Frosting Recipes

Behold a cinnamon cream cheese frosting on a pumpkin cupcake filled with nuts and spices.  This is a perfect fall holiday treat to bring to gatherings or have around for visitors.  It’s basically a cream cheese frosting with the addition of cinnamon, but along with the vanilla, it brings a nice warmth to the frosting.  Plus it’s a great balance with a sweet pumpkin or dark chocolate cake or cupcake.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting From Gimme Some Oven

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
4 Tbsp. butter, at room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. cinnamon

In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar and cinnamon, mixing well until it’s all incorporated.  Use immediately or refridgerate.  The frosting will harden in the fridge, so plan on bring it back to room temperature if you must refrigerate it before frosting the cupcakes.

Cupcake recipe and pics after the jump.

pumpkin cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting | gimme some oven.

The NYTimes published an interesting article on culinary students competing to reinvent the traditional birthday cake using “better for you” ingredients.   The contest was sponsored by the American Cancer Society and had some delicious results that are lower in butter, sugar and oils than some traditional recipes. Even the frosting was uplifted with some tasty and somewhat healthier options.

The cream cheese icing by finalist Laura Sansone is as follows:

Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

2 pounds of low fat cream cheese
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Warm cream cheese to room temperature. Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar until well blended.

2. Add vanilla and orange zest. Frost cake as desired.

In addition to using low fat cream cheese, recipes also called for healthy-ish ingredients such as blueberry-pomegranate juice, applesauce, fresh fruit and dark chocolate.

We loved this easy cream cheese frosting recipe perfect for these brownies or as frosting for any flavor cake or cupcakes.  Cream cheese frosting is one of the most versatile icing recipes we can think of.   The Persimmon Festival Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting  Recipe comes from Southern Indiana where the native persimmons are celebrated every fall.

PERSIMMON FESTIVAL BROWNIES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Brownies

2 cups persimmon pulp
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cups butter
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 tsp nutmeg
3 eggs

Cream sugar and butter together; add persimmon pulp, buttermilk and eggs. Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Bake in greased and floured pan for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Cool and frost with the following icing.

Frosting Recipe: Cream Cheese Icing

3 oz cream cheese
1/2 stick butter
1 lb powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tbsp milk

Cream together the butter and cream cheese; add vanilla and milk; mix well. Add powdered sugar and blend in well. Spread over the brownies. Sprinkle with chopped nuts.

For more “Sweet Treats” visit http://ladybugssweettreats.blogspot.com For my vintage recipe collection visit http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com