Really, we all know the real reason why cupcakes are so popular. Cupcakes are basically an edible utensil for eating frosting, particularly when it comes to certain cupcake "flavors" like red velvet. What the hell is "red velvet?" It's nothing more than a fancy way to shamelessly eat a quarter- to half-cup full of cream cheese frosting.
Cream cheese frosting, you see, is the best frosting out there, and I have stumbled across the end-all, be-all recipe for it. Strangely enough, it's been under my nose this whole time in my trusty Joy of Cooking cookbook for years. I just never noticed it. At first I didn't trust it because it seemed way too easy compared to "fancier" recipes that make you think you need to be Ina Garten to make it, but this recipe is almost so easy, even Sandra Lee could make it. Ouch. Was that too harsh? See, that's how easy this recipe is.
Beat 8 oz. cold cream cheese (not rock solid, but it means you can use it straight out of the refrigerator) with 5 Tbsp. softened butter and 2 tsp. vanilla until combined. Gradually add 2 c. powdered sugar that has been sifted after measuring. Continue to add more sifted powdered sugar until you reach a consistency and sweetness that fits your taste.
No softening the cream cheese (though you do have to plan ahead with the butter). No whipping to a certain point that occurs for all of ten seconds before it's ruined. The hardest part is not eating the frosting straight from the bowl by the spoonful.
10-24-2007 @10:21AM wynk said... sweetness. I just got an ice cream cone cupcake pan and this will go excellently with it.
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10-24-2007 @12:20PM Beth said... Don't knock red velvet! Yes, the food coloring is a bit silly, but the hint of chocolate from the cocoa and the velvety texture (I think from the use of vinegar?) are wonderful.
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10-24-2007 @10:50PM BDW said... My best friend's mommy puts two cups of m&m's into her red velvet cake. Great birthday cake for the kids, and a pleasure for us over-50's, too.
Have to try to get her to put the creamcheese icing on. She usually uses a German style pecan/coconut icing with chocolate chips.
Best cake I have ever had in 53 years.
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10-24-2007 @2:19PM Fash said... This is basically the same as the recipe on the Kraft site - it uses Philadelphia cream cheese. The only difference is that this calls for one more tsp of vanilla and has you add sugar to taste instead of just calling for the four cups straightaway.
This is an excellent recipe though - and using cold cream cheese really does make a difference. It's AWESOME on pumpkin cake or bars with a sprinkle of walnuts. At a party, I let people frost their own and I saw them piling it on an inch thick!
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10-25-2007 @12:33AM Chance Morgan said... I just love the idea that cupcakes are just an edible utensil for the cream cheese icing. This will so help me explain to others why I eat the bottom out of a cupcake before I eat the iced part.
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10-26-2007 @8:02AM Silver_Potato said... Isn't this from some Bobby Flay show I saw on Food TV?
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10-26-2007 @3:19PM Marsha said... "so easy, even Sandra Lee could make it. Ouch. Was that too harsh?"
I think it was too kind. This recipe does call for sifting after all. . . ;-)
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11-29-2007 @3:19PM MsAshley said... MY favorite recipe for this frosting is: 1/2 c. of butter, 8 oz. cream cheese (cold), 1 t. vanilla, 1 lb. powdered sugar...oh my!
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12-03-2007 @3:03PM Kim girard said... Can you use this for cinnamon buns too? I can't find a good frosting recipe for them. Has anyone been able to steal Cinnabon's recipe???
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