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Icing Problem


Stone

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I've been making a carrot cake with cream cheese icing, and I have one consistent problem -- the icing never firms up. Even if I stick it in the freezer. When it gets back to room temperature, it starts sloughing down the sides of the cake, and sometimes the top layer slides off. Here's my recipe (from Epicurious):

10 oz Cream Cheese

5 T butter

2 1/2 C powdered sugar

1/4 C maple syrup

With this last batch, I could only find mass-market syrup. And I added a t of powdered ginger. But I doubt that make a difference. I did beat it rather fast and for a longer time than usual because I had some powdered sugar lumps. Any thoughts?

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I have never used a syrup, nor have I seen anyone who has done so successfully, in a recipe for cream cheese icing .. perhaps just a teaspoon of vanilla or even maple extract might help to avert the cream cheese frosting 'avalanche'? :rolleyes:

Melissa Goodman aka "Gifted Gourmet"

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Here's the recipe I've been using (successfully) for aeons... you should easily be able to add your maple syrup to it.

8 oz. cream cheese

1/2 C. (one stick) butter, softened

4 C. powdered sugar

Cream together the butter and cream cheese, then gradually add the powdered sugar; mix til creamy.

Good luck!

Di

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I have never used a syrup, nor have I seen anyone who has done so successfully, in a recipe for cream cheese icing .. perhaps just a teaspoon of vanilla or even maple extract might help to avert the cream cheese frosting 'avalanche'? :rolleyes:

Dudette. It's your recipe.

Edited by Stone (log)
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I have to agree that the maple syrup is causing it to slide. I think most recipes use some extract for flavoring. Any kind of maple or corn syrup would cause it to run. Here is the icing recipe from the Commissary Carrot Cake:

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz. soft unsalted butter

8 oz. soft cream cheese

1 box (1 lb.) powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Here's the link to the cake, if you are interested in that recipe

http://foodgeeks.com/recipes/recipe.phtml?recipe_id=752

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I too followed Gifted Gourmet's advice and used Epicurious' recipe for carrot cake.

I am no expert at this particular cake - the result was good enough, but not worth the trouble.

I should have read at least some of the 203 reviews, about the icing (and the cake) being too soft, but I didn't before I started.

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i agree...lose the maple syrup..the problem i think i can see with using it even in the limited amount you are using is that its not going to help firm it up...i myself have never used maple syrup in the icing for a carrot cakenor have i used maple flaovrign either...but im thinking if you really want that flavor for the icing..you would be much better off using the flacoring for it in place of the vanilla extract...it ust stands to reason that when using pwodered sugra..the more liquid ingredient you use the better your chances are for a runnier icing that wont firm up

a recipe is merely a suggestion

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Dudette.  It's your recipe.

Slam dunk, Stone! Actually, it is an Epicurious recipe which means that there will be discussion and multiple comments which one must read for "clues" to various issues .. and so here are the comments, many of which confirm the runny icing issue:

the comments section from this recipe ...

Making it in a 9 X 13 pan resolves the problem of where the icing can escape from ... :laugh:

Thanks,

Dudette :hmmm:

Melissa Goodman aka "Gifted Gourmet"

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Here's a valuable hint, kids.

Mix your butter and powdered sugar to a smooth paste first. Add your vanilla or whatever, THEN add your cream cheese. You won't have any powdered sugar lumps this way. Also, whenever you are making anything with cream cheese, scrape down your bowl OFTEN. You will end up with a smooth wonderful icing.

I must agree on the maple syrup thing. It's like "Hey! How can I make a difficult icing even more difficult? I know! Maple syrup!"

Also, if you increase your butter to cream cheese ratio, you will have an icing that sets up better.

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When cream cheese is paddled too fast or too long, it just sort of lets go. And no amount of chilling will bring it back. But maybe a little Jello instant vanilla pudding mix drizzled into it would tighten it.

That is the reason one should add the cream cheese on the last stage, also, I alway take out the cream cheese the night before and let it soften up in room temperture so I won't need to whip them more than it needs, preparation make all the differences.

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