A couple weeks ago I had a reader write in and request a recipe for a slightly less sweet butter cream frosting recipe. She had used some of our cupcake mixology recipes and she said they were great but she wondered if there was a way to make frosting that wasn't quite so sweet. And this got me thinking that perhaps it could be fun to share some of my favorite basic frosting recipes. Today we are going to learn to make: cream cheese frosting (great for Red Velvet cakes!), chocolate butter cream, and a (slightly less sweet) white butter cream frosting.
Cream Cheese frosting, makes 3-4 cups (enough for a dozen cupcakes).
Needed: two 8 ounce packages of cream cheese, 1/4 cup (half a stick) of butter, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 3-4 cups powder sugar.
You need the cream cheese and butter to be slightly softened, so you can either leave it out on the counter for a few hours or nuke it in the microwave for 20 seconds. Beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until creamy. Add in the vanilla extract and beat for another 30 seconds. Now start adding the powder sugar 1 cup at a time and beating in between each addition.
Chocolate Butter cream frosting, makes around 3 cups (enough for a dozen cupcakes)
Needed: 2 cups (4 sticks) softened butter, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3-4 tablespoons cocoa (dutch processed is what I usually use) 3-4 cups powder sugar.
Again, you need the butter to be softened so either leave it out or nuke it. Cream the butter and vanilla together until smooth and creamy. Add in the cocoa and beat for 30 seconds, scrap down the sides of the bowl as you go so everything gets well mixed. Now add the powder sugar 1 cup at a time, beating in between each addition until you have a thick frosting.
Less sweet (but amazing) White Butter cream frosting, makes around 3 cups (enough for a dozen cupcakes). This recipe is slightly adapted from here.
Needed: 1 cup milk, 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup (two sticks) softened butter, 1 cup (granulated) sugar and 1/4 cup powder sugar.
In a small sauce pan heat together the milk and flour, whisking as you go until you have a thick paste. Set this aside and let it cool. In a bowl cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar and vanilla for 2-3 minutes until the sugar is well incorporated and (almost) not grainy at all. Now add the flour paste to the bowl and beat for another 2-3 minutes until it begins to get fluffy like whipped cream. Add the powder sugar and beat until well incorporated. There's quite a bit of mixing for this recipe as the ingredients are quite nontraditional for a frosting-but it's totally worth it!
Happy baking! xo. emma and elsie
I will forever love cream cheese frosting with a hint of vanilla. Definitely my fave. This was great. Thanks for sharing =)
- Sarah
A Girl In Transit
Posted by: Sarah | March 30, 2012 at 12:52 PM
These sound DELICIOUS! I am so in love with all your recipes and I am excited to try a less sweet frosting!
www.memoriesinthemess.blogspot.com
Posted by: Becca Letteer | March 30, 2012 at 12:53 PM
Oooh yum yum! I have been looking for some new recipes! Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: BlythePonytailParades | March 30, 2012 at 12:59 PM
Cream cheese frosting will always be my favourite, so good.
Zoe
http://gypsiesister.blogspot.co.uk
Posted by: Zoe | March 30, 2012 at 01:09 PM
oohh-will try the last one-my favourite is also cream cheese
Posted by: robyn | March 30, 2012 at 01:26 PM
Oh very nice, I do have to say I find frosting a little bit too sweet most of the time.
But I do love a bit of cream cheese frosting, especially on carrot cake :D
Posted by: Pippa | March 30, 2012 at 01:28 PM
less sweet frosting = blasphemy
Posted by: brittany | March 30, 2012 at 01:33 PM
I would really like to try and make my own frosting. Sometimes the packaged stuff makes me sick.
xoxo - http://cachecloset.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Katrina | March 30, 2012 at 01:37 PM
Excellent! I've heard about the cooked flour frosting before, but I was too skeptical to try it. Good to hear a real person's endorsement!
Any tips on the actual act of frosting? I am frosting-impaired: the stuff always sludges off the surface I'm attempting to frost, or lays in unhappy, unattractive little blobs.
Posted by: Rachel W. | March 30, 2012 at 01:41 PM
Oh how delightful!
I want to make some treats now!
Anna
Posted by: olive green anna | March 30, 2012 at 01:45 PM
Dang, guys! I'm on a diet! Really making it hard for me to lose those last 5 pounds! ;)
xoxo
www.natashafatah.blogspot.com
Posted by: Natasha Fatah | March 30, 2012 at 01:50 PM
I very frequently make the less-sweet vanilla frosting (got it from the same website) and it makes a simple chocolate cake mix really delish! I was skeptical before I tried it but it really is great and I get compliments on it all the time :)
Posted by: Kristi | March 30, 2012 at 02:04 PM
Yay! Thank You for posting some that will be less sweet. I cannot wait to try some of these.
Posted by: -V | March 30, 2012 at 02:06 PM
They look so tasteful! I wish I could have one right now!! Thanx for the recipe! xxx
http://www.fashionatint.blogspot.com/
Posted by: olga | March 30, 2012 at 02:09 PM
Yummy! I wish I could bite into the chocolate one right now ;) Haha.
Posted by: Lindsay | March 30, 2012 at 02:14 PM
Great post! I'm not a fan of overly sweet treats so a less sweet frosting recipe is right up my alley! I've been making cupcakes a lot lately.
Thanks for sharing!
xx
http://www.thrifted.ca
Posted by: Allison | March 30, 2012 at 02:20 PM
Cupcakes are my one weekness!
http://www.loganmakesamess.com
Posted by: Logan | March 30, 2012 at 02:29 PM
Looks delicious! I love cream cheese frosting!!!
- Miranda
Posted by: Miranda | March 30, 2012 at 03:05 PM
This is such a great post...even if it did make me realllly hungry! The cakes look super-yummy! x
Posted by: Catherine | March 30, 2012 at 03:38 PM
Frosting is the best part of cake, in my opinion! These recipes look wonderful!
Posted by: Jenny | March 30, 2012 at 03:39 PM