the best ever vanilla frosting
I love this time of year SO MUCH. Gift giving is my love language so any excuse to make, bake or buy for other humans is something I am HERE FOR. I made this cake for Andrew’s boss this week as a thank you for her being so loving and caring during this transition of a new baby, and seemed to me, it was a hit!
WARNING: This makes a TON of frosting, so don’t be scared. I’m able to get enough for a LARGE layer cake and you may even have some leftover. I just have been in the situation where you are almost finished frosting and you run out of the good stuff and you are stuck making more frosting, but yet you don’t have enough powdered sugar and now you have to run to the store and your cake mojo is starting to fail and now it’s turning into a cake-tastrophe and you may cry but then you remember baking makes you happy and you smile and run to the store in LA (which takes 40 minutes but it’s .3 miles away) and you make more frosting…I mean, just make this recipe and it won’t even come to all that!! I’m telling you, this is the best frosting I have ever had / ever made - health be damned!
Ingredients
3 sticks of butter (1.5 cups), room temperature OR popped in the microwave for a minute just to get slightly melty and creamy
8oz package of whipped cream cheese
2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract
a PINCH of Trader Joe’s Vanilla Bean Paste
8 cups powdered sugar
Half n Half as needed to loosen frosting
***Can be made chocolate with the addition of 1.5 cups dark cocoa powder
Instructions
In a large bowl, mix / beat together butter and cream cheese on a medium-high speed until fluffy and light in color.
Add vanilla extract, paste and if you are making the chocolate version, add cocoa powder. Mix until incorporated.
Add powdered sugar about a cup at a time until a thick frosting is formed. Add cream to loosen to a spreadable consistency.
Frost cake or cupcakes and don’t forget to lick the bowl!