How to Make The Best Whipped Fluffy Cake Frosting
Traditional buttercream and whipped cream frostings are rich, airy, and delicious, but if you’re looking for a fluffy cake frosting that’s a little out of the ordinary, you’ve got to try our mascarpone cake frosting. Super creamy from the mascarpone cheese, subtly sweet, and a bit more elegant than a run-of-the-mill cream cheese frosting (which is tangy from the flavor of the cream cheese), this whipped mascarpone frosting is the perfect way to finish your favorite cake.
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Why We Love This Mascarpone Cake Frosting
Super Light & Fluffy: This chic frosting is as fluffy as a cloud—the perfect pairing with cakes of all kinds.
Subtly Sweet: Here at ECBG, we’re not the biggest fans of cloying, overly sweet frosting. This one hits just the right balance.
Perfect for Piping: Looking for a frosting that’ll give you sharp, clean edges and dreamy swoopy swirls? This frosting delivers on both counts.
Ingredients
452g cold mascarpone cheese
200g powdered sugar (or confectioners' sugar)
450g cold heavy cream
5g salt
10g vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
Instructions
Whip the mascarpone cheese: Place the mascarpone cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat the mascarpone on medium speed until it’s smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Don’t overmix it! You can also use a hand mixer if need be.
Add the powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla: Gently add the powdered sugar so that it doesn’t form a cloud. Whisk the mascarpone mixture until soft peaks form. Do not overmix.
Add the cream: With the mixer running, slowly add the cold heavy cream. Scrape down the bowl, then whisk until stiff peaks form.
Don’t overmix: As soon as the stiff peaks form, turn off the mixer.
The Best Cake Flavors to Pair with Mascarpone Frosting
Mascarpone frosting goes with tons of different cake flavors, but we especially like it with these:
Classic Vanilla Cake
Vanilla cake is a classic, but when it’s paired with this fluffy mascarpone cake frosting, it’s something a little bit more unexpected. It’s great for weddings, birthday cakes, or any time you want something a little fancier than the usual.
Rich Chocolate Cake
Mascarpone and chocolate go SO WELL together. You’ll get an end result that feels a little bit like a luxury truffle. It’s super decadent and so rich and smooth.
Strawberry or Berry Cakes
There’s nothing that goes better with fresh berry cakes than a fluffy cake frosting like whipped mascarpone frosting. It’s light, subtly sweet, slightly buttery, and perfectly complements any fruity flavors.
Spiced Carrot Cake
It’s probably not a huge surprise that mascarpone cake frosting goes well with carrot cake. After all, it’s basically just a gussied up cream cheese frosting. The sweetness and creaminess of the frosting pair perfectly with the warm baking spices and earthiness of the carrots in the cake.
Lemon or Orange Cake
Citrusy flavors like lemon, orange, grapefruit, and blood orange go perfectly with fluffy vanilla frosting made with mascarpone. The creamy frosting balances out the bright, zesty citrus.
Coffee or Espresso Cake
For a tiramisu-inspired cake, use mascarpone cake frosting to cover coffee or espresso-flavored cake layers. Rich, creamy, and delicious, all you need to add is a dusting of unsweetened cocoa powder or espresso powder.
Mascarpone vs. Cream Cheese: What’s the Difference?
You might've heard mascarpone cheese and cream cheese compared to each other before, but what's the deal? Are they the same? And if not, what's the difference? Let's settle this once and for all. Although they may seem similar, they're not exactly the same.
Mascarpone Cheese
Mascarpone cheese is a soft, creamy cheese from Italy (think of it like an Italian cream cheese). It's super creamy, so rich, and buttery smooth with a mild flavor that's slightly sweet and super velvety. There's no major tang to mascarpone. You may have tasted it before in things like tiramisu, creamy pastas, and other rich, creamy dishes. It has a higher fat content than cream cheese, which gives it its dreamy texture and luxe consistency.
American Cream Cheese
You've likely had plenty of experience with cream cheese before, but let's break down the details. Cream cheese is a soft, creamy cheese. It has a thicker and denser texture than mascarpone, and is a little bit more spreadable—it stays where you spread it. It's tangy, and a bit salty, without the slightly sweet flavor you'll notice in mascarpone. You've probably eaten it on a bagel, in cheesecake, in dips, and even in classic cream cheese frosting (think carrot cake or cinnamon rolls). Because it has a lower fat content than mascarpone, it's firmer and less silky smooth, especially when cold. Mascarpone is easy to work with even when fresh from the fridge.
Which One Should You Use for Baking?
For fluffy cake frosting, mascarpone is usually going to be a better choice. It’s lighter, smoother, and blends effortlessly with whipped cream for that light and airy consistency.
Can you substitute cream cheese? Technically, yes. But expect a denser, tangier frosting that won’t be quite as fluffy.
Bottom line: Cream cheese is great for tangy frostings and cheesecakes, but mascarpone reigns supreme when you want smooth, fluffy, and decadent frosting.
Our Tips for Frosting with a Fluffy Consistency
Make sure you keep things cold: For best results, the mascarpone cheese and heavy whipping cream should both be kept cold.
Don’t add the heavy cream too quickly: Add the cream in a slow drizzle to keep things fluffy.
Make sure you keep a close eye on the frosting as you’re whipping everything: Light and fluffy frosting can end up overwhipped and ruined pretty quickly. Don’t walk away or you might have to start from scratch.
The Best Ways to Use Mascarpone Frosting
Slather it on layer cakes, cupcakes, or sheet cakes for a bakery-style finish.
Fill a piping bag (or plastic bag) and pipe it onto cookies or brownies for an extra-luxe dessert.
Dollop it on pancakes, waffles, or even fresh berries for a next-level brunch.
FAQs
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Store any leftover frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Whisk or stir it up before using it to get it to the right consistency.
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Not particularly. When you freeze and thaw the frosting, it won’t have the same perfectly smooth texture as it does when it’s made fresh.
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If you overwhip the frosting, you may notice a graininess develop. If that happens, try gently folding a little heavy cream into the frosting to help smooth it all out and get it back to the perfect consistency. If that doesn’t work, you’ll need to start from scratch.
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It won’t have the same light and fluffy texture, but you can use cream cheese instead if you’d rather. Really, though, we’d recommend using our cream cheese frosting recipe instead if you’re looking for a cream cheese version.
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It sure does! If you’re planning to pipe super intricate designs, we’d recommend chilling the frosting a bit to help it firm up. Otherwise, you’re good to go.
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You can. If you're going to dye your frosting, use a small amount of gel food coloring for the most vibrant colors.
This fluffy frosting is the perfect recipe for when you need something a little different than the usual options. A complementary pairing for tons of different flavors of cake, this subtly sweet, subtly tangy frosting is one you have to try. It just may be your new favorite frosting recipe.
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