The Best Mascarpone Whipped Cream Frosting
This quick and easy stabilized mascarpone whipped cream recipe is my all-time favorite, and it can be ready in 15 minutes! It's light and airy – perfect for topping cupcakes, ice cream and pies, as a dessert dip for fruit, or to just eat by the spoonful. I've also included instructions to make chocolate whipped cream! If you're ever looking for a frosting to top a dessert – this is going to become your new go-to.
Samantha said: “Omg, this is the best whipped cream recipe I’ve come across. It stands on its own as a dessert! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐“
When it comes to frosting or whipped cream, the first thing I always do is assess if my favorite mascarpone frosting would be a good fit. It's my default, go-to recipe.
Frankly, it's hard to imagine something that it wouldn't go well with, but I suppose I'm slightly biased. It's light, airy, and super easy to pipe with any kind of decorating tip.
You could also just use an icing spatula to frost a cake! But it's not the kind of frosting that crusts, so don't think of it as a substitute for a crusting buttercream.
What is mascarpone cheese used for?
Mascarpone is a creamy Italian cheese that's made by combining hot cream with an acid like lemon juice or tartaric acid. It's cooled and then drained through a cheesecloth-lined strainer for a couple days.
You'll find mascarpone cheese in savory meals like baked pasta dishes to add a rich and creamy element. As for sweet dishes, you probably know it best as an ingredient in tiramisu or part of the filling for cannolis (of which, you should try these cannoli cupcakes sometime).
In the case of this whipped cream, I'm using at as a stand in for cream cheese. I like the texture and flavor better, and it works out beautifully. I firmly believe that whipped mascarpone cream is superior to all others!
What does mascarpone taste like?
I noted that I use mascarpone instead of cream cheese because I prefer the flavor of the mascarpone. And that's because American cream cheese is much more tangy than mascarpone, and mascarpone is a much more subtle and slightly sweet flavor.
Mascarpone is also more soft, creamy and dense than cream cheese. If you were to dip a knife into a container of mascarpone, it would spread beautifully, similar to butter spreads.
Where can I find mascarpone cheese?
I typically find mascarpone in the deli section of my grocery store, by the other cheeses, hummus, and meat products. And I always buy BelGioioso brand mascarpone!
Why I'm so in love with this mascarpone frosting
This isn't the kind of whipped cream you get from an aerosol can. That kind of whipped cream loses its shape as it sits, and eventually gets melty and less than appetizing.
But this whipped cream? It's perfect. And I promise you that making whipped cream from scratch isn't hard!
- It won't lose it shape (and I've had it on top of cupcakes for multiple days and it never budged) and it won't melt at room temperature. Now, if you take it to a BBQ that's outside on a 95 degree day… I can't make any promises. I start melting at that point, so you can't blame the whipped cream.
- It can support garnish, like fruit or sprinkles, without any trouble. Although, full disclaimer: if what you topped it with has color (like rainbow sprinkles or strawberries), it will eventually bleed into the whipped cream. So don't top it until just before serving!
- Once you've made it, you don't need to re-whip it to get back the right consistency – it stays exactly the way you made it (as long as you store it in the fridge).
- It can go on anything! Cupcakes, cake, ice cream, pie, brownies, hot chocolate, fruit, your face, macaroni and cheese… wait, not that last one.
Ingredients for mascarpone whipped cream frosting
Here's the great news – you only need four ingredients!
- Mascarpone cheese: This is instead of cream cheese, and helps provide that beautiful stability to the finished product.
- Granulated sugar: This gives the whipped cream its light sweetness. People have told me they've used powdered sugar (confectioners sugar) in it's place and it's worked well for them!
- Pure vanilla extract: I always add vanilla extract for the flavor, but you could also use a different flavored extract if you wanted to mix things up.
- Heavy cream: Because… whipped cream!
How to make whipped mascarpone
- Chill a large mixing bowl in the fridge (optional, but strongly encouraged).
- In your chilled bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer, combine mascarpone cheese and sugar on a high speed until completely combined.
- Add vanilla and heavy cream, and mix on a low setting until it is mostly combined.
- Now increase speed to high and whip until stiff peaks form – it may take a little while, so be patient!
- Once your cupcakes, cake or whatever treat you desire to top this with is cooled and ready to go, fit a piping bag with desired tip and go to town with frosting them.
Tips for making the best mascarpone whipped cream
There are a few key ingredients and elements to this mascarpone whipped cream:
- My favorite mascarpone cheese to use is the classic BelGioioso in the white and green container, and I can usually find it in any grocery store. Make sure it's fresh out of the fridge and cold – it makes a difference!
- The mixing bowl needs to be as cold as you can get it. Stick it in the freezer for an hour before you start prepping the recipe, it helps!
- I make my own vanilla extract using vanilla beans and vodka, but that requires a lot of planning ahead! So if you're tight on time, I highly recommend this Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract (aff link). It's on the pricier side, but I truly believe it's worth it. If you need to keep things budget-friendly, Rodelle pure vanilla extract (aff link) is always a solid choice.
- Also, you definitely want a KitchenAid electric mixer with the whisk attachment for this recipe, because your arm is going to get tired if you use a hand mixer. That's not to say it can't be done, because it can! Just prepare your arm :)
- If you're fancy schmancy and you have one of those stainless steel whipped cream dispensers, load it up! I'm not fancy, so mine just goes into a sealed plastic container… if there's any left to store, which isn't often. Seriously.
Can I make chocolate mascarpone whipped cream?
You sure can! Just add an extra 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder during the second step (before adding the heavy cream).
The flavor is light and not overly sweet – so if you're looking for a much sweeter, more indulgent chocolate flavor this isn't the recipe for that. Try the frosting from this double chocolate layer cake instead!
What about fruity flavors?
Quite frankly, the possibilities are endless! But give my lemon mascarpone whipped cream a try next.
Can I freeze whipped cream?
You can… she says with hesitation in her voice. Here's the thing – if you tried to freeze a whole batch of it, you'd need to let it thaw in the fridge and then re-whip it, but then you're at risk of over-whipping it and making yourself some weird butter.
But what you can do is prepare individual servings for later:
- Drop piped mounds of this whipped cream onto a parchment-linked baking sheet
- Carefully cover, and then freeze overnight
- The next day, you can peel the mounds of whipped cream off the parchment paper and transfer them to a freezer-safe container for storage
This would be a great use case for being able to grab one to add to a mug of your favorite hot chocolate!
If you plan to use it as garnish on a cake, pie, etc., just let them thaw in the fridge for about 15 minutes before adding them.
How many calories in whipped cream?
The answer to this is a big “it depends”. If you're talking about just diving the recipe into 12 servings (let's pretend it's going to be generous servings on top of 12 cupcakes), then it's about 127 calories per servings. See the nutritional information at the bottom of the recipe card for more information.
One time I made a half batch of this and just sat down on the couch and ate it with a large spoon, right out of the mixing bowl. Okay, fine – it was a full batch. And maybe it was more than once.
But once you make this, you will in no way judge me.
…okay, maybe you'll still judge me a little bit.
Does this recipe look familiar?
This recipe might ring a bell, because you've probably seen it a few times:
- Pavlova with Mascarpone Whipped Cream
- Hot Fudge Sundae Cupcakes
- Strawberry S'mores Icebox Cake
- Grilled Peaches with Cinnamon Mascarpone Whipped Cream & Honey
- Strawberry Rhubars
- Lemon Almond Flour Cake
There are even more posts where it's been used but not mentioned by name, so if you feel like playing a game of “Where's Waldo?”, start looking through the archives!
Other recipes to pair with mascarpone frosting
- Salted Nutella Fudge Brownie Gelato
- Paleo Double Chocolate Brownies (it'll kinda negate the paleo, but YOLO)
- Black Forest Sundae
- Fudgy Chocolate Banana Brownies
- Gingerbread Ice Cream
- No Churn Homemade Americone Dream Ice Cream
- Oreo Ice Cream
- Chocolate Avocado Pudding
American cream cheese is much more tangy than mascarpone, and mascarpone is a much more subtle and slightly sweet flavor. Mascarpone is also more soft, creamy and dense than cream cheese. If you were to dip a knife into a container of mascarpone, it would spread beautifully, similar to butter spreads.
I typically find mascarpone in the deli section of my grocery store, by the other cheeses, hummus, and meat products.
You don't, but your arm might be a little tired if you're using a hand mixer :)
You sure can! Just add an extra 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder during the second step (before adding the heavy cream). The flavor is light and not overly sweet – so if you’re looking for a much sweeter, more indulgent chocolate flavor this isn’t the recipe for that. Try the frosting from this double chocolate layer cake instead!
Quite frankly, the possibilities are endless! But give my lemon mascarpone whipped cream a try next.
Here’s the thing – if you tried to freeze a whole batch of it, you’d need to let it thaw in the fridge and then re-whip it, but then you’re at risk of over-whipping it and making yourself some weird butter.
But what you can do is prepare individual servings for later:
– Drop piped mounds of this whipped cream onto a parchment-linked baking sheet
– Carefully cover, and then freeze overnight
– The next day, you can peel the mounds of whipped cream off the parchment paper and transfer them to a freezer-safe container for storage
If you plan to use it as garnish on a cake, pie, etc., just let them thaw in the fridge for about 15 minutes before adding them.
The answer to this is a big “it depends”. If you’re talking about just diving the recipe into 12 servings (let’s pretend it’s going to be generous servings on top of 12 cupcakes), then it’s about 127 calories per servings. See the nutritional information at the bottom of the recipe card for more information.
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The Best Mascarpone Whipped Cream Frosting Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 ounces mascarpone cheese, I use Belgioioso
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Chill a large mixing bowl in the fridge (optional, but strongly encouraged).
- In your chilled bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer, combine mascarpone cheese and sugar on a high speed until completely combined.4 ounces (113 ⅖ g) mascarpone cheese1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- Add vanilla and heavy cream, and mix on a low setting until it is mostly combined. Now increase speed to high and whip until stiff peaks form – it may take a little while, so be patient!1 cup (238 g) heavy cream1/4 teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) pure vanilla extract
- Once your cupcakes, cake or whatever treat you desire to top this with is cooled and ready to go, fit a piping bag with desired tip and go to town with frosting them. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- You can use either a stand mixer or a hand mixer for this recipe, but a stand mixer will save your arm from getting sore!
- Don't over-whip the mixture because you'll end up with a weird butter! Mix on high speed just until stiff peaks form.
- Chocolate version: Want to make it chocolate? Add an extra 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freezing: You can do is prepare individual servings for later by doing the following:
- Drop piped mounds of this whipped cream onto a parchment-linked baking sheet
- Carefully cover, and then freeze overnight
- The next day, you can peel the mounds of whipped cream off the parchment paper and transfer them to a freezer-safe container for storage
- To add to a mug of your favorite hot chocolate, just grab one and drop it on top!
- If you plan to use it as garnish on a cake, pie, etc., just let them thaw in the fridge for about 15 minutes before adding them.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is generated by an automatic API and does not take variations across specific brands into account. This information is provided as a general guideline and should not be treated as official calculations. Learn more here.
Hi Leslie,
How do i add flavour for this frosting?
Eg, strawberry flavour or chocolate
Thanks for stopping by! This recipe actually isn’t intended to have flavor added to it as it’s strictly a whipped cream. With that said, I do have a recipe for making funfetti whipped cream based off of this recipe as the base – you could try swapping the funfetti cake mix for a different flavor. If you do, please let me know how it worked out for you! https://stressbaking.com/funfetti-whipped-cream/
Hi there! Can I make this without sugar or sub in honey in lieu of the sugar? I’m looking for ideas of frosting my toddler’s birthday dessert
I’ve never tried either, but I would guess that making it with honey isn’t going to provide the same result as it will be heavier and more liquid, which won’t provide you with a fluffy, stable whipped cream.
This recipe was a fantastic find! It was so incredibly easy and tasty! I typically would use whip it as a stabilizer and it always turned out grainy. This was smooth and tasted just like whipped cream. Served with brandy snap bowls filled with raspberries, quite a hit! It was just like the day I made it as I peered at the leftovers 3 days later, no watery mess. Definitely a go to whipped cream recipe!
I’m so glad that you like it, it’s my favorite – thank you so much for coming back to leave a comment and rating, I really appreciate!
Would this make a good cream puff filling?
It’s a bit light, so it may not be ideal for that purpose since cream puff fillings tend to be a bit more dense – but if you try it, let me know how it turns out!
Hello! I have a few questions! Does this taste at all like cream cheese frosting or is it light like whipped cream just with more stability? Does the sugar make it gritty like some butter creams? Has this been tested with powdered sugar instead?
It doesn’t taste like cream cheese at all – definitely a whipped cream that has more stability. The sugar doesn’t make it gritty, and I don’t personally make it with powdered sugar but others have and like it even more!
Thank you for the quick reply! If I make it tonight, place it in the piping bag and store it in a sealed bag in the fridge to frost tomorrow, should that be okay? You said it won’t need additional whipping, correct? Hoping this will pair nicely with a rich chocolate cupcake. I don’t like super sweet frosting.
It would definitely go well with a chocolate cupcakes! I haven’t found the need to whip it again, but it may depend on how you store it and how much time goes by. If anything, it would only need a very quick whip.
Thank you so much for all the insight! Will post my thoughts tonight or tomorrow after making it!
Please do! Any questions, feel free to email me at leslie@stressbaking.com and I’ll be sure to see it :)
I love how you explained the rationale behind this whipped mascarpone cream and it looks so good!
I always stick to our traditional Italian recipe: less firm, but incredibly good, and most of all traditional!
I leave you the recipe, in case you wanna give it a try: https://thefoodellers.com/en/mascarpone-cream-recipe-italian
Hi Leslie, this looks delicious and exactly what I have been looking for. I plan on baking a 3 layer coconut cake for the holidays. For the past 10 years I have bought our coconut cake from a local bakery. The icing tastes like whipped cream but not, if that makes sense, I was beginning to give up hope on finding what I want until I found your recipe. Would this icing me sturdy enough to use as filling with coconut on top? I love icing, especially my hips, so I want to be lavish in my application..hehe. If I triple this, would it fill and ice 3 layers? I would appreciate your thoughts. Thank you so much for this recipe and if you happen to have a to die for coconut cake recipe in your side pocket, i’ll take that too!
Thanks for stopping by to share, Kay! It’s a pretty light and fluffy recipe, so it’s not like a stiff buttercream that could support cake in layers. With that said, you could definitely still use it in between layers of cake, it just wouldn’t be as thick as you might be looker for in that application. If you do make it, please come back and let me know what you think and leave a rating.
I’m going to add making a coconut cake to my list of to dos, because that sounds amazing right now!
Hi Leslie,
can I use this recipe to pipe rosettes all around a 12 inch cake as a bottom tier for an anniversary cake. WiIl the rosettes hold their shape?
Sorry that I didn’t see your comment until now! They won’t hold their shape like a buttercream frosting would on the sides of the cake, it’s not that sturdy.
Hi there-
I have a client that wants a Chantilly cream, (thinks ABC is too sweet and was wary when i recommended SBC) but’s it’s for a two-tier cake with fondant decorations here and there.
Would this work? I’m assuming that the mascarpone would make it much sturdier but I’ve never tried to put fondant cut-outs on this type of frosting…
Thanks for your help!
Hi. I apologize if this question has already been asked. Can this yumminess be made chocolatey by using cocoa powder, or would that ruin the stability? Thank you ever so much!
Someone mentioned that she made it with what came out to be two tablespoons of cocoa per original ingredient amounts (she quadrupled the recipe, so she used a total of eight tablespoons). I also made it with cocoa. It was good, but a little grainy. I did not have Hershey’s cocoa on-hand, so I had to use Godiva hot cocoa powder. That may be why it turned out grainy.
When I first made this recipe, I accidentally used the entire 8 oz. container of mascarpone. It turned out more like frosting than stabilized whipped cream. So if you want a light-textured frosting, go with the stated amount of 4 oz. If you want it somewhat heavier (but still lighter than normal frosting), go with 8 oz. It’s just as delicious! I’m happy to use 8 oz. because if I use 4 oz., the remaining 4 oz. will probably go to waste since the container says do not freeze. Both were huge hits with my family!
Thank you so much for your response. Tonight I made it for my second time, out failed miserably. I don’t even really understand what I’m looking at. When I opened my brand new heavy whipping cream, it was spoiled to a disgusting level. I only had 1 and 1/4th cup of hwc that was good. I thought I’d give it a try, this was a mistake. At first it was grainy but on its way to fluffy goodness. I walked out of the room for 2 shakes of a lamb’s tail and it turned into something else. It looks like butter clumps in cloudy water. Can anyone help me understand what just happened?
I’m sad.
hi – made a silly mistake without thinking………..made the mascarpone & cream whipped cream with the sugar. i wanted to use it with tiramisu. i’m now realizing that i need to add the sugar to the eggs to make the saboayon. it’s already so sweet with the sugar in the whipped cream. can i make the egg mixture without sugar? or any suggestions?
sometimes i don’t think ahead ——
I’m sorry, I’m not familiar enough with manipulating tiramisu recipes to confidently answer that – but my inclination is that you wouldn’t be able to make the custard layer without sugar incorporated.
Where has this been all my life!? I’m in LOVE, thanks for sharing!!
It’s been right here, waiting for YOU! :) <3
Can I use heavy whipping cream? Is there a major difference between heavy cream and heavy whipping cream in this recipe? I know its the fat content that makea them different. Will it still be stable with heavy whipping cream? I am decorating a smash cake for a 1 yr olds bday!!
You can use either one! They both contain enough milk fat to work, but I lean toward a personal preference of heavy cream as I find it can potentially hold its shape a bit longer. Whipping cream will result in a slightly lighter, more fluffy texture. Sounds like either one will work just fine for a smash cake! :)
Just made the liquid & put it in the canister, I had to shake it before it would work… I needed to taste it yah knew! I’m disabled and unable to use a piping bag with one hand, I bought this canister in the hopes of being able to frost/decorate one handed, this Frosting works perfect, ty! Do you know of any other liquid base Frostings I could use??
Ty! I’m using just a funfeti cake mix to make cupcake! Everyone is getting here around 5.also do I put the whip cream in the dispenser after the liquid is mixed & before I whip it? Last question, promise! I know you said not to frost 12 hours before, but how long can it sit on the counter?
That sounds delicious! Since I’ve never used a whipped cream dispenser, I’m unfortunately not sure if it’s bad to put it in after everything has already been combined. Like any dairy product, I wouldn’t recommend letting it sit out on a counter for more than two hours.
So I clan put the liquid in in the dispenser before I whip it? I have just plain funfeti cupcakes, we’re meeting @ 6,so it’s OK to prep them before and pop em in the fridge?