Yield: Enough frosting for an 8-9″ two-layer cake or one 9×13″ sheet cake (with some leftover)

This recipe is simply a veganized version of Cream Cheese Frosting that we have all been making since childhood. My earliest memory of it is on my mother’s Hummingbird Cake. I don’t know who first created this popular frosting, but he or she has created generations of addicts.

You will find it to be very forgiving and adaptable. Thicken it by adding more sugar or thin it by adding a few drops of soy milk and experiment with your favorite flavors. A few suggestions follow.

1/2 cup vegan cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup vegan butter, room temperature (I like Earth Balance)
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla (feel free to experiment with other extracts)
Plain, unsweetened or vanilla soy milk if needed

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine cream cheese and butter. Beat at medium-high speed until fluffy. Beat in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time to create a thick creamy frosting, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Beat in a few drops of soy milk if frosting becomes too stiff. Add more sugar if it doesn’t hold its shape. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let the frosting come to room temperature before using.

Variations:
Citrus: Add the zest of one lemon, lime or orange with the vanilla
Chocolate: Substitute about 1/3 cup of the powdered sugar with cocoa powder
Coffee: Dissolve 1-2 tablespoons instant coffee or espresso powder in 1-2 tablespoons of water and add to frosting with powdered sugar
Mocha: Combine directions for both the chocolate and coffee versions