In anticipation of receiving my first Daring Bakers challenge (and potential catastrophe) I thought I'd make a cake I know I can do. Steve recently asked for banana bread for his birthday cake, so I found a recipe for a banana cake with cream cheese frosting on a blog called Evil Shenanigans. I made the cake exactly as written, though I made a different cream cheese frosting of my own by adding cream cheese to an already amazing frosting recipe I use. I will post two frosting recipes today - my original favorite whipped creamy frosting and my new and improved cream cheesy frosting.
Please make this frosting at least once before you die.
It makes an excellent fruit dip! And it's amazing on everything else, too. I'd probably eat it on meat.The banana cake I mentioned is excellent with both of these frostings, though I prefer it with the cream cheese.
Whipped Creamy Frosting (original favorite):
1 cup milk
5 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sugar (not powdered)
1 cup butter (room temp)
Whisk (vigorously or it will be chunky) milk and flour together over medium heat until it boils and is really thick. Put the pan in a bowl of ice water to cool it completely. Once cool, whisk in the vanilla.
Cream together sugar and butter until it lightens. Add the cooled milk paste and beat until it combines and fluffs up like whipped cream. Done!
Cream Cheesy Frosting (new favorite):
1 cup milk
5 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sugar (not powdered)
1/2 cup butter (room temp)
1/2-1 block of cream cheese (I use 2/3, at room temp)
Whisk (vigorously or it will be chunky) milk and flour together over medium heat until it boils and is really thick. Put the pan in a bowl of ice water to cool it completely. Once cool, whisk in the vanilla.
Mix together the butter and cream cheese. Add sugar and mix well. Add the cooled milk paste and beat until it combines and fluffs up a bit. It doesn't take long and when it's done it is fluffy with a kind of glossy look to it. Sooooo good!
Enjoy!
