Best Ever Decorator’s Cream Cheese Buttercream

• Pasta & Grains

  • 1/8 tsp Fiori di sicilia extract

• Baking & Spices

  • 1/4 tsp Almond extract, pure
  • 2 1/4 tsp Nielsen-massey vanilla extract, pure such as
  • 6 tbsp Palm shortening, organic

• Dairy

  • 3/4 cup Butter
  • 1 Philadelphia (8-ounce/226-gram package chilled cream cheese, such as

• Other

  • 1 (2-pound/907-gram package 100% pure cane confectioners’ sugar, such as c&h® or domino®, sifted
  • Heavy Duty 5-Qt. Stand Mixer, such as KitchenAid®, necessary

Found on wickedgoodkitchen.com

Description

Ingredients

• ¾ cup (1½ sticks/170 grams) butter, softened, can use part salted & unsalted
• 6 tablespoons (72 grams) organic palm shortening, such as Spectrum®
• 1 (8-ounce/226-gram) package chilled cream cheese, such as Philadelphia®
• 2¼ teaspoons (11.25 ml) pure vanilla extract, such as Nielsen-Massey®
• ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) pure almond extract, such as Nielsen-Massey®, optional
• ⅛ teaspoon (.625 ml) Fiori di Sicilia extract, by King Arthur Flour®, optional
• 1 (2-pound/907-gram) package 100% pure cane confectioners’ sugar, such as C&H® or Domino®, sifted
• Special Equipment & Supplies
• Heavy Duty 5-Qt. Stand Mixer, such as KitchenAid®, necessary

Directions

• Using an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and shortening on medium speed until creamy. Add cream cheese and extract(s); beat until fully incorporated. Gradually increase mixer speed to high and continue beating until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of bowl as necessary with rubber spatula.
• Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating on low to medium-low speed, until well combined. Beat on high speed until well combined and smooth while scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, about 4 minutes. Buttercream will be very stiff and thick. Before frosting cake layers, rebeat buttercream to ensure smoothness.
• To Frost Cakes with Crusting Buttercream: Fill and frost cake as usual then allow the cake to stand out at room temperature until a light sugar crust forms on the surface of the buttercream, about 15 to 20 minutes. To smooth the buttercream, use the “Viva Method” by using a fondant smoothing tool (such as by Wilton®) and plain, non-patterned Viva® brand paper toweling. Simply place a sheet of paper towel on top of buttercream that has formed a crust and gently rub fondant smoothing tool over the paper towel to smooth the buttercream underneath. If you do not have a fondant smoothing tool, you can use your hand. If the buttercream sticks to the paper towel, allow the cake to stand longer to form a crust. Do not let the buttercream stand for too long as it will harden to the point of being more difficult to form a smooth surface.