It's Mardi Gras today! Or Shrove Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, Pancake Tuesday.... whatever you want to call it, today's the day for a little splurge. In honour of that, I present to you my favourite cream cheese icing recipe. You'll need 250g of cream cheese, 3Tbsp unsalted butter, 650g sifted icing sugar, 1Tbsp vanilla extract. 

Step 1: Start with full fat, good quality cream cheese. "Light" or "reduced-fat" cream cheese has too much water in it. You'll end up with a gloopy mess. And yes, use the whole 250g/8oz.  You'll want it just at room temperature. I leave mine out for about an hour, but no more.

Step 2: Add about 3Tbsp of softened butter. Isn't a beautiful mess?!

Step 3: Cream the two together until well mixed. Scrape the sides of the bowl a couple times. This should take about 3-5 minutes. 

Step 4: Stop your mixer and add about 2/3 cup of sugar. Mix completely before adding in more. Add 2/3 cup at a time until completely incorporated. 

Step 5: Looking good!  Add the vanilla and mix a little more. Scrape the sides of the bowl a time or two. You may wish to use a demi-tasse spoon to taste at this point. You know, just to make sure it's good. Use a new spoon every time.

Step 6: Check your consistency. You should reach a "soft peak" stage, so when you lift the paddle, the icing keeps its shape, but the peak will not hold up completely. If it's too watery, add a little more sugar [1/4c at a time]. If it's too stiff, add a 1/2 tsp of corn syrup at a time. Mix very well. 

ENJOY!

Have a happy cake!
-Kristina