Searching for THE Cream Cheese Frosting

Sunday was the final trial of the carrot cake cupcakes.  I had decided to use Duncan Hines' Carrot Cake mix because I just have a feeling that, no matter how well prepared - no matter how much planning, on the day of cupcake baking, I'm going to need help.

The decision to use the cake mix for the carrot cake cupcakes was made when I made my strange carrot cake.  I was really happy with the cake, so I've been really comfortable with just doing this last "trial run" so that I could test a homemade cream cheese frosting.  BUT … I've just discovered that the mix makes only 18 cupcakes.  I will have to make 2 separate batches.  I'm not really concerned about that but glad I found out now, though.

I wasn't entirely happy with the colors of the cupcake liners used with each decorating "project".  The sunflowers, for example, just don't look all that great on the pink swirl.  The carrot cake white frosting with the orange carrot doesn't really look all that great to me in the pink liner either.  With that in mind - and also the cupcake liner peeling problem - I made all but 4 of the carrot cupcakes in the pink liners because that it is what I had the most of.  I made 1 cupcake in each of the other 4 liners.  I thought that would also give me the opportunity to see how the other papers react - are they self-peelers with the carrot cake mix?

I made the "Cream Cheese Frosting II" from the Allrecipes website.  Most of the recipes I found were very similar.  This one was chosen because of the review that said that this recipe is for those who want real cream cheese flavor, not really sweet, not like the stuff you buy at the grocery.  That's what I want.  Except …

I read the recipe wrong.  It called for 2 CUPS of sifted powdered sugar.  I read 2 POUNDS.  Oops. 

But I'm really glad I goofed.  The frosting was GREAT and when hubby took them to work (my unofficial guinea pigs) he said everyone loved the frosting and the cupcakes disappeared quickly - maybe even quicker than the lemon cupcakes everyone loved.

That said, I can't imagine what the frosting would have tasted like with only 2 cups of powdered sugar!  The "real cream cheese flavor" and "not really sweet" needs to be taken literally!    Using the 2 lbs of powdered sugar, no one felt it was overly sweet and there is still the *tang* of the cream cheese.  I'm sticking to the 2 lbs in my recipe.

As for the cupcake liners, I used the lightweight pink liners for all but 4 of the cupcakes.  They're just a little bit shiny - reminds me of  the old "onion skin" paper used with typewriters or waxed paper - but there's no wax.  I had absolutely NO peeling.  The black liner is the same as the pink, but 3 were the heavier, decorated liners because I still haven't completely decided which flavor/decorating will go in each.  I removed all the cupcakes by picking them out of the pans, cooled them completely, and frosted them all identically.  Still no liners peeled.  This is just weird.  Now I wish I had made one of the cupcakes in the liner that seems to always peel.  Didn't think of it.  Rats.  I'll be making more of the carrot cupcakes than I need when W-day comes, so I'll try to remember to make one in the liners that have been so much trouble.

 I think that the carrot cake looks good in the pink swirl liner.  The plain pink wrapper almost clashed with the color of the cake.  

So now I think the different kinds of cupcakes, frostings, and liners are all set!