Cream Cheese Frosting (Barefoot Contessa)

Sweet and Tangy

Tom thinks this frosting is terrific.  So I will use it to frost the carrot cake for his birthday next month. Kid-friendly, too.  I just used some colorful sprinkles instead of the coconut flakes.
---Barbara

Cream Cheese Frosting
(adapted from Barefoot Contessa)

Frosts 12 cupcakes generously
(or 1 sheet cake or a 2-layer cake)

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
12 T.  (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 t. vanilla
1/4 t. almond extract
12 ounces powdered* sugar, sifted  (about 2.5 cups)

Blend together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla and almond extracts.

Measure the powdered sugar.  (If you don't have a scale, then use 2.5 unsifted cups or 3 sifted cups.)

Sift the powdered sugar, then add to cream cheese mixture, and mix together well until smooth.  Can be done with a paddle in a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer.

If not the desired consistency, add a little more sifted powdered sugar, but it should be easy to spread and still hold its shape and not run.

Also, check the frosting to be sure that there aren't any lumps.  If necessary, blend again.  No one likes lumpy frosting.  That's why it is so important to sift the powdered sugar.

Add sweetened coconut flakes or sprinkles, or anything you wish.

* also known as confectioners' sugar