cupcakes for a bake sale. While it’s not quite as silky as a buttercream based on beaten eggs and sugar syrup, it’s much, much less persnickety to make and it holds up well without refrigeration for several hours before it starts getting soft. Plus, the cream cheese makes it incredibly creamy while adding a tangy bite that helps tone down the sweetness of the confectioners’ sugar. To make lemon cream cheese buttercream (which tastes a little like a cheesecake), substitute one tablespoon lemon juice for the vanilla and add a teaspoon of grated lemon zest to the frosting.

Ingredients

• 2 sticks (1 cup, 8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk, more as needed
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

Using an electric mixer, whip the butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy. Beat in sugar, milk and vanilla. If the frosting seems too thick to spread, add a little more milk.