I have always used Martha Stewart's cream cheese icing recipe (2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1 stick butter, 1 pound cream cheese, 1 tsp. vanilla). This past weekend, I had a horrific experience with this cream cheese icing. I made it several hours ahead and put it in the frig to firm up, as I always do. When I went to ice the cake, the icing just kept sliding down the sides and would not stay on the cake, no matter what I did. I ended up having to scrape it all off and had to use whipped cream icing instead (with big apologies to the customer ). So, I'm thinking I need to find a new cream cheese icing recipe that is more stable. I found a few recipes in the recipes section, but I was hoping I could get some favorite recipes from CC'ers that are very stable but still very cream cheese-y. Thanks in advance for your help!

Cream cheese can't really be 'very stable', but the crusting cream cheese icing in the recipe forum is very good. i have used it many times. It stil requires refrigeration for the best results.

I've used the crusting cream cheese recipe from the site twice. The first time it worked like charm. In fact, the cake in my photos with the blue roses is the crusting cream cheese frosting. The second time didn't work so well because it was too hot!

Good luck!!!

I used the smaller cream cheese recipe from here yesterday, and it was nice and firm right from the start....didn't need to refridgerate first. It is the one that calls for 1 stick butter, 8oz cream cheese, 2 lb 10x sugar, vanilla and salt and 1/4 cup shortening. Everyone here thought it was great, and it was a very nice consistancy. I have some left over in the fridge, and it is very firm, will definately need re-whipping to use (unless I put in on my bagel!)

all i can tell you is when piping with cream cheese icing i have to reture it to the fridge often--mines just a standard recipe nothing special

8 oz Cream Cheese-softened only
1 stick butter-softened only
1 lb 10x powdered sugar
1 tea vanilla extract
1-2 tea milk--whick i don't use when decorating

LorAnn makes a Cheesecake flavoring that I have used in my regular buttercream, it is very tasty. I like it because I can still offer a "cheesecake-flavor" without the cake needing to be refrigerated. It can simply be used in place of the vanilla in any buttercream recipe. I also like to add it to the cake mix for lots of yummy cheesecake flavor in every bite!