I always wonder why cream cheese icing in the UK is so different (worse) than cream cheese icing at home in the lovely country of Canada.  I finally figured out that the cream cheese is different.  I don’t know if you can still get the solid blocks of philadelphia cream cheese at home but that is what we used to use and that is what works because it makes a solid, spreadable icing without having to resort to twice the amount of icing sugar.  Here in the UK (and maybe at home too) the passion for “spreadable butter and cheese” means that the cream cheese is this sloppy goo which results in a sloppy icing (if you follow the recipe) or a sickly icing (if you double the sugar to get the right consistency).  So the message is for for full fat, non spreadable cream cheese and make a delicious tasty icing – not just a sweet one.  You are eating cake.  Low fat cream cheese is not going to help you diet under the circumstances.

Make the easiest and best carrot cake and cream cheese icing in the world by following the recipe here:  Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing.