Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cold cream cheese
1/2 cup room temperature butter
2/3 cups cocoa powder
4 cups powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add cocoa a little at a time, beat until well combined. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, beat until fluffy.

Cream Cheese Frosting

This is my go-to "butter cream frosting."

8 oz cold cream cheese
1/2 cup room temperature butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 T vanilla extract

Beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and vanilla.

Chocolate Cupcakes or Sheet Cake

Cake:
1 cup butter
1/3 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs 
1/3 cup of a 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour, sifted and remeasured
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, (opt)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Frosting:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup dark cocoa powder
the rest of the 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk
1 cup powdered sugar 1 cup coarsely chopped nuts

Instructions:

Cake:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 24 cupcakes or Pam spray a jelly roll pan for a sheet cake.
• Melt  butter in a small sauce pan. Stir in cocoa and water, bring to a boil. Stir in brown sugar. Temper two eggs before adding them to the chocolate mixture. Beat well with a wire whisk. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. 
• Sift 2 cups of flour and then remeasure by spooning sifted flour into measuring cup. Add baking soda, cinnamon (opt) and salt. 
• While stirring, slowly pour chocolate mixture into flour. Stir until well combined.
• For cupcakes bake for 17-18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. 
• For a sheet cake bake for 15 minutes. 

Frosting:

• Melt butter in a small saucepan, add cocoa and mix well. Stir in sweetened condensed milk and powdered sugar. Mix in 2/3 cup coarsely chopped nuts. Sprinkle the rest of the nuts over the top of the frosted cupcakes/cake.

   

Soft Cream Cheese Frosting

This is a wonderful compliment to the carrot cake recipe on my blog.
America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook.

Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 Tbsp sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions:
Process the cream cheese, butter, sour cream, and vanilla in a food processor until combined, about 5 seconds. Add the confectioners' sugar and continue to process until smooth, about 10 seconds, scraping down the bowl and blades as needed.

VARIATION:
Substitute 1 Tbsp orange juice for the sour cream and 1 Tbsp grated orange zest for the vanilla.

Number Of Servings:Enough for 9x13 cake, a bunt cake or 24 cupcakes.