Cream cheese frosting is a lighter and tangier variation of buttercream frosting, popular for red velvet, carrot, and spice cakes, and cupcakes. It can be flavored with different ingredients and used as a filling or frosting. However, it is high in fat and requires refrigeration.
Cream cheese frosting is a variation on a buttercream frosting recipe. Buttercream frosting is traditionally made with powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla extract or other flavorings. In a cream cheese frosting, the buttercream texture is lightened with the addition of cream cheese as the main ingredient. Cream cheese frosting recipes became popular in the 1960s, with the growing availability of packaged cream cheese in supermarkets. The icing is a traditional icing choice for red velvet cakes, carrot cakes and spice cakes, and is also a popular choice for cupcakes.
Classic frosting recipes and many variations are available in cookbooks and online. The merits of the taste, texture, and versatility of buttercream and cream cheese frostings have been debated in many online cooking and wedding forums. Cream cheese frosting is usually described as lighter and more tangy than buttercream. People who prefer cream cheese frosting over buttercream often find buttercream too rich and sugary, and enjoy the tangy nature of cream cheese as a balancing contrast to the sugar.
Both buttercream and cream cheese frostings are typically flavored with vanilla extract. The traditional basic recipe is extremely versatile and other flavors can be added. Popular choices for flavoring cream cheese frostings include maple syrup, orange peel, chocolate, coconut, and ginger. In addition to different flavors, food coloring can be added to the base mix to create different decorative effects.
Cream cheese frosting can be used to frost the outside of a cake or as a filling between layers of a cake. A cream cheese frosting is another use for the basic recipe. To make a frosting, small amounts of milk are added to the frosting mixture, which thins out the texture. The icing is then poured over the top of the cake and allowed to drip down the sides.
The milk content of cream cheese can make this frosting problematic for people who are lactose intolerant. Cream cheese frosting is also high in fat. There are recipes available that use fat-free or reduced-fat cream cheese or cream cheese substitutes. These alternative healthy versions are generally described as not having the same flavor as the traditional version.
Cream cheese is perishable and cream cheese frosting requires refrigeration. This type of frosting is not a good choice for cakes that dry out when refrigerated. Cream cheese and buttercream icing tends to melt if applied when the cake hasn’t completely cooled or if the cake is exposed to the sun.
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