The best creamy and delicious frosting that can be used on cakes, cupcakes or fruits is the Mascarpone Cream! Easy to make and so delicious and fluffy, it will complement any dessert.
In this post you will find my tried and tested recipe for delicious Mascarpone Frosting with variations and tips for success.
What is Mascarpone
Mascarpone is a kind of Italian soft and creamy cheese. It is prepared by removing the whey from the heavy cream. So practically Mascarpone is thickened heavy cream.
Its dense and fluffy texture makes it ideal for different types of frosting, icing and cake filling. You can even make Mascarpone Cheesecake with this amazing cheese!
You can also find it as "Mascapone" or "Marscapone", which are incorrect pronunciations.
Why is this recipe good
I have used this recipe multiple times and on different types of desserts. It is great for many reasons:
- It is thick and dense, perfect to stabilize your layer cake
- You can pipe it and spread it without much efforts
- It keeps relatively stable even in warm places
- It is not as heavy and sweet as the buttercream
- Its taste is really good as the mascarpone doesn't need much sugar. This frosting will not make your cake overwhelmingly sweet
- It is super easy to make
Ingredients
For a perfect Mascarpone Cream you would need just a few very simple ingredients:
- Mascarpone cheese
- Whipping cream
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
Preparation
Making the mascarpone frosting is easy but you need to follow the exact steps for perfect results.
- Whip the mascarpone with the icing sugar and vanilla in one large mixing bowl. This will take a few seconds, just to make the cheese creamy.
- In a separate bowl whip the cream until fluffy.
- Using a rubber spatula combine both mixtures to obtain light and creamy texture.
- That's basically all!
Tips to consider
- Make sure the mascarpone and the cream are cold before whipping them
- If the mascarpone is too thick and is not easy to beat, add 1-2 tablespoon of the cream to it before whipping it.
- Do not overbeat! Overbeating might result in curdling the mascarpone or the cream.
Special advice
There is of course, the possibility to whip together all ingredients in one bowl: seems natural and much faster and cleaner option. However I don't recommend it in most cases.
Based on my experience beating together the mascarpone with the cream usually will result in a very thick frosting that will be hard to pipe and spread.
By whipping separately the cream and the mascarpone and combining them, the texture of your frosting will become much lighter and fluffier.
Variations
- You can prepare the mascarpone frosting with sour cream instead of whipping cream. The sour cream has a lower fat and higher water content than the whipping cream so beating it together with the mascarpone cheese will be fine. The resulting frosting will be slightly less thick than the one with whipping cream and it will have a nice tanginess.
- Instead of vanilla extract use almond, coconut, lemon, orange extract or any other flavor you like! This will make your mascarpone cream taste always different.
Substitutions
If you need a substitute for mascarpone, cream cheese would be the best option in most cases. However you won't be able to obtain the same creamy and fluffy texture with cream cheese and whipping cream. Generally cream cheese tends to be softer and less stable than the mascarpone.
How to store
Store the Mascarpone Cream in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 days. You may need to whip it shortly before using it. If needed, as 1-2 tablespoon extra whipping cream.
You can also freeze it for up to 2 months after topping a cake with it. Freezing it by itself might make the consistency grainy.
Best desserts for this frosting
Mascarpone Frosting goes well on literally any cake! My top choices are Vanilla Cake and Cherry Almond cake. You can also top with it cupcakes, fill Pavlovas or use it on Egg-free Tiramisu.
Ultimately you can make desserts in glasses with Mascarpone cream, similarly to this Easy Dessert with Peaches.
Mascarpone Cream Frosting is so versatile, easy and delicious! It is surely one of the best frosting options for your next cake or cupcakes!
📝 Recipe
Mascarpone Cream
Ingredients
- 17.6 oz/ 500 g mascarpone
- ⅞ cup/ 200 ml whipping cream
- ½ cup / 60 g powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl beat the mascarpone together with the icing sugar and vanilla for about a minute.
- In a separate bowl whip the cold cream until thick and creamy.
- Using a rubber spatula fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone.
Notes
- This frosting is enough for one 2-3 layer cake. For cupcakes or for 1 layer cake use ½ batch.
- For a frosting with a tangy touch use sour cream instead of whipping cream. In this case you can whip them both together with the mascarpone.
- Store the mascarpone cream for 2-3 days in an airtight container. If necessary, whip it shortly to make it fluffier before piping or spreading on a cake.
- Instead of vanilla you can use other flavors: almond, coconut, lemon, etc.
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