Beat the butter with an electric hand mixer for 1-2 minutes until pale and smooth.

Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth and just combined. Add the icing sugar in two batches, mixing until incorporated to form a thick and creamy icing. Make sure to mix the cream cheese icing until everything just comes together – overmixing can destabilise the cream cheese, casuing the icing to soften and appear split.

Spread cream cheese icing on top of a spiced carrot bundt cake, swirl on cupcakes or sandwich between cookies.

Makes: This recipe makes enough icing for 1x 20cm round or square cake, 1x loaf or 6 cupcakes.

Flavour ideas:

• Vanilla cream cheese icing: Add in 1/2 tsp NOMU Vanilla Paste for a beautiful vanilla-flecked icing.
• Orange cream cheese icing: Add in the finely grated zest of 1 small orange with the cream cheese (other citrus, like lemon or lime, will also be great). Pair it with: carrot cake 
• Chocolate cream cheese icing: Add 2 tbsp cocoa powder with the icing sugar. Pair it with: vanilla-chocolate marble loaf
• Coffee cream cheese icing: Add 1-2 tsp instant espresso powder with the icing sugar, or dissolve in the vanilla extract. Pair it with: banana cake
• Maple cream cheese icing: Add 1 tbsp maple syrup to the icing with a pinch of NOMU Ground Cinnamon. Have a look at our Pumpkin Patch Cake for the full recipe.
• Berry cream cheese icing: Add a few tablespoons of strained berry jam or coulis of your choice. Pair with: vanilla cupcakes
• Cinnamon cream cheese icing: Add a heaped 1/4 tsp NOMU Cinnamon with the icing sugar. Pair with: snickerdoodle cookies to make frosted or sandwich cookies.