Before I started my low sugar diet cake was only a vehicle for frosting. I remember one birthday where my mom handed me a can of store bought cream cheese frosting and a table knife, my preferred utensil for eating frosting, instead of a slice of cake. I still love frosting, but it’s more of a challenge to find or make a good low sugar one. Lately my default frosting recipe is heavy cream whipped into stiff peaks with a tablespoon or two of sugar free instant pudding powder, usually either cheese cake or vanilla flavor, and additional powdered stevia-erythritol blend for sweetness if necessary. This week for my birthday I wanted a more authentic cream cheese frosting for the strawberry cupcakes I made. My previous go-to cream cheese frosting recipe involved a pound of butter, a pound of powdered sugar, half a pound of cream cheese, and some vanilla. First, I didn’t need that much frosting for my six little cupcakes and second, I wanted something lighter and more fluffy since powdered stevia-erythritol blend doesn’t provide as much structure as powdered sugar. I came up with the recipe below using whipped cream as a base instead of butter. If I had thought far enough in advance, I would have used whipped cream cheese, too. The recipe is easily doubled if you need more frosting. This was the perfect amount for 6 cupcakes.

1 cup heavy cream
4oz cream cheese, softened
3 Tbs powdered stevia-erythritol blend
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a medium bowl whip heavy cream with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. In another medium bowl cream together softened cream cheese, stevia-erythritol blend, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until well combined. Add half the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture and whisk together gently until evenly combined. Fold the rest of the whipped cream into the cream cheese and whipped cream mixture until well combined. Use immediately or chill until needed.