We have discussed cream cheese frosting before (and the stability of lack thereoff).  I continued in my research - constant Googling - for a stable yet still delicious cream cheese frosting.  Unfortumately, I cannot remember the sources from which I borrowed my latest addition.  It is similar to using cornstarch.  I like the taste of the runny, not stable cream cheese frosting more.  I do not like using white chocolate.  Previous to this season, when I made cream cheese frosting I definitely had to put it in the fridge for a bit to let it get a littme more solid.  Now, the following is hwat I am doing and have made 6 or 7 cakes in the last couple of weeks with great success. 

16 oz. cream cheese frosting cold - practically straight from the fridge
1 stick room temp butter
230 to 270 grams of confectioner’s sugar
1 or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (even more if you like if your mood says so (LOL…I know not very scientific). you could try leaving this out to see if you get more cream cheese flavor
3 tablespoons of Vanilla Pudding mix (yes, this apparently takes the place of cornstarch which I never liked using)
53 grams of heavy cream
Rose’s Beater Blade (I am sure another would work…this just happens to be what I have (acquired recently))

add the 3 tablespoons of vanilla pudding mix to the sugar and stir
beat the cream cheese until it is softened and well mixed
add the butter in pats as you continue to mix
add the flavoring
add most of the confectioner sugar
continue mixing
add more confectioner sugar if it seems right
mix only as much as necessary
scrape sides
add 53 grams of heavy cream

use or refrigerate until needed. 

in future tests I may decrease the vanilla pudding and/or try with less extract. 

Why ashamed….. vanilla puddiang mix feels like cheating.  But this frosting is proving to be stable for normal situations. 

Whadda ya’ think?

edit:  correct spelling cold instead of code (must have been tired)

Don’t be ashamed CRenee.  Sometimes in our quest to find the ideal (in this case:  taste/texture)  there are less than ideal solutions!  Since most instant puddings have cornstarch—why do you prefer the pudding to the cornstarch?  I’m wondering if the modified cornstarch vs. regular is the culprit? 

I also have a similar success story…I have used cornstarch in the filling for cinnamon rolls to keep it from running totally out of the dough into a greasy goo under the buns (I’m not going for a sticky bun effect!!)—although I’ve made them only once, so I will have to experiment a bit more before I fully report success!

Love to see a pic of your latest creations!!

CRenee, I think that if Thomas Keller of Bouchon Bakery can use store bought custard powder to thicken his vanilla pastry cream “for a richer pastry cream with a brighter color” (quote from the cookbook) no one need feel ashamed of using these products to help perfect their homemade goodies.

I also prefer less sweet cream cheese buttercreams and have always struggled with decorating a cake because of their soft texture. I hope you don’t mind, but I would love to try your recipe.

Looks interesting!  It seems as though the pudding mix would act as an absorber of any whey that the cheese gives off.  If you wanted to, you could dissolve the pudding mix and perhaps all or some of the powdered sugar in the heavy cream and bring that to a boil to produce an even smoother and more stable frosting.  Is the pudding meant to be heated/brought to a boil?  And yes, if you didn’t want to use the mix, you could sub cornstarch in much the same way Rose’s starch-stabilized whipped cream is made.

Thank you Sherrie…for the encouragement. When I used cornstarch in the past I seemed to notice.  I will experiment with that again
And I will post a pic soon
. Thank you Sophia…you put me in good company.  I. Hope you do try the recipe and let’s see if we can make it even smoother.

Now Julie that is interesting.  I am going to have to evaluate and experiment more. Meanwhile? Yes I will look at Rose recipe..Thank you

Cynthia Renee

Julie - 02 December 2012 10:57 AM

Looks interesting!  It seems as though the pudding mix would act as an absorber of any whey that the cheese gives off.  If you wanted to, you could dissolve the pudding mix and perhaps all or some of the powdered sugar in the heavy cream and bring that to a boil to produce an even smoother and more stable frosting.  Is the pudding meant to be heated/brought to a boil?  And yes, if you didn’t want to use the mix, you could sub cornstarch in much the same way Rose’s starch-stabilized whipped cream is made.

Julie, after I boil the powdered sugar and pudding mix in some amount of heavy creamm, would I then cool and mix with the cream cheese?  What I doing now is simply adding a the dry mix to the sugar before adding to the cream cheese and butter mixture.

Yes, that’s what I was thinking- a lot like the starch-stabilized whipped cream, where you boil the starch (in this case pudding mix) with the cream, cool it (covered so it doesn’t form a skin), then beat it into the cream cheese/butter (which has already been whipped a bit).  I don’t know how much cream would be the right amount to allow the pudding to dissolve and thicken without getting too thick, hopefully it will be close to the amount you have so that all you’re changing is the method, rather than the balance of ingredients which you already like.  Depending on how much cream you’re adding, you may also be able to dissolve the sugar in the hot cream for a smoother texture.

CRenee,

I tried this recipe a few days ago making it exactly as you’ve posted it though I did make one assumption regarding the type of pudding mix - I used instant which doesn’t rely on heat to thicken.

It was wonderful: it wasn’t too sweet and it tasted of cream cheese; you couldn’t detect any artificial vanilla flavour from the pudding mix; the texture was smooth ie no grittiness from the sugar or pudding mix; it remained soft at refrigerator temperatures; it piped beautifully and held its shape in a warm kitchen/room.

Apart from the more stable texture, I observed a few other differences…...it appeared to be a little less glossy/shiny than cream cheese frosting made without the pudding, and is it my imagination, or is the colour slightly more yellow?

Regardless, it served me well in topping carrot cake and I’m tempted to try this vanilla pudding trick with other soft buttercreams.

Thank you for your hard work in developing this recipe

Sophia - 14 January 2013 04:17 PM

CRenee,

I tried this recipe a few days ago making it exactly as you’ve posted it though I did make one assumption regarding the type of pudding mix - I used instant which doesn’t rely on heat to thicken.

It was wonderful: it wasn’t too sweet and it tasted of cream cheese; you couldn’t detect any artificial vanilla flavour from the pudding mix; the texture was smooth ie no grittiness from the sugar or pudding mix; it remained soft at refrigerator temperatures; it piped beautifully and held its shape in a warm kitchen/room.

Apart from the more stable texture, I observed a few other differences…...it appeared to be a little less glossy/shiny than cream cheese frosting made without the pudding, and is it my imagination, or is the colour slightly more yellow?

Regardless, it served me well in topping carrot cake and I’m tempted to try this vanilla pudding trick with other soft buttercreams.

Thank you for your hard work in developing this recipe

Sophia, I am glad/delighted to have feedback on the approach.  Yes, instant is what I use.  I too love the flavor and wonder if I am slightly tasting vanilla from the mix because I know it is there and ask the question.  Yes, I think you are right.  It is a little less glossy/shinier that others.  and Yes, the color is slightly more yellow.  It is the yellow color that makes me want experiment.  I think I want to do a controlled experiment with adding cream cheese to meringue by replacing some of the butter and making the meringue more meringuy…(if that makes sense).

However, noone has commented or complained so I will tackle other bucket list items first….like returning to my search for the best ever chocolate cake. 

I do note that I need to follow the process,...as I tried to throw a batch together and failed miserably.  Are you using a Beater Blade?

I do have a beater blade and I don’t know what I would do without it (probably a lot of stopping of the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl like I did before!). It worked very well in producing a smooth buttercream even starting out with cold cream cheese.

Aesthetically, I didn’t mind the less shiny finish and the creamy colour actually looked very nice with the carrot cake. Ultimately, flavour is most important, and it tasted great.

Sophia - 14 January 2013 10:21 PM

I do have a beater blade and I don’t know what I would do without it (probably a lot of stopping of the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl like I did before!). It worked very well in producing a smooth buttercream even starting out with cold cream cheese.

Aesthetically, I didn’t mind the less shiny finish and the creamy colour actually looked very nice with the carrot cake. Ultimately, flavour is most important, and it tasted great.

That is exactly why I cream cheese frosting will fall lower on my list.  I made it alot during Thanksgiving and Christmas.