Cake recipe calls for cream cheese but only have either mascarpone or soft cheese?

[KirstyJC]

I am just about to make a cake, new recipe never tried before that I found online, from US using coconut flour and various other things.

The recipe calls for cream cheese to make the frosting - I just tried to buy cream cheese but can't find anything called that in Aldi! I got a tub of mascarpone and a tub of the soft cheese that you normally put on bagels. Does anyone know which of these will be best to use? I am thinking mascarpone but have't ever made this type of icing. It's for a birthday tea today so don't want to mess it up!

Thanks!

Soft cheese is cream cheese- go with that!

Soft cheese, like Philadelphia or an own brand version.

I’ve always used Philadelphia type cheese when a recipe says “cream cheese”.

Philly or supermarket substitute (but not the low fat version)

Mascarpone is cream cheese.

Philadelphia is cream cheese. Make sure you use the full fat version. Enjoy your cake!

Soft cheese is cream cheese.

The mascarpone will make a looser icing if you use that instead and will taste slightly more tangy.

Either will be fine.

I would opt for Mascarpone - I tried using Philly in some icing for a carrot cake recently and it went all runny.

@Blobby10 did you use low fat Philadelphia? It has to be full fat or it'll never set.

@magicstar definitely used full fat stuff - have no idea why it didn't work! All I had to do was mix the icing sugar with the cheese and some whipped cream. Even adding copious amounts of icing sugar didn't work . Its just a pity that I will have to make this cake over and over until I get the perfect icing

I’m American and I can assure you that soft cheese is cream cheese. I would never say I was buying Philadelphia, I would just say cream cheese. Philadelphia is a popular cream cheese in America but there are better ones. It’s def not mascarpone!

@Blobby10 for icing I use equal parts cream cheese and softened butter plus I add a bit of Crisco to keep it stiff. And icing sugar of course!

Mascarpone is food of the gods, best eaten straight out of the tub.

My favourite icing is marscapone, icing sugar and coffee

Blobby same happens to me. I have tried so many times and can't get the bloody stuff to the right consistency. Been told that the ratio of icing sugar to cream cheese is important as too much sugar has the same result as not enough.. ie a mess.

I have given up!

Thanks all, I did use cream cheese and that came out all right, but the cake was horrible. There's a reason you normally use white flour and sugar......!

My Dad liked it though so I gave it to him. (Brownie points never hurt).