Whipped Mascarpone Frosting
Thick, silky, and deliciously light mascarpone frosting that's perfect for filling and stacking layer cakes, using as frosting, and piping onto cupcakes. It has the consistency of stabilized whipped cream frosting with rich, complex notes of mascarpone cheese and isn't too sweet!
Servings 3 Cups
Ingredients
- 1 Cup (8oz, 227g) mascarpone cheese*, cold see notes for substitutes
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 Cup (240ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
- 2 Cups (240g) powdered sugar
Instructions
- Using the whisk attachment on your stand mixer (or a hand mixer with a large bowl), beat the mascarpone, vanilla, and salt together at medium speed until creamy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Turn the mixer to low speed and add the heavy whipping cream slowly, then turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat until soft peaks form. You should be able to dip a spatula into the mixture and a peak forms but slightly droops when you hold the spatula upright. This could take less than 1 minute, so keep a close eye on your mixer! If it looks curdled at this point, it means you've over-whipped. See the troubleshooting tip in the notes section below for the fix!
- Once you've reached soft peaks, add the powdered sugar all at once and mix on low speed until incorporated, then turn the mixer to medium-high speed and whip for about 30 seconds longer, until the frosting is thick and silky. Place in the refrigerator until you're ready to fill and frost the cooled cake layers – covered loosely if you'll use it that same day, or in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
*Mascarpone Cheese: if you can't easily find mascarpone cheese, you can substitute it for an equal amount of full-fat brick-style cream cheese or use the stabilized whipped cream frosting from this recipe.
Frosting Troubleshooting: If your frosting starts to look curdled or split, it means you have accidentally over-whipped it. To fix it, mix the frosting on low speed while you slowly add 1-2 tablespoons of cold heavy whipping cream and mix until smooth and silky.
To Make it Ahead: The mascarpone frosting can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I do find that the consistency is silkiest when you make it the day-of.
Yield: This recipe makes enough to:
- Fill and frost a 3-layer 6-inch cake or 2-layer 8-inch cake with a semi-naked finish.
- Pipe a swirl onto 15-20 cupcakes