Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

 

 

This decadent cake is topped with my Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting. Since I am not a fan of frostings that are grainy & made with shortening, I always go for something that is soft, creamy and preferably fresh.

 

If you have 5 minutes, then you have enough time to make this delicious shortening-free frosting. All you need is 5 ingredients!   Yes, you read this correctly...only 5 ingredients.

 

Take 8 ounces of cream cheese and slice it so that your mixer has a little bit less work to do.

 

 

 

Add to that 1 bar of room temperature butter. Turn on the mixer and whip it until the cream cheese and butter are nice and fluffy.

 

 

 

Add 1/2 cup of confectioner's (powdered) sugar. Do this a little at a time or else you're going to have sugar flying everywhere...and I do mean everywhere.

 

Time to grab the cocoa powder! I love cocoa powder...you can adjust the sweetness to be as dark/bitter as you want or as sweet/milky as you like.

 

 

So here I add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder. If you like a richer chocolate flavor, add an additional tablespoon of cocoa powder.

 

While the mixer is doing its thing, I add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Then continue to whip on low speed until most of the white has been combined and is that beautiful chocolaty color.

 

 



Now, take a little taste just to see if it is as sweet as I like it....and since this was for my daughter Grace's birthday cake, I added an additional tablespoon of confectioner's powdered sugar.

 

 

Let the mixer do it's thing and when everything is beautifully blended you are ready to frost whatever is waiting on the counter next to you.

 

 

Tip: When frosting cupcakes, use a sandwich baggie to apply the frosting. Just snip the corner of the baggie and you have an instant pastry bag.

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Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

 These cupcakes are topped with my Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting. I am not a fan of frostings that are grainy & made with shortening. So I always go for something that is soft, creamy and preferably fresh.

 

If you have 5 minutes, then you have enough time to make this delicious shortening-free frosting. All you need is 3 ingredients! Yes, you read this correctly...only 3 ingredients.
 

 

Take 8 ounces of cream cheese and slice it so that your mixer has a little bit less work to do.
 

Add to that 1 bar of room temperature butter.
 

Turn on the mixer and whip it until the cream cheese and butter are nice and fluffy.
 

Add 1/2 cup of confectioner's (powdered) sugar. Do this a little at a time or else you're going to have sugar flying everywhere...and I do mean everywhere.
 

Let the blender do it's thing and when everything is beautifully blended you are ready to frost whatever is waiting on the counter next to you.
 

In this case, I frosted some Princess Cupcakes for my daughter's school birthday party. 

Tip: When frosting cupcakes, use a sandwich baggie to apply the frosting. Just snip the corner of the baggie and you have an instant pastry bag.   

Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

Prep Time: 5 minutes 
Servings: Enough for 12 cupcakes 

Ingredients: 
8 oz. Cream Cheese 
1 stick Butter, room temperature 
1/2 cup Confectioner's Sugar (powdered)     

Instructions: 
In a large mixing bowl add cream cheese & butter. Whip on medium speed until light and fluffy. 

Reduce speed to low, add confectioner's sugar, a little at time. Whip until well incorporated. 

Ready for frosting!  Tip: When frosting cupcakes, use a sandwich baggie to apply the frosting. Just snip the corner of the baggie and you have an instant pastry bag.   

Refrigerate if not being used immediately. Allow to come to room temperature again before using.

Chocolate Mocha Ganache

 

This ganache is by far my family's favorite topping on cakes, cupcakes & ice cream.  It's a chocolate & coffee lover's dream!

 

 

 

Chocolate Mocha Ganache

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Girardelli 60% Cocoa chocolate
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. heavy cream
• 2 tsp. instant coffee granules

Directions:

1. Place chocolate pieces in a medium bowl.
2. Melt chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds on high.  Stir. Continue to melt in the microwas at 10 secnd intervals, stirring between each, just until chocolate is glossy with small pea-sized pieces.  Chocolate will continue to melt as it is stirred. (warmed cream will melt any remaining pieces)
3. Heat heavy cream in mocrowave for 45 seconds on medium high
4. Once warmedi mmediately pour cream over chocolate and stir until completely mixed and glossy.
5. Allow ganache to cool before pouring over cakes as a glaze.  Ganache will become thicker as it is allowed to cool. (can also be whipped or piped as it cools & thickens)

Baked Goods & Desserts

For those times when you need something a little sweet or something extremely decadent, enjoy some of the recipes that have soothed my family's sweet tooth. 

Be sure to make adjustments to all Baked Goods recipes if you live in a high elevation (see my posting High Altitude Baking)

Banana Nutty Bread ~ One of my favorite breads to make
Cheesy Garlic Monkey Bread ~ A change from the garlic bread norm
Cheesy Pub Beer Bread ~ So ridiculously good & simple to make. Ultimate comfort food! 
Cherry "Valentine Love" Pies ~ Extremely easy to make hand pies! Great for kiddle bakers too! 
Chocolate Flecked Coconut Bark (Cocada con Chocolate) ~ It's like having a warm Mounds bar 
Dark Chocolate Kahlua Mocha Cake (a.k.a. Blackout Cake) ~  Ridiculously decadent for dark chocolate & coffee lovers (with a little quick cheat along the way)
Fyrstekake ~ Norwegian Almond Coffee Cake (Royalty Cake) ~ A wonderful Norwegian coffee cake packed with almonds** 
Grandma Stella's Cornbread ~ My Grammy's cornbread recipe (traditional or sweet) The Keys' Key Lime Scones ~ Buttery scones with a little key lime "zing" 
Kransekake ~ Norwegian Crown Cake or “Viking” Wedding Cake ~ Almond "cake" ringed tower**
PB & J Freezes ~ Be a kid again...frozen graham cracker PB & J sandwiches
Personal Spiced Pineapple Upside Down Cakes ~ A small twist on the classic pineapple upside down cake 
Princess Cupcakes ~ A fun twist to plain cupcakes 
Spiced Monkey Bread ~ This monkey bread is the hit of any breakfast, brunch or dessert **
Sweet Potato Banana Crumble Casserole ~ If you like sweet potatoes, you will love this recipe...if you don't like them, then you will love this casserole. Perfect as a side or dessert dish! ** ** No high altitude changes necessary

Black & White Cranberry Almond Cookies

COOKIES    
Black & White Chocolate Chip Cookies ~ Simple semi sweet chocolate chips meet white chocolate chips
Black & White Cranberry Almond Cookies ~ Semi sweet & white chocolate chips combined with cranberries and almonds
Cheat-N-Eat Candy Cane Cookies ~ Perfect way to dress-up sugar cookies for the holiday season
Cranberry Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies ~ A wonderful combination of cranberries, almonds & chocolate
Exceptional Chocolate Chip Cookies  ~ My favorite (and simple) chocolate chip cookies
Fortune Cookies - Almond ~ A very simple recipe that I found in Woman's World 2008 

SCONES 
Scrumptious Citrus Chocolate Chip Scones ~ The marriage of orange & chocolate in a scone!**
Cranberry Orange Scones ~ A classic scone, but a little less dense than store-bought**
The Keys' Key Lime Scones ~ Tart and sweet combine in perfect harmony

FROSTINGS
Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting ~ Fluffy & chocolatey  
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting ~ Light, sweet & creamy
Chocolate Mocha Ganache ~ A chocolate & coffee lover's dream

PUDDINGS
Baileys Irish Cream & Chocolate Tapioca Pudding ~ Such a great way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day
Easter Pudding Baskets ~ A creative (& easy) kiddle recipe for Easter