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1. In a mixing bowl using an electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and cream cheese until creamy and well-combined. Mix in the vanilla, and then gradually mix in all of the confectioners' sugar.
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2. Add the heavy cream (more or less as needed) if you'd like a bit creamier consistency, or keep as is for a stiffer frosting. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
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Notes:
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1. If you'd like a whiter frosting, use clear vanilla extract. Also, double the amount of vanilla for a vanilla cream cheese frosting, or go crazy and add a scraped vanilla bean!
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2. If you'd like a cinnamon cream cheese frosting, add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and if you'd like a pumpkin spiced cream cheese frosting, add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon allspice.
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3. Be wary of microwaving the cream cheese to soften it to room temperature. Any of the times I have done that, I have ended up with little bits of cream cheese throughout the frosting. I recommend letting it sit out an hour or two to come to room temperature on its own. Also, this recipe halves perfectly and I usually do that because I usually just make 12 cupcakes.
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4. For the cream cheese frosting, taste with a spoon as you add the powdered sugar, and use your taste-buds to see how much extra sugar you need to add. Everyone has their own tastes on how sweet they like their frosting, so my advice is to taste after you add half your sugar, and keep going until you like how sweet it is.
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5. Frosts 24 cupcakes or a 2 layer round cake.
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6. Adapted from Allrecipes.com.
