Thick, airy and lusciously silky – this Whipped Mascarpone Frosting is perfect for both filling and frosting! It uses much less sugar than your typical American buttercream and it’s SO incredibly easy to make.
⭐Mascarpone Frosting Highlights⭐
- Easy to Make: This frosting is made granulated white sugar instead of powdered sugar meaning you don’t need to worry about sifting out clumps or getting clouds of sugar everywhere.
- Not to Sweet: You only need 1/2 cup sugar to get just the perfect amount of sweetnes. Standard buttercream usually needs about 4 cups to make enough to frosting a cake.
- Silky Texture: The mascarpone and heavy whipping cream whip up into a thick, soft and voluminous texture that’s stable and light.
What is mascarpone Cheese?
Mascarpone is basically an Italian cream cheese.
Though similar to American cream cheese, it has a much higher fat content which gives it a sweeter flavor and a more velvety texture.
Why Make a Mascarpone Cheese Frosting?
I originally got the idea after struggling to find a block form of standard American cream cheese.
It’s nearly impossible to find block cream cheese here in the UK as spreadable cheese in a tub is the main option. Great on bagels – less than ideal in baking!
The spreadable cheese has more water and less fat than the block kind which makes it tricky to create a stable cream cheese frosting.
The high fat content of mascarpone makes it not only a more reliable that American cream cheese, but results in a super light and fluffy frosting that’s much easier to make.
How to Make It
You need only 4 ingredients and either a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer to make this frosting.
In very simple steps:
- Beat sugar and cheese together in a large bowl on a medium-high speed.
- Add vanilla extract and mix.
- Pour cream into bowl with the mixer on.
- Beat on high until you end up with a smooth and stable whipped cream frosting.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Make sure to use chilled ingredients. Bonus points if you chill the mixing bowl and whisk first too!
- You want the fat in both the cheese and cream to stay cold for a light and fluffy frosting. If things get too hot, the fat will melt and become less stable.
- Use a stand/electric mixer.
- Since this recipe uses granulated sugar instead of confectioners’ sugar you need the high speed motor to mix the frosting fast enough to get rid of the grainy texture.
- Keep an eye on the bowl while you mix to avoid over mixing.
- To prevent curdling and separating, make sure you keep watch on your frosting so you don’t mix past the stiff peak stage.
The End Result
The end result is a thick and stable frosting that’s strong enough to use in layer cakes, cake rolls and piping.
It’s silky, light, rich and yet not too sweet. If that wasn’t enough – it’s genuinely super easy to make!
Cakes and Bakes to Frost
I used this mascarpone cream frosting as the base for my Blueberry Lemon Cake and Strawberries and Cream Vanilla Swiss Roll.
If you’d like a few more cake options to play around with, check out the ones below:
- Gluten Free Banana Cake & Cream Cheese Frosting
- Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
- Gluten Free Victoria Sponge Cake Recipe
- Gluten Free Carrot Cake
Enjoy!
Let me know if you try this whipped mascarpone recipe! Leave a comment and review with your thoughts. I always appreciate the feedback and serving suggestions that you come up with!
Whipped Mascarpone Frosting
Thick, silky, light and decadent - this whipped cream frosting is perfect for frosting, filling and piping your favorite desserts!
Ingredients
- 1 cup cold mascarpone cheese (240 g)
- 1/2 cup white sugar (100g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (5ml)
- 1 cup cold heavy cream [whipping cream in the UK] (240ml)
Instructions
- Add cheese and sugar to a stand mixer bowl with the whisk attachment or a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer. Beat 1-2 minutes on a medium-high speed.
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is fully mixed then add vanilla extract. Your frosting may have a slightly grainy texture still at this point.
- With the mixer on a medium-low speed, slowly pour the heavy cream into the mascarpone mixture in a steady stream. Once added, increase to a high speed and beat another 1-2 minutes until stiff peaks form. Time may vary depending on temperature. If you gently shake the bowl, the frosting shouldn't move much. Keep a close eye on the bowl to avoid over mixing.
- Use to frost cakes and desserts. Store leftover frosting in an airtight container and keep in the fridge up to 3 days.
Notes
- Quantity: This recipe makes enough to frost 12-16 cupcakes (generously), a 9×13 inch quarter sheet cake, or a 2 layer cake.
- Flavor: Feel free to swap out the vanilla extract for a different extract flavoring. If you use something strong like peppermint or almond extract, use only 1/2 tsp.
- Color: If you'd like to add food coloring, I strongly recommend you choose a powdered or gel food coloring to reduce too much added water.
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