Light & Airy Whipped Cream Frosting
Cream cheese adds some light tang and stability to this whipped cream frosting recipe. When combined with lots of fluffy whipped cream, the result is a delicious frosting full of vanilla flavor, light as a cloud yet firm enough to frost a layered cake!
Watch me make this Whipped Cream Frosting from start to finish!
I’ve always been into the luxury homesteading life. I love all the bouji-ness of modern amenities and first-world problems, but my soul still craves knowing how to do things for myself.
My backyard is morphing into a mini, well-organized homestead/resort. Over that past decade, I’ve taught myself how to care for chickens, preserve food, plant herbs, cultivate medicinal and vegetable gardens, load my landscaping with fruit trees and berry bushes, add rainwater harvesting, and knit.
This year I’m prepping for a monarch waystation, and a greenhouse.
Listen, if I could get my husband to agree, I’d have some goats, rabbits, solar panels, and a beehive! (Soon, though, it usually doesn’t take long to get him on board)
All of these outdoor shenanigans while still being afraid and running from bugs! LOL. I’m pretty sure I’m quite entertaining to watch out there.
All it takes is one bee to buzz close to my face, and I turn into a swatting track star yet, all the while saying, “thank you for pollinating my flowers, sweet bee!” I’ve come a long way and have further to go clearly. But I’m having so much fun learning y’all!
Early this year, I challenged myself to start learning how to make some of our most store-bought items from scratch. I started with almond milk and vanilla extract.
My vanilla extract was finally ready this week, so I’ve been having a blast playing around with it in different recipes. Best. Stuff.Ever. And yep I’ll be sharing that recipe soon.
Today, I’m sharing one of my favorite frostings that I’ve been making so much lately: whipped cream frosting.
It’s so light, airy, and full of perfect vanilla flavor that compliments many desserts.
I figured it was time this frosting got its own blog post because it is so good, and I know I’ll be referring to a lot with all the future cakes and cupcakes I’ve got coming up for y’all!
What is whipped cream frosting?
Whipped cream frosting is a much lighter and less sweet frosting than buttercream. It contains lots of heavy whipping cream, which gives it a super whipped texture. I like to add cream cheese to my whipped frosting to provide stability and lessen the sweetness of the frosting. However, the cream cheese doesn’t steal the show with too much tanginess and the whipped cream still shines through beautifully.
Why I LOVE this frosting recipe
I can eat this frosting by the bowl because it’s not sugary sweet! It’s like eating a cloud yet still firm, which I love. It’s perfect for cupcakes and even layered cakes like this coconut cream cake! Spread it, pipe it, and use it for stuffing cupcakes or strawberries; it’s a win.
Ingredients Needed:
- Heavy whipping cream (cold)- Whipped until it forms stiff peaks. This gives the frosting a light, airy texture.
- Pure vanilla extract– Add flavor to the frosting
- Cream cheese (room temperature)– Add stability to the frosting and balance out the sweetness.
- Powdered sugar (sifted)– Used to sweeten the frosting
How to make whipped cream frosting
INSTRUCTIONS
- Chill a large mixing bowl and the beaters of a hand mixer or stand mixer until ready to use.
- When ready to prepare the frosting, remove the bowl from the fridge and pour in the heavy whipping cream.
- Beat on medium speed until the cream can hold stiff peaks when you lift up the beaters. (You may need to reduce the speed of your mixer as the cream starts to thicken to prevent over-mixing) Set aside.
- In another large bowl, add cream cheese and vanilla extract and mix at medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until light and creamy.
- Mix in powdered sugar a little at a time until completely incorporated, being sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Gently fold in the whipped cream and stir until completely incorporated.
- Chill the frosting for about 30 minutes. Spread it on your favorite cake or cupcake! Store in the refrigerator.
Tips for making whipped cream frosting
- Use cold heavy whipping cream- Cold heavy cream will whip up better than warm cream. Keep your mixing bowl, beaters, and heavy whipping cream in the fridge until ready to prepare the frosting.
- Beat the cream cheese well- Be sure to beat the cream cheese really well until it is airy. This will give you a super light frosting. Using room-temperature cream cheese will make this process much easier.
- Gradually add powdered sugar. Be sure to sift the powdered sugar to remove any lumps. Add it gradually to the bowl to make sure it gets combined well, and there is no grainy texture.
How to use whipped cream frosting
Of course, this frosting is the BEST for frosting cakes and cupcakes! But its amazing taste and texture can be used for other desserts as well!
I’ve used it for my strawberry shortcake bars; it makes the perfect topping for a slice of pound cake or angel food cake with fresh berries; mix it into ice cream, use it to top no-baked pies and cheesecake, dollop on waffles or funnel cakes. You get the point; it’s awesome!
How to store whipped cream frosting
Store cakes and desserts with this frosting in the fridge in an air-tight cake container. Store any leftover frosting in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Common Questions
- Does this taste like cream cheese frosting?
- Can I add different extracts? Yes, feel free to add in a teaspoon or so of additional extracts like lemon, coconut, or almond extract.
- Can I add food coloring? Yep! Food coloring is a great way to color this frosting. I prefer the gel food coloring for this recipe.
- Does this frosting taste like buttercream?
- Can I add cocoa powder? Yes, for chocolate whipped frosting, sift in a little cocoa powder with the powdered sugar.
- Can I add berries to this frosting? Yes, but it’s best to reduce the berries down to a couple of tablespoons of thick puree first. That way, you aren’t introducing a lot of liquid into the frosting, which could make it runny.
- Do I need to stabilize this whipped cream frosting with pudding mix or unflavored gelatin ? No, the cream cheese is used to stabilize the frosting.
Ready to give this recipe a spin? Try this fantastic coconut cream cake!
Get the Recipe: Light & Airy Whipped Cream Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream , (cold)
- 16 oz cream cheese (2 blocks), (room temperature)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar, (sifted) see note
Instructions
- Chill a large mixing bowl and the beaters of a hand mixer or stand mixer until ready to use.
- When ready to prepare the frosting, remove the bowl from the fridge and pour in the heavy whipping cream.2 cups heavy whipping cream
- Beat on medium speed until the cream can hold stiff peaks when you lift up the beaters. (You may need to reduce the speed of your mixer as the cream starts to thicken to prevent over-mixing) Set aside.
- In another large bowl, add cream cheese and vanilla extract and mix on medium-high speed until light and creamy.16 oz cream cheese (2 blocks), 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Mix in powdered sugar a little at a time until completely incorporated.3 cups powdered sugar
- Gently fold in the whipped cream.
- Chill for 30 minutes. Spread it on your favorite cake or cupcake! Store in the refrigerator.
