Cream Cheese Frosting

This frosting is less sweet than traditional frostings and is best on spiced cakes, such as Carrot Cake and Susan's Tropical Carrot Cake. It is also the frosting of choice for Red Velvet Cake.

4 ounces cream cheese
2 Tbsp. soft butter
1 cup sifted confectioner's sugar, plus more to desired consistency and taste
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese, on low speed, until very smooth with no lumps. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and beat, on low speed, until fully incorporated and smooth, adding more sifted powdered sugar until you reach a consistency and sweetness that fits your taste. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract.

Makes enough to lightly frost the top of a cake made in a 13 x 9" pan.

Orange Flavored Cream Cheese Frosting:

Use 1 T. orange juice and 1 tsp. grated orange rind in place of vanilla.