My Favorite Cream Cheese Frosting

This is my favorite cream cheese frosting recipe and my go-to every time I make a cake, unless there's a specific flavor request. When I know I'm going to be baking a cake, I just get my cream cheese and butter out in the morning and let it sit out all day (or overnight if I'm planning to frost a cake in the morning). It's okay for them to sit out for eight hours. Also, I know sifting can be a pain, but it's better to get the lumps ahead of time than to have little chunks of powdered sugar in your frosting!

Ingredients

• 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 8 T unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 ¾ powdered sugar, sifted (or to taste)
• 1 tea vanilla extract

Directions

1. Beat butter and cream cheese with electric mixer until combined.
2. Add the sugar, about a half cup at a time, until well incorporated.
3. Add vanilla and beat until fluffy.

Chocolate variation: add ½ cup cocoa powder and an extra ¼ cup powdered sugar.