cream cheese frosting

earlier this year, i posted a recipe for cream cheese icing, and since then i have tried another recipe which i may prefer even more than the first one posted.  this one was written by Ina garten, the barefoot contessa. 

the frosting is very creamy and delicious and by making 1/2 of her printed recipe, i had just enough for my one layer cake.  i used pecans to decorate the top of the cake, similar to her design suggested in her cookbook, "how easy is that?"

to make this icing recipe:  mix 3 ounces of cream cheese at room temperature, with 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter at room temperature, with 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.  i used a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.  the recipe suggests not to whip the icing, but to mix.  then, add slowly 1 1/4 cups of powdered sugar until the frosting comes together and is smooth.

this is the 1/2 recipe.  Ina lists all of these ingredients in double the quantity.

this recipe can be used for banana cake, carrot cake or as a glaze for muffins.