Two-Ingredient Frosting

I have a passion for making cakes, and while I’€™m certainly no Sweetapolita, I can hold my own when it comes to baking and icing a birthday or simple celebration cake. I’€™ve taken several cake-decorating classes, have made a three-tiered wedding cake, and I’€™m even in charge of creating what you see here at SavvyMom in the monthly PartySavvy feature. Overall, I’€™m somewhat knowledgeable about cakes.
At least that’€™s what I thought, until recently, when I was asked how to make a healthy birthday cake frosting. To start with, I’€™ve always assumed that it was general knowledge that if you’€™re going to eat birthday cake it’€™s going to be unhealthy, but apparently that isn’€™t the case. There is a new trend leaning itself towards healthier birthday confections, and while I’€™m not sure they’€™ll ever be part of my baking repertoire, I was up to the challenge of creating a frosting that wasn’€™t sugar and butter laden.

It turns out the task was much easier than I expected. Cream cheese and jam, when whipped together, make a mighty fine replacement for the traditional cake frosting. Not all variations on the product works best, but here’€™s what I’€™ve discovered:

• To make a frosting that’€™s thick enough to spread, use two parts cream cheese to one part preserves.
• While it might be tempting to use a low-fat or fat-free cheese product, the end result will not be pleasing. ‘€˜Thin and lumpy’€™ best describes the state of your frosting if you go for the low-cal options. I used a full-fat, slightly softened cream cheese, and the result was a thick and smooth consistency.
• The same can be said for the jam. The thinner the product, the looser the frosting, so keep that in mind when mixing your products. If you opt for a runny jam, increase the cream cheese until you reach your desired thickness, but take note that the icing will taste more tangy than sweet.

Find the full printable recipe here: Two-Ingredient Frosting