i used store bought cream cheese for the frosting on this cake b/c i love the way it tastes on carrot cake and then i colored buttercream frosting for the carrots and other details. it was a little tricky at times w/buttercream decorations going on top of store bought cream cheese frosting....sometimes the carrots would slide as i was decorating them...but it wasn't too bad. i'd probably do it again the same way