Grrr - any tips for using cream cheese anyone? (specifically how to prevent this from happening as at happens often enough for me that it frustrates me like crazy)

Are you bringing the cream cheese and butter to room temperature first? Or even better, a little warmer is good, since my kitchen is very cool this time of year... I often tuck these ingredients into my warming drawer for a bit to give them a head start before creaming them together with the sugar; usually adding the flavorings and cream last. Good luck!

Have you tried the food processor?

I was thinking food processor too.

Although the "I Love Lucy" grape stomping episode crossed my mind too.

Nothing like clumps of cream cheese between your toes. ;o)

I was thinking a stick blender, if you have one, in a tall, straight-sided container, so it misses as few lumps as possible. That's always my go-to tool for removing lumps.

Cream cheese must be "beaten" if you want it smooth. So like Claire says..room temp or a bit warmer..."whip" even with a fork..then add in other ingredients. I cream the butter and cream cheese together in the mixer, then add powdered sugar, then all the wet stuff. And add more sugar if needed to "thicken"..or more cream to thin.

Thanks. Not only do I have lumpy cream cheese my husband just gave me a "you melted your $100 knife?". In all my mess in making cupcakes for my daughter's class and cake for her party AND dinner I put my knife down on a hot element and melted the handle:(((. I got it for Christmas two years ago from him. Oh yeah, I ran it through the blender and it seems to have helped a lot - the cream cheese, not the knife.

cookie tell him you made your daughter's day, a knife is a small casualty when you're making a memory.

I love to make fun stuff for my boys on their birthdays, sure I could buy it but they would never remember that. They know every year by their crazy cakes/cupcakes. Last disaster/success I made a breakaway cupcake cake in the shape of a Mint Chocolate Chip waffle cone. The green icing bag burst in my hand [at 11:30 pm] and I had no other white icing. I spent 45 minutes scraping off the bag, the [clean] counter, my [gloved] hands so I could give him a school bday cake. Took alot of sprinkles to cover the spackle job but he carried it in with a huge smile - "Mommy made these for me to share with you".

You 'done' good ccokie ;-)

I just had this problem making a cream cheese chocolate cream pie with chocolate instant pudding mix. I think it happened when I pouted the milk in. I have a kitchen aid mixer. I let it beat at supet high speed for several minutes and eventually I saw the mixture starting to smooth out. I managed to save my pie.