I am going to make a pumpkin cake with cream cheese filling for my families Thanksgiving, which I have made before and but I will be traveling a few hours away and cream cheese icing just doesn't hold together great and melts a bit.  So if anyone has a good recipe for a cream cheese icing that is thicker or stiffer that is willing to share you would be a lifesaver.  Thanks in advance.

AJust use my go-to buttercream. I use it for all my cakes It has cream cheese in it so it has that cream cheese flavor, but it holds up well to fondant decor.

2sticks (8ounces) real butter ( salted) 1-8ounce package cream cheese 2 lbs powdered sugar

Cream softened butter and softened cream cheese in mixer until well combined. I usually let it go for about five minutes. Slowly add powdered sugar. That's about it! It doesn't need vanilla...I think it detracts a little from the cream cheese flavor...but if you like it go ahead. Add a little water if you think it's too thick, but if the butter and cream cheese are softened and mixed well, it really shouldn't need it. If you are traveling with it, make sure it's cold to start and it will come to room temp slowly.

This is a crusting buttercream. HTH!

Most cream cheese recipes call for softening the cream cheese first. If you have beater blade for a KitchenAid mixer, skip softening the cream cheese (yep, that's right, just use it straight out of the refrigerator). When mixing in the cold unsoftened cream cheese, mix just until blended - usually less than a minute. Voila! You'll have the perfect cream cheese frosting that will hold up under fondant. 

Thanks so much.  I will be using both of your suggestions and hope it hold up better during my long drive and the hours it will be sitting out before we eat.  At least it is cold outside and not hot which will help.

why not carry it boxed with blue ice packs in it--i wrap them in a paper towel to absorb the condensation then put that in a ziplock and secure it into a corrugated cardboard box for transit--cakes hold very well in there--it feels more secure --less concerning

traveling thought for you

K8, that is a good suggestion but seems more work for me then I want.  This will be a small 6" cake and nothing special as far as decorations and I have a ton of cooking to do since my mom is out of commission this year due to a foot surgery she had a few days ago.  So I really just want something easy and that will stay in shape pretty much without having to ice it or refrigerate it a ton.

AI am doing like regymusic, cold from the fridge except that I throw all the ingredient of any recipe in the foodprocessor then pulse it a little and voila. Never had problem with any cream cheese frosting. It is always stiff. You just have to remember that the more you beat cream cheese the more you break down it's consistency. So just don't overmix it.