Mascarpone whipped cream is silky, stabilized whipped cream that’s ready to use in minutes! Made with only 4 ingredients, this whipped frosting is an elegant topping for cakes, cupcakes, pies, and more.
Mascarpone whipped cream is the upgrade your desserts didn’t know they needed. It’s light and fluffy like classic whipped cream, but richer, silkier, and sturdy enough to hold its shape when piped onto cakes, cupcakes, pies, or fresh fruit. Made with just four simple ingredients and ready in minutes, this mascarpone frosting strikes the perfect balance of creamy and lightly sweet, adding an elegant finish without overpowering whatever you’re topping.
What Makes Mascarpone Whipped Cream So Good?
- Rich, fluffy, and just a little tangy. Mascarpone gives this whipped cream a silky texture and subtle tang that makes it taste almost like a lighter, airier cheesecake topping. It’s creamy without feeling heavy and sweet without being overpowering.
- Great for decorating. Mascarpone whipped cream is a kind of stabilized whipped cream that’s perfect for frosting cakes and cupcakes. It spreads smoothly, pipes cleanly, and keeps those swirls and dollops looking polished.
- Not overly sweet. If classic buttercream feels too sugary, this is the perfect alternative. It’s far less sweet than buttercream and pairs perfectly with everything from fruity flavors like lemon blueberry to richer flavors like pumpkin. Scroll down to find more pairings for this whipped cream under the “ways to use it” section.
Ingredient Notes
Three key ingredients come together to make the perfect whipped mascarpone frosting. I’ve included my notes below. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for a printable ingredients list.
- Mascarpone Cheese – Cold from the fridge. Not all brands of mascarpone are equal (see below), and you’ll want to choose one that’s less watery.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – For the silkiest frosting, always use full-fat heavy cream. Like the mascarpone, the cream should also be nice and cold.
- Powdered Sugar – Also called confectioner’s sugar. Powdered sugar is the key to stabilized whipped cream that holds its shape.
What is Mascarpone cheese?
Mascarpone is a type of Italian soft cheese. It has a tangy flavor that’s more subtle than American cream cheese, and the texture is much creamier. In the US, my preferred brands are BelGioioso and Vermont Creamery. You’ll find mascarpone in the deli section of most major grocery stores, usually near the other specialty cheeses.
Can I Substitute Cream Cheese for Mascarpone?
Yes. In a pinch, you can substitute full-fat cream cheese for mascarpone in this frosting recipe. Use the kind of cream cheese that comes in blocks, and not the spreadable tub kind. You can also check out my recipe for cream cheese whipped cream.
How to Make Mascarpone Whipped Cream
This easy step-by-step shows you how to make fluffy whipped cream mascarpone frosting. Scroll to the recipe card for printable instructions.
- Chill the bowl. Cold is the name of the game when making whipped cream of any kind. Pop your mixing bowl and the whisk attachment from your mixer into the freezer 10 minutes before you start.
- Combine the mascarpone with the cream. Begin by beating cold mascarpone cream as you gradually pour in about 1/2 cup of heavy cream until the consistency of the mascarpone is also liquid. This is essential for creating a smooth (not lumpy) whipped cream.
- Whip the frosting. Once the ingredients are combined, up the mixer speed and whip the cream into soft peaks. Slowly add the powdered sugar and vanilla, and then give the frosting a final whip until stiff peaks form.
Recipe Tips and Variations
Making any kind of whipped cream from scratch may sound intimidating, but you’ll be a pro in no time! Keep the following in mind for the best results:
- Use immediately. Mascarpone whipped cream is best to use on desserts right away. I don’t recommend leaving it in the bowl for too long, as it tends to lose its smooth, light texture.
- Don’t overwhip. It is possible to overmix whipped cream leaving it curdled or lumpy. Beat the cream and mascarpone into soft peaks, add powdered sugar, and continue to whip only until stiff peaks form.
- Add cinnamon. Make a version of cinnamon maple whipped cream with mascarpone, cinnamon, and maple syrup (or honey). It’s the perfect frosting for a pumpkin cake.
- Add citrus. Flavor this whipped cream with lemon zest and a few drops of lemon extract (I use lemon mascarpone whipped cream in my lemon layer cake recipe). Another good option is orange zest and extract.
- Chocolate. Make a chocolate version and swap out 1-2 tablespoons of cocoa powder for powdered sugar.
- Recommended brands: I find the most success with BelGioioso brand, Vermont creamery and Trader Joes, but I most often use BelGioioso.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not quite. Mascarpone whipped cream is more stable than traditional whipped cream. The flavor is also more complex, with a hint of salty, cheesy savoriness. It’s less tangy than cream cheese.
If your mascarpone frosting is runny, there’s a chance that you either over or under-mixed the mascarpone and heavy cream. When this happens, try beating in extra powdered sugar, 1 spoonful at a time, to help it thicken.
Ways to Use Mascarpone Whipped Cream
I love the subtle flavor and irresistible texture of this whipped mascarpone frosting. I’m always finding new ways to use it! Here are some ideas:
- Cakes. I use mascarpone whipped cream as a frosting for my strawberry mascarpone cake and as a filling in this lemon blackberry cake.
- Cupcakes. Use large piping tips to create swirls of whipped cream on top of peach pie cupcakes and red velvet cupcakes. See my tutorials on how to use a piping bag and how to use piping tips for lots of helpful pointers.
- Tiramisu. Use mascarpone whipped cream in classic tiramisu recipes. I also make variations of this whipped cream for my peanut butter cup tiramisu and apple pie tiramisu.
- Cheesecake. Add this whipped cream to no-bake desserts like this creamy tiramisu cheesecake or my no-bake pumpkin cheesecake.
- Breakfast. This sweet and fluffy whipped cream makes the perfect topping for pancakes and waffles.
How to Store Mascarpone Frosting
- To Store. I suggest piping, decorating, or filling your cake with mascarpone whipped cream right away. Frosted cakes and cupcakes will stay fresh for up to 2-3 days when stored airtight in the fridge.
- Freeze. I don’t recommend freezing mascarpone frosting as it tends to separate once it’s thawed.
More Whipped Cream Recipes
Mascarpone Whipped Cream
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups
- Category: Frosting
- Method: Mixed
- Cuisine: American
Description
Make silky mascarpone whipped cream in minutes with only 4 ingredients! This stabilized whipped cream frosting is sweet and tangy, perfect for topping cakes, cupcakes, pies, and more.
Ingredients
For 12-18 cupcakes:
- 8 ounces (226g) mascarpone cheese, cold
- 1 1/4 cup (296 ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
- ½ cup (65 g) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) pure vanilla extract
For a 3 layer cakes (makes approximately 4 cups)
- 16 ounces mascarpone cheese, cold
- 2 ½ cup (592ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1 ¼ cup (163g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to chill.
- Spoon the mascarpone cream into your bowl and beat on a medium-low speed (speed 3 on your stand mixer). Slowly pour in the heavy cream, about 1/2 cup, allowing the mascarpone cheese to turn to a liquid consistency.
- Add the remaining heavy cream then increase the mixing speed to high (speed 8-10) and beat it until soft peaks form.
- Next, add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beating on low until sugar is incorporated. Continuing beating at a high speed until stiff peaks form.
Notes
- This is best prepared and used right away. I don’t recommend preparing in advance. If kept in the fridge in your bowl for too long, you may need to rewhip it, adding additional powdered sugar to re-thicken.
- If used right away to frost cupcakes or a cake, this will stay fresh for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 263
- Sugar: 11.4g
- Sodium: 99.3mg
- Fat: 23.2g
- Saturated Fat: 14.3g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2.8g
- Cholesterol: 70.7mg
I’m not a big fan of buttercream. I prefer whipped cream, but of course it doesn’t hold up well for cakes. I already had a Mother’s Day dessert, but I wanted to experiment with something different. I looked up stabilized whipped cream and came across this recipe. It looked way too simple and too good to be true but I thought, what the heck. Ran out to the grocery store for some mascarpone cheese (ya, it’s not cheap) and thought I’d give it a try. Wow! I’m sorry, did you miss that? Wow, wow, wow!!! Super easy. Like, I made it and still can’t believe how easy, and OMG delicious. Why, why did I not find/try this recipe before? My family loved the cake (chocolate with fresh strawberries) and this frosting held up perfectly. I will be making this again and again and again!!! Now I need to go through all the recipes and see what else I’ve been missing out. Thanks Julianne!!!
So so so glad you loved this! I am obsessed with this frosting!
Hi! I’m hoping to use this recipe for the filling of my yule log. You mentioned that we can add flavours to it, but do you have any suggestions for flavours that would work well with the marscapone and also go along with the chocolate sponge cake? Do you think egg nog would be tasty with the marscapone? Any suggestions would be much appreciated!!
I think it would be difficult to flavor this with egg nog and keep the consistency, you would need to use too much eggnog to get the flavor profile. I would stick with extracts. Vanilla, almond, lemon, etc.
Hi, I am told using whipped cream frosting is better for Ice Cream cakes and my friend loves vanilla bean so will this freeze well?
Please respond I am new o Ice Cream cakes, thank you
Yes this can be used for ice cream cake
Is it very sweet? So much dugar..!
I don’t think so, but you can certainly use less sugar, it just might effect the thickness and stability.
The best! I make homemade marscapone and I’m always looking for recipes to use it in this icing is fabulous! Sometimes I use less cream for a studier icing. So far I’ve used almond, vanilla and orange flavoring. TY for posting it. Oh and I vary the amount of sugar too again depending on what I’m doing with it! I love the texture far better than a gelatin stabilized whipped cream! Being that I’m not a huge cream cheese person either this will easily substitute for any cream cheese icing! TY
Thank you so much Missy! I agree, I think it’s so much better than gelatin stabilized whipped cream. So happy you have tried different flavors as well!
Hi. I tried this recipe as is and it was wonderful! My question is , if I want to add lemon zest, how much would you recommend I add? I will make the larger batch and ice my whole cake!
Hey Saba, for the best lemon flavor, I would zest at least 1 whole lemon, so 1-2 tablespoons
good recipe, but I think there may be a typo in step #2. You say add the mascarpone whipped cream to the bowl; however, I think you may mean: mascarpone cheese.
Ah yes, thanks Dianne! It’s fixed
Can you add color to this frosting? If yes at what stage and what kind of food coloring works best?
I have not done it myself but I believe others have. I would add the color in the beginning with the liquid heavy cream for the best results.
Can you use an electric mixer if you don’t have a stand up mixer
You sure can, just make sure you get a spatula in the bottom of the bowl and mix it together, then rewhip to ensure everything is evenly whipped.
Adding a Tbls of dry milk powder helps stabilize whipped cream and it lasts longer in the bowl.
Thanks Diane! I’ve never tried that!
Can you freeze this cake once frosted? Will the frosting hold up afterwards for travel?
Hi Laura, I have not done it myself but I know others who have done it successfully.
This is absolutely the best frosting ever! Very easy to make and tastes amazing. I used it to frost a birthday cake for my granddaughter. I like the fact that it not super sweet like a buttercreme and holds up well for piping. This will be my new “go to” frosting!
Awesome Ro! Thank you so much for sharing this feedback!
Can I fold this in to cheesecake batter to make it more rich and creamy?
Hi Noche, for a no-bake cheesecake some recipes you can use mascarpone instead of cream cheese.
Hello! This recipe looks fantastic! I have two questions –
1) Would it be alright to halve the cupcakes version? I only need a little to decorate a pie, but I’m sure the full recipe will be too much.
2) Would it be better to make this earlier in the day and then decorate closer to show time, or can I make, decorate, and chill the pie to be enjoyed later?
Thank you in advance!
Hi Isabelle, yes for a pie, I would halve the cupcake version. It is best to make, decorate, and chill the pie all in one step.
Frosting was too die for melt in your mouth luscious
Thank you Cindy!
Thank you! I must be doing something wrong as I tried it twice and it all turns into water with grainy lumps of mascarpone. Any ideas why? Thank you so much.
First I’d try making sure that you are slowly adding the heavy cream and scraping down the sides of the bowl to prevent lumps. It could be the type of mascarpone you’re using if it’s more watery. Or you may not be mixing it for long enough, are you getting the stiff peaks and then it turns watery? You can also try adding more powdered sugar
Any idea if I would be able to freeze any leftover frosting? Going to try a batch of this later in the week for you lemon and blueberry cake 🤤
Hi Adam, I am sure it will freeze fine but I’d be concerned that when thawed, it would wilt/melt.
I made her mascarpone whipped cream with her delicious vanilla cup cakes! It was delicious and not overly sweet, super moist! My son even asked if it was a tres leches cupcake because of how milky flavorful it was and not dry at all! Her recipes are easy to follow so if you’re new to baking you won’t go wrong! I can’t wait to try making her chocolate cup cakes with Oreo frosting!! 🤗
Thank you so so much Cristine! I am so glad to hear this!
May never make plain whipped cream again! I substituted in 2 T. strawberry cream cheese for for part of the marscapone and blended in 3 diced large fresh strawberries. Wow, a nice subtle fruity flavor! Served over Ga’teau au Chocolat (which my husband says is French for fancy brownie!).
OMG YUM!!!! That sounds amazing- and I totally agree with you this is SO much better than everyday whipped cream!
Is the mascarpone whip cream frosting dense enough to make a three tiered 1st birthday cake? This would also include rosettes and lots of decorations on the sides made of the same frosting with a little bit of food coloring to add some color.
Anything frosted with this cake does have to stay refrigerated, but it’s still a whipped cream frosting and therefore less stable than buttercream. You’ll still need to dowel the cake for stability. I have some cakes using this frosting with some piping but again, they are much less stiff. I recommend you test it out on a single layer to see if it fits your needs.
This was great! You answered a nagging question i had, gave me some new(!!!?!) recipes to try, and gave me a giggle! I really loved that all-frosting cupcake at the end. First time at your site, but not the last. Thanks!
That’s great, thank you!
really liked the reci[ie thanks for sharing