Have you ever scraped the frosting off of a celebration cake because the frosting is so sweet? You would be in the majority if you do not care for overly sweet frostings. If so, you will love this frosting! It is creamy, delicious and not too sweet. The white chocolate is all that sweetens the frosting but there is only a hint of white chocolate flavor.
This is the frosting I use for wedding and anniversary cakes that need to be light-colored or tinted for wedding colors. I have resisted using buttercream because it tends to be so overpoweringly sweet. For a 60th anniversary cake I made, I used whipped cream stabilized with gelatin as frosting. I had many compliments on the frosting and the cake. It went very well with the chocolate cake because it was barely sweetened and the cake was very rich. Yet, I found challenges with whipping huge amounts of cream and adding gelatin. There is more room for error. I get stressed enough making wedding cakes, so I do whatever I can to keep it simple, without sacrificing taste.
I found this white chocolate cream cheese frosting to be absolutely ideal. Simple, easy, yet delicious and luxurious. It can be made ahead a few days or frozen in advance. And, it keeps at room temperature a few hours, which is needed for wedding and anniversary cakes.
My sister, Naomi, is the talented decorator for most of the cakes I have been involved in. I love teaming up with her, as my focus is on taste and texture, but she makes it look beautiful and stunning. We used this frosting for bridal shower cheesecakes and wedding cakes that were tinted grey and for my daughter’s wedding cakes.
The recipe comes from the queen of cakes, Rose Levy Berenbaum. The Cake Bible and Heavenly Cakes both have versions of the recipe. The Cake Bible has a section with guidance for making large wedding cakes and includes the frosting recipe for 150. I keep that information close by while planning wedding cakes.
Naturally, this frosting is fantastic with carrot cake, both as a filling and a frosting. I also have used it to frost chocolate cake, with German chocolate filling, strawberry mousse filling as well as hazelnut mocha filling.
WHITE CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 400 grams (1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon) full-fat cream cheese
- 113 grams (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 300 grams (10.6 ounces) white chocolate containing cocoa butter [I only use Guittard vanilla milk chips]
- 25 grams (5 teaspoons) crème fraîche or full-fat sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5ml) pure vanilla extract
Allow the cream cheese and butter to come to cool room temperature (65° to 70°F). Cut the butter into 4 pieces.
Coarsely chop the white chocolate (if not using chips).
Gently melt the white chocolate either in the microwave or on the stovetop. For the microwave, heat white chocolate in a medium microwaveable bowl for 15 seconds at a time, stirring gently, until almost melted. Continue stirring until completely melted. For the stovetop, melt the white chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot, not simmering, water. Do not allow the bottom of the container to touch the water. Stir frequently until completely melted.
In a food processor, process the cream cheese, butter and créme fraîche for a few seconds until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the melted white chocolate and pulse it several times until smoothly incorporated. Add the vanilla and pulse it in.
For the smoothest, silkiest texture, press the frosting through a mesh strainer into a bowl. (I do not press it through a strainer unless the white chocolate cooled too much and formed chunks when adding to the cream cheese mixture.)
Store airtight for one week refrigerated or frozen up to three months. Keep at room temperature six hours. If frosting is refrigerated, bring it to room temperature and mix thoroughly to regain proper consistency. Make sure cake is well chilled before covering with frosting.
Makes 3 1/2 cups frosting. May be doubled.
NOTE: One of the recipes instructs to beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Then gradually add melted white chocolate while mixing, until smooth. Lastly, beat in the butter and other ingredients. It also calls for lemon juice instead of créme fraîche.