Whipped cream makes a delicious cake frosting, but itâs not the easiest to work with. Common problems include melting, leaking, or the inability to hold up heavier cake layers. However, there are ways around this by adding stabilizers to thicken the finished whipped cream.
Stabilizers are ingredients added to whipped cream that make it last longer and less prone to melting. These ingredients support the fat and/or liquid in heavy cream, allowing it to hold on to air bubbles better. This creates a more stable frosting for smoothing, supporting large layer cakes, and piping.
What stabilizer works best for cakes or piping? Iâve tested six stabilizers for whipped cream. Weâll go over the pros and cons for each one below so that you can decide which frosting is best for you and your cake.
The biggest difference between the two is that the whipped cream is light and airy as opposed to the heavy richness from the butter base of buttercream. When using whipped cream frosting you will need to store the frosting in your refrigerator and keep it cool.
Whipped cream stabilized with Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup (113g) full-fat Greek yogurt, cold (I like the Fage brand)
- 1 cup (227g) heavy whipping cream, very cold from the fridge
- approximately 1/2 cup (42-57g) tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Step 1 – Chill bowl/whisk and add heavy whipping cream.
Place your mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for at least 5 minutes. A cold bowl helps the whipped cream develop nice peaks. Add cold heavy whipping cream.
Step 2 – Add Greek yogurt.
Add Greek yogurt and whisk on medium-high until itâs slightly thickened.
Step 3 – Add sugar and whisk until you like the consistency.
Add in your powdered sugar and vanilla (if using).
Whip on medium speed until you reach stiff peaks. Alternatively, once you get soft peaks, you can whisk the cream manually with a hand whisk as it goes from soft to stiff peaks fairly quickly. Use immediately.
This frosting held up nicely between my cake layers. It showed no significant bulging on the sides, even after 4 hours at room temperature.
The frosting piped smooth and sharp designs that held their shape after a few hours at room temperature.
A minor amount of leaking was detected after a few hours.
Disadvantages
This method does add a robust tangy-yogurt flavor to the finished whipped cream. If you donât enjoy the taste of yogurts, youâll want to choose another stabilizer.
I loved this method; it was effortless to add a bit of yogurt to the beginning of the whipping cream method. I adore the yogurt flavor profile it brings to my fresh fruit cakes. This is an absolute staple recipe in all the baking I do.
Whipped cream stabilized with cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 1 cup (227g) heavy whipping cream, very cold from the fridge
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Step 1 – Make cornstarch paste.
Add cornstarch, granulated sugar 1/4 cup (or about 25% of the total amount of heavy whipping cream) in a small saucepan. Bring to just a simmer, whisking the entire time. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
Step 2 – Chill mixing bowl/whisk and add heavy whipping cream.
Place your mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for at least 5 minutes. A cold bowl helps the whipped cream develop nice sturdy cream.
Step 3 – Add sugar and whisk.
After the bowl is nice and cold, add heavy whipping cream and vanilla (if using) and whisk on medium-high until itâs slightly thickened. Whip on medium speed until you reach soft peaks. Stop the mixer.
Step 4 – Add cornstarch mixture.
With the mixer on medium-low speed, slowly pour in your cornstarch mixture.
Continue to whip until it reaches stiff peaks. Use immediately.
Like the control (or whipped cream with no stabilizers), this cakeâs whipped started to bulge on the sides immediately after I took it out of the fridge. It continued to soften and push out from inside the cake the longer I left it out.
This whipped cream has the least amount of definition even compared to the control with no stabilizers. The piped designs were soft and mushy.
A high amount of leaking was detected after a few hours.
The resulting frosting was overly soft after a while. This method requires a cooking step, which was a little more work and time.
I probably wouldnât use this method again. Compared to the other stabilizers, itâs more labor-intensive (requiring heat and cooling steps for the cornstarch mixture) with no big advantages.
Buttercream vs. Whipped Cream | THE BEST ICING FOR YOUR CAKE!
FAQ
Is frosting the same as whipped cream?
Is whipped cream healthier than frosting?
Can you use whipping cream instead of frosting?
What is the difference between whipped icing and frosting?
When icing is whipped, it often has a cream base. Frosting, on the other hand, is always whipped. It usually has a fat base – such as butter or shortening. In short: Frosting is fluffy. Icing is not – unless it’s whipped icing! What is Whipped Icing?
What are the nutritional values of whip cream?
The whipped cream is a source of choline and fat-soluble vitamins such as, vitamins A, D, E, and K which are present in milk fat. The vitamins from whole milk can help to prevent osteoporosis and promote a good vision. However whipped cream is very rich in calories, each 100 grams of whipped cream contains approximately 300 calories, 30 grams of lipids and 20 grams of carbohydrates, thus it should be consumed in moderation.
What is the difference between whipped icing and buttercream?
Whipped icing and buttercream are two classic frosting types that can be used to ice cakes and cupcakes. Both frostings are sweetened and thickened using powdered sugar but have two very different bases. The whipped icing has a base of heavy whipping cream, while buttercream uses butter or a shortening base.
What is the difference between whipping cream and buttercream?
The main difference between whipping cream and buttercream is that whipping cream is cream-based while buttercream is butter-based. Whipped cream does not have the stability to hold its form well and needs to be kept refrigerated. It pairs well with fruits, strawberry shortcake, or as a frosting for certain cakes.