Cream Cheese Frosting is fantastic. Sweet with a tang! Carrot cake isn't carrot cake without cream cheese frosting :)

I like to add vanilla bean seeds, tastes great and I love seeing the minute black specks. There are many variations you can try, add ¼ cup of cocoa or 1-2 Tbsp instant coffee which makes it great on chocolate cake. You can also add lemon or orange zest for a different flavour.

Ingredients:

450g Cream Cheese (2 x 8oz packets)

115g Unsalted butter, softened

2½-3 cups Icing Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

or

½ tsp Vanilla Extract & seeds from 1 vanilla pod

Method:

• Beat the butter until smooth and creamy, add the cream cheese and blend together until smooth.
• With mixer on low speed add icing sugar, little bit at a time, and vanilla.
• Increase the speed of mixer and beat until well mixed.

Makes enough to cover and fill a 3 layer 8-inch cake.

You can add more icing sugar, up to 4 cups, to make it sweeter and/or stiffer for piping etc. I personally like the distinct tang of the cream cheese so I use less icing sugar.

Can be refrigerated, covered, until ready to use. Bring to room temperature and beat until smooth before using.