Cream cheese frosting pairs so well with fruit-centric and spice-centric cakes that require (or benefit from) refrigeration. Theres's something about that creamy slightly tart frosting that balances out the tang of pineapple or the musty-sharpness of clove and other spices. In my opinion, this particular version of cream cheese frosting is the perfect complement to Ginger Molasses Next Day Cake (coming soon).
Note on How to Frost and Store Your Cake: Use room temperature frosting to frost your cake and then refrigerate to let frosting set. If you'd like your cake to look it's best, you can first do a thin crumb coat of frosting, then put your cake in the fridge for 20 minutes, and then do a second coat with remaining frosting.
To store cakes without the frosting getting smooshed (it's a technical term), let the cake sit in the fridge uncovered for 20 minutes after frosting. After that 20 minutes, then you can loosely cover the frosted cake with plastic wrap. This way the plastic wrap does not moosh to the frosting.
Two Note on Frosting Color:
1) If you use include the vanilla, then this frosting will be not quite white. I think the color is fine; but if you want a whiter cake, you can omit the vanilla.
2) Be careful about the color of your powdered sugar. Most organic powdered sugar yeilds grey frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Adapted from Deb Perelman's Smitten Kitchen: EVERY DAY
Ingredients
8 ounces (1 package) of cream cheese at room temperature
8 tablespoons (1 stick) of unsalted butter at room temperature
1 and 1/3 cups powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cream or milk (higher fat is better)
1 teaspoon vanilla
In a food processor: combine all ingredients and blend. Make sure to scrape down the bowl a few times. Blend until it is smooth and fluffs up a tiny bit.
With a stand mixer (using a paddle attachment) or hand mixer: chop butter and cream cheese into roughly two-tablespoon sized pieces and add to mixer bowl. Add other ingredients to the bowl. Starting on low speed (so sugar does not spray everywhere), mix ingredients together. Once sugar is mostly incorporated, increase speed to medium and beat until frosting is smooth and fluffs up a tiny bit.
This recipe makes the perfect amount of frosting to cover one 3 x 9 inch round cake.
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