I'm looking to make my whip cream icing:

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups heavy cream
Directions

Combine the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and almond extract in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Fit the mixer with the whisk attachment and mix on medium speed until smooth. While the mixture is still whipping, slowly pour in the heavy cream. Stop and scrape the bottom of the bowl a couple of times while you continue whipping until the cream can hold a stiff peak.


But, I would like to cut back on the cream cheese taste for this one particular application I am making it for. Can I cut the cream cheese back to 4oz and, do 4oz of butter with the same results???

If the original recipe has worked for you, it sounds like a reasonable substitution. I hope you'll let us know the results.

Well, it tastes good however, I find the texture is a bit off from the last time i made it. I will report more once they have all set up and I taste test.

My standard cream cheese icing is about 65/35 cream cheese/butter. You can adjust it to where you like the taste. Your recipe looks interesting.

65/35 sounds about right. I did 50/50 and could have used a bit more cream cheese taste. The cupcakes went off the dessert plates right away and everyone was raving about the taste. The taste/texture of this icing is heaven. My husband says it reminds him of soft vanilla ice cream.

Glad it worked out. I think the butter and cream cheese mixture is better tasting. In my bakery, it is called cream cheese buttercream, because it is!

Can you use full fat cream cheese?

So by 65/35, is it 5.25 ounces CC/2.75 ounces butter or do you just round to 5/3?

White Sugar, is this granulated sugar? How do you get it to dissolve? I would be tempted to heat up some of the whipping cream to dissolve it.

Is the whipping cream chilled before using and the bowl and whip too?

I am assuming this frosting has to be refrigerated, huh?

So many questions. Everybody raves about my CC frosting, but there is always room to try another one!

Linda, mine is 3 sticks of butter to 1 lb of cream cheese. This is the only recipe that I use powdered sugar. I would love to have a different recipe that has a cooked base, or, as sweetsuzieq posted. I am interested in her recipe too. FromScratch has the SMBC version using cream cheese. She says it is ok for cupcakes. I want to try hers, but I have never made SMBC. I us IMBC and FBC.

Ah, then it will taste the same as mine. I don't use whipping cream, so I'll have to try that and see how it works out.

I have folded cream cheese into SMBC. I found out after much trial and error that it is best when you fold it in like FromScratchSF does. It is a pleasant and elegant CC flavor, not overpowering with CC, but subtle. I suppose that would change with the amount of CC you add. I was going to use the SMBC version for my cupcakes, but all my taste testers love the PS version of CC frosting better. It is the perfect amount of sweetness and CC taste and tang. And you cannot tell it is made with PS, no grittiness on the teeth. I was surprised, but it was the same feedback from everybody, not one person disagreed. And this was from different groups, not just my friends. But also from coworkers of both my husband and daughter (so different age groups also).

IMBC should work the same was as SMBC to add cream cheese. What is FBC? I will say my CC is good for cupcakes and dessert cakes (informal type cakes). But for a wedding cake I would want to use the SMBC with cream cheese. It is just more elegant I think.

FBC is my favorite. It uses the yolks and is the same method as IMBC. The yolks are whipped as the syrup is heating. The yolks make every addition richer. I don't like it for vanilla. The butter and vanilla are too much in the forefront. For that I use IMBC. If I can use IMBC with CC, that would be great. I have not made SMBC because I don't want to stand at the stove with a hand mixer if IMBC givesthe same results. One day I will try it. I do have two custard based icings, so I already stand at the stove for them... stool nearby, take a break.

Oh God, I wouldn't want to stand in front of a stove with a hand mixer either!

I don't do that, I just use a whip to move it around and keep the egg whites from cooking. Try it with just a whip, probably like you do for your custards. I don't know why you need to start mixing them while heating, makes no sense to me.

I only looked at one recipe awhile back and said, "Nope". So you just hand whip the eggs to a certain temp, put in mixer, mix to stiff peaks and room temp, add butter?

Thanks, I'll try it.

I used regular old granulated sugar ..... I was worried too that it would be gritty but, nope.

Here is exactly how I did it the first time I made it....

Stuck my bowl and regular beaters into the freezer while I got everything out that I needed for the recipe. (I use a hand mixer because I do not yet have a KA! ) LOL The first time I used all cream cheese (which I actually prefer to cc and butter) so, I put my softened cc in the bowl, added the sugar and vanilla and creamed it. (I didn't use almond cuz I'm not a big fan of almond extract) And, I was making a lime cake so, added 1tbs lime juice instead. I did cream it a bit longer than I would normally because I was worried about it being grainy and, scraped down the bowl a few times just to be sure! LOL

Then, I removed my regular beaters, threw on my whisk attachment and, started whisking while I added the whipping cream. I scraped a few times along the way and, once I got to stiff peaks, I stopped. I was piping with it so, I figured it couldn't hurt to throw it in the fridge for a bit so it was good and stiff and, it worked like a charm:

http://cakecentral.com//gallery/2010888

It definitely isn't a pronounced as you get when piping with BC but, the taste is AMAZING! Also, from what I read, it is fine left out and, I did so when I did my easter bunny cupcakes with no problems.

However, I think the next time, I may try some gelatin or whip cream stabilizer because I'm wondering if that will make it a bit stiffer for piping. I will certainly be experimenting with this one!

Thanks, I'll give it a try. It sounds yummy.