Stabilized Whipped Cream Frosting
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This stabilized whipped cream frosting recipe makes lightly sweetened, thick and fluffy, perfectly pipe-able frosting that doesn’t weep or lose its shape! This recipe comes together in 15 minutes and can be used to ice cakes or cupcakes or anywhere in place of store-bought whipped cream! Recipe includes a tutorial video!
A Sweet & Simple Frosting
I’ve received a record number of requests for this whipped cream frosting recipe, and here it is! While I love my existing whipped cream recipe and have bragged often about how stable it is, I’ve also advised that that one is not ideal for icing cakes or cupcakes.
Sure, it’s great, fluffy, un-fussy and so tasty, but if you want a whipped cream frosting, one that is guaranteed to hold its shape, not melt, and last for several days, you really need to stabilize it first.
This requires a simple extra step and a sprinkle of gelatin powder.
The end result is a frosting that’s lightly sweetened (those of you who want a frosting that’s “not too sweet” will love this one), fluffy and creamy, but still stable enough to pipe over cupcakes or frost a two or three layer cake. Pictured above it’s prettily piped over a batch of cupcakes that I made out of my vanilla cake recipe (of course I tossed in a few sprinkles for good measure!)
Let’s get to it!
What You Need
- Gelatin. This is what makes this recipe a stabilized whipped cream. Gelatin stabilizes the cream and keeps the frosting sturdy (even at room temperature) and keeps it from melting over itself or weeping, as classic, un-stabilized whipped cream may be prone to do. I recommend using unflavored gelatin, which, as the name indicates, doesn’t taste like anything so that the natural flavors of the cream, sugar, and vanilla extract can shine through.
- Powdered sugar. Those of you who don’t like sugary frostings will be thrilled to hear that there is only 1/2 cup of sugar in the whole recipe! (Compare that to classic buttercream frosting, which uses 4 cups or 8x as much sugar for the same amount of icing!). This is just enough sugar to sweeten the stabilized whipped cream and help it hold its thick, fluffy shape.
- Vanilla extract. Added for flavor. Of course I like to use my homemade vanilla extract for best flavor!
- Heavy whipping cream. This is the base of our stabilized whipped cream. It should be as cold as possible (without being frozen) in order to achieve a thick and fluffy frosting. You can use heavy cream, heavy whipping cream, or double cream. “Whipping cream” will work, but since it contains less fat the results aren’t quite as stable as those made with the other creams listed.
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why I chose them. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Stabilized Whipped Cream Frosting
- Add the gelatin to a microwave safe dish and add cold water. Whisk until the gelatin is smoothly combined with the water and set aside. The gelatin is the fussiest part of this whole (otherwise very simple) recipe. Make sure to follow my notes and you shouldn’t have any issue, though!
- In a separate bowl, combine cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. For best results, use a chilled metal bowl and chill your beaters, too! The colder everything is the better your results will be. Beat the ingredients with an electric mixer and stop once the cream has begun to thicken, but just before reaching soft peaks.
- By now, your gelatin/water mixture should have solidified. Heat it briefly in the microwave just until it’s re-melted and briefly mix it with a whisk (you don’t want it to be very hot, but the gelatin mixture should be 100% liquid and totally smooth or you could end up with a frosting that stays runny or have lumps in your frosting). This usually only takes 5-10 seconds in the microwave. Turn your electric mixer to low-speed and, while beating the cream mixture, slowly whisk in the gelatin.
- Gradually increase the speed on your electric mixer until your whipped cream is fluffy with stiff peaks. It should look like Cool Whip, thick and fluffy!
It may seem counter-intuitive at first to liquify the gelatin and allow it to set up only to re-liquify it again by melting, but it’s important! This is a process known as “blooming” the gelatin, which ensures that the end result is not only smooth (rather than grainy or lumpy) but also that it stabilizes properly.
SAM’S TIP: While the cream must be beaten very well, it is possible to over-beat your cream, leaving you with a rough, curdled-looking mess. If you accidentally overdo it, don’t panic, you might still be able to salvage things! Simply add 1-2 Tablespoons of heavy cream and mix until you’ve reached the proper consistency.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are several reasons this can happen. Most likely, you simply need to keep beating the mixture, it can take some time and requires patience! However, if your gelatin was very, very hot when you added it to the cream, if the cream was not cold enough, or if you are in a very warm kitchen, your cream may not thicken as it should. Set yourself up for success and make sure you follow the steps for blooming the gelatin and use cold cream and a cold bowl (and beaters, too!).
This frosting lasts up to 4-5 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge in an airtight container. While it does well at room temperature due to the gelatin, it’s still a dairy-based frosting and so is not ideal for high heat for long periods of time (such as outdoor parties in the summer!). I recommend keeping it chilled. At room temperature (below 75F/24C) I wouldn’t leave it out for more than an hour or two.
Unfortunately I don’t recommend it. If you have a cake that you’d like to use fondant with, I would recommend using my classic buttercream frosting or cream cheese frosting instead.
There are many different methods for making whipped cream frosting, but personally I found that this method yielded the most stable results with the most authentic whipped cream taste.
I tried many methods including using more powdered sugar (made the frosting too sweet and did not last as long as this version with gelatin), using a food processor (didn’t hold its shape long enough and still melted), adding cream cheese (tasty, but changed the taste far too much) and using powdered milk (this worked fairly well, but did not hold its shape as long and modified the taste a bit). Ultimately I recommend sticking with the method written in my recipe below.
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Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! Make sure to check out the how-to VIDEO in the recipe card!
Stabilized Whipped Cream Frosting
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin, (this is usually sold near the Jell-O in the grocery store)
- 1 ½ Tablespoons cold water
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream, cold
- ½ cup (65 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Sprinkle gelatin into a microwave safe measuring cup or other small microwave-safe dish (preferably one with a spout to make it easy to pour later on).1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
- Add water and whisk gelatin and water together until all gelatin has been absorbed. Set mixture aside to sit for 5 minutes.1 ½ Tablespoons cold water
- While gelatin is sitting, combine heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl (preferably a chilled metal bowl). Use an electric mixer to beat until the mixture is thickened, but stop shy of reaching soft peaks.1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream, ½ cup (65 g) powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- At this point, check your gelatin. It should have solidified at this point. If so, pop it in the microwave just until the mixture has re-liquified. This usually takes me 5-10 seconds. The mixture should be liquid, but should not be very hot. Use a whisk to briefly stir the contents together to make sure they are smooth.
- With electric mixer on low speed, drizzle liquid gelatin into the cream. Slowly increase speed to medium/high then continue to beat until you have reached stiff, fluffy peaks.
- Immediately pipe or ice cake or cupcakes as desired, or use as desired in place of store-bought whipped cream!
Notes
Storing
I recommend using the frosting for decorating immediately after preparing for best results, but alternatively you may store in an airtight container in the fridge for several days before using as desired. Stabilized whipped cream will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. This recipe may also be frozen once it is piped onto your dessert.Make it chocolate
Add 3-4 Tablespoons of cocoa powder in with the sugar for a chocolate stabilized whipped cream. If your cocoa is lumpy, make sure to sift before adding.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Excellent! Just finished frosting my 10 yr. old granddaughter’s birthday cake.
I tinted half of the frosting pink and the other half green. She’s a fan of the Wicked movie. I turned out great!
Thanks!
What a great hint. I am nervous about working with gelatine but you gave such clear instructions. Thank you
I hope you love it, Teresa! 🙂
Hey I was wondering if I could add lemon flavouring to this and what time I could add it if I can?
Hi Mayling! You could try swapping some of the vanilla extract with lemon extract in step #3 of the recipe 🙂
First let me say I’m super new to baking n I made this for my kids cupcakes and did something wrong n was going to try another recipe but this hits right on the mark for sweetness. It was super runny when trying to pipe it. Was warm in the kitchen but wouldn’t think it was to warm. I did make sure EVERYTHING was chilled also. Maybe didn’t mix enough? Should’ve compressed the sugar when measuring? Would love to attempt again so any tips would be appropriated☺️
Hi Nicole! If the whipped cream is over or under-mixed it could make it the final frosting soft. 🙁
I just made this tonight and added lemon extract and lemon zest and it was delish! I added it to the powder sugar and heavy cream.
Just switch the vanilla out for the lemon flavoring and add it at the same time you would have with the vanilla.
You will want to be careful doing that as lemon is a bit more potent than vanilla so you would want to use lemon sparingly.
The recipe was easy to follow, the taste was great, and it was fluffy. However, the frosting melted all over the cupcakes. I was hoping to use this for my sister’s wedding in August but the frosting can’t melt. Any suggestions?
Hi Alyssa! Was the frosting out in the heat and that is where it melted? Or did it melt when you were frosting it or while it was being stored properly? I do mention that this frosting is not ideal for high heat and isn’t meant for being used at temperatures above room temperature.
I made this for the first time and was really happy with how it held up! Three was a slight graininess, so I’m wondering if I should have sifted the icing sugar. I also found it sweeter than I prefer. Is the amount of sugar important in the stabilization process, or can I cut back on the sugar, and by how much? Tx!
Hi Hannah! I’m sorry to hear about the grittiness! The powdered sugar shouldn’t cause any grittiness. 🙁 Was the gelatin fully dissolved and incorporated? Is there a chance the frosting was slightly over-mixed? Reducing the powdered sugar will reduce the stability of the frosting.
Could this be made with less sugar or is it needed for stability? Thanks!
Hi Charlotte! The sugar does help with stability so it could be a lot softer without the sugar.
I am going to make ‘s*x in a pan’ which calls for adding cool whip to whipped cream cheese and sugar. Would your stabilized whipped cream in a recipe that combines both together?
Hi Marg! If it calls for cool whip, I would use my regular whipped cream instead. 🙂
Thanks Sam. I added a very small amount of cream cheese to it….stayed great/
Hi! How well does this frosting freeze? I plan on piping it on cupcakes for a party in two days and I was hoping I could frost them tonight and freeze until the event
Hi Riyah! You shouldn’t have any issues freezing this frosting. 🙂
I know you said it’s fine to freeze this recipe. I was wondering how it would turn out when thawed. Would it change the consistency? How should I treat it after thawing? Does it need to be whipped again?
Hi Teresa! I would freeze it after applying to a dessert. You can then just thaw that dessert in the refrigerator. I wouldn’t recommend trying to freeze the frosting and then use it later.
Love, love this recipe!! It was so easy to make and it was perfect for my granddaughter’s cupcakes! 🥰
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Alice! 🙂
Love this recipe for my ice cream cakes! it’s perfectly sweet and creamy without being overly sweet.
When is the best time to add food coloring to this? I need to frost 12 cupcakes but need 3-4 colors. Can I make a big batch and then divide and color at the end, or do it earlier in the process? If earlier, then when? Also, I need to pipe & deliver the cupcakes a day before the event. Will they keep in the customer’s fridge overnight in a cardboard cupcake box like regular cupcakes?
Hi Olga! You will want to stir the food coloring in briefly at the end so separating it and coloring at the end will work. This frosting will hold up in the refrigerator overnight. 🙂
thank you!!!
hi sam can I add any flavor like vanilla in there and can I put some food coloring also to change it to a different color
Sure thing! 🙂
Ok, girl! This frosting is the ONE!! I am an avid home baker, and my family, friends and frequent customers love my baked creations – but I have had one person over the years that has never been happy with my frostings. And that person would be my teenage daughter…. Gotta love ’em. She would always say “I love Walmart cake better, because they have whipped frosting.” It bothers me so much that she would choose a grocery store cake over mine – so I have been on a quest for the perfect whipped frosting…people-pleaser that I am. 🙂
This morning – I tried your frosting and let my daughter do a little taste test (in the past with other attempts, I just got a “meh, its ok”) but THIS ONE…. her eyes got big as soon as it hit her tongue, and she said “This is PERFECT!!!!!”
Thank you for helping me finally fulfill my dream of making frosting that my daughter LOVES!
I’m so glad to hear it was such a hit, Becky! 🙂
This recipe is amazing! Thank you for the thorough directions and tips on mixing this. I made it yesterday for my granddaughters Birthday cake, she doesn’t like buttercream icing it’s too sweet. She took a bite and gave me a thumbs up.
I did piping on her cake and colored this with a gel coloring tried not to mix too much. but it came out fantastic. Thank You so much!
does this frosting colour well
Sure thing! 🙂
would this work for an angel food cake the day before a wedding?
also, would it support fresh berries on top?
thanks
Hi Kathy! It would need to stay refrigerated. You could potentially put some fruit on top, but you wouldn’t want to go overboard with it.
Hi Sam,
I’ve loved this recipe previously but I’m forgetting how much it will make…
If I want to pipe cupcakes with as much frosting as you show in your photos, will the recipe as written yield those tall swirls? Thank you!
I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed it, Cathy! It will frost about 12 cupcakes. 🙂
Hi! Would it cause any kind of issue if I put this frosting in the piping bag and added a strawberry fruit compote to the other side of the piping bag and piped those things together to make like a swirl? I am making them for someone the day before an event and I just don’t want them to get messed up. Thanks!
The compote could potentially break the whipped cream. 🙁
can you tell me how to thaw and use if I freeze the frosting? do I bring to room temp and rewhip or just thaw in fridge and pipe?
Hi Emily! You could thaw it at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Either way it will likely need a brief re-whipping. 🙂
Hello!! Will this be great for frosting a cake?
Hi Crestina! It is a good frosting for a cake. 🙂
Can you double or triple the recipe safely?
Sure thing! 🙂
will this work for a 13×9 sheet pan cake to frost and add piping detail
Hi Robbie! You’ll likely need more to pipe any details on top.
Hi would this recipe be enough to frost a 2 layer 6 inch cake or would i need to double or triple the recipe?
Yes! This recipe covers a 2-layer 8” or 9” cake, so you’ll likely have some leftover 😊
This method works well, but I prefer to use instant clear jel as opposed to gelatin (no need to bloom, just add it with your sugar).
Hi Anne, thanx for the tip. do u use the same quantity Sam used for gelatin?
Could you make it raspberry flavored by adding a pure or raspberry jello instead of regular gelatin? Or would that mess up the texture?
Hi Ina! It could potentially work, but we’re not sure without trying it ourselves 😞
I have a bin of instant clear gel for this same reason! So easy to use & yes it works!
Colored it blue for grandson’s special cake. Very easy and delicious. Not too sweet.
hi Sue. when did you add colouring. i have gel colour. will that work?