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Mascarpone Frosting made with mascarpone, heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and almond and vanilla extracts is a lusciously smooth creamy frosting.
It is stable and holds its shape at room temperature and remains soft when refrigerated. It is a very delicate frosting, however, and works best as a cupcake topper as it will not provide structure to stacked cakes. Similar in look but very different in taste when compared to Cream Cheese Frosting or Italian Buttercream Frosting.
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Mascarpone frosting is my new favorite frosting. This heavenly frosting has changed me forever.
You see, this frosting is light and fluffy and smooth. It’s everything you want a frosting to be. This frosting can be shaped and spread however you like and will, too, hold it’s shape.
I thought it would harden or change when refrigerated. Nope! We had extra after frosting our lemon cupcakes so I stored the leftover frosting in the refrigerator. I ended up eating it on a graham cracker and it was downright heavenly. Don’t judge me! In fact, I might just make an ice box cake out of it this coming summer!
This frosting would go perfectly with any cake or cupcake. I can’t wait to top my heavenly homemade chocolate cupcakes with it!
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What is mascarpone?
I have a friend who helps me cook. When I told her we were making mascarpone frosting, she asked “what’s that?”.
Mascarpone is an Italian cream cheese. This is definitely not to be mistaken by our American cream cheese. They are quite different.
Mascarpone cheese is made from cow’s milk. It is off-white in color and is spreadable. If you’ve ever enjoyed tiramisu, it was most likely made with it. I also use it in my cannoli filling with mascarpone. I love spreading it on raisin toast. It melts like a cross between whipped cream and butter, but isn’t exactly like either.
Mascarpone can be used in a wide variety of ways including desserts like cheesecake or adding richness to a risotto.
Now that I’ve used it in frosting, I swear it will be my favorite frosting recipe to make from here on out.
Is there a substitute?
In my opinion, no. Nothing is quite like rich and creamy mascarpone. If a recipe calls for mascarpone, I won’t try to substitute.
That’s not to say it’s not possible.
If you’re really in a pickle and are right in the middle of making a recipe that calls for mascarpone, and you just realized you either ran out or it went bad, there is a way to cheat.
The work around is to combine a brick, or eight ounces, of softened cream cheese with a quarter cup heavy cream and two tablespoons sour cream. The cream cheese and sour cream must be full fat. Actually, don’t break my heart and use low or nonfat anything. Gross.
Does it taste just like mascarpone? Not exactly, but it’s close enough if you need a quick substitute.
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese chilled, I used Trader Joe's brand, results may vary with other brands
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream chilled
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- RECIPE TIP: For best results, chill the mixing bowl in the freezer prior to making the recipe. Also, ensure both mascarpone and heavy cream remain refrigerated right up until the time you start mixing.
- Place the mascarpone in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and start beating on medium speed. While beating, add the almond extract and vanilla followed by the confectioners sugar. Scrape sides and continue beating until light and fluffy. DO NOT OVERMIX as it will cause the frosting to curdle.
- With the mixer running on high speed, slowly add the whipping cream until the frosting becomes light and fluffy, about 1-3 minutes. DO NOT OVERMIX as it will cause the frosting to curdle.
- Spread onto cake or cupcakes. This frosting also holds its shape incredibly well, so it’s easy to pipe on using a decorating set. Makes enough to frost 24 cupcakes or two 9-inch rounds.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I bake quite a lot and this might be the best frosting I have ever made or eaten. I made it for my daugher’s birthday cake. She generally does not like frosting because it is too sweet, but she loved this one! Thank you so much for the recipe! I will definitely make it again.
Thank you so much!!!
Sounds delightful! Question, any chance this would work with 10% cream? A not as thick version perhaps? I want to make this right away and do not have whipping cream😮
Hi Drea, Not sure if it will hold together. I think heavy cream is something like 37%. If you try it, will you let me know?
I bet it worked well because I was making the tomato cake recipe from Stetted and didn’t like the frosting. (Loved the cake tho!) I used your frosting recipe (cut in half) but put in the tomato and (because it’s what I had) milk instead of the heavy cream. (Also skipped the almond because I didn’t want tooo many flavors.) Anyway, it was fantastic! Not overly sweet and thin enough to drizzle. Yum and thank you for the recipe!
Any replacement for whipping cream?
p.s. To my previous comment: I think this didn’t work because I used a tablespoon of lemon juice in place of extract. That is probably what turned the mascarpone and cream into curds.
Thank you very much for coming back to add that valuable piece of information! Yes – lemon juice and almond extract are VERY different. 🙂 Krissy
Didn’t work.2 minutes on high speed turned the cream and mascarpone into curds.
Hi..is it a must to add 1/2tspn of almond extract? Or i can just skip it? Thanks btw
You can always omit the extract. I just LOVE the flavor. You can use vanilla instead if you want as well.
Can this be used as cannoli filling?
Hi Lisa, Cannoli filling is typically made with ricotta, but I bet this would be outstanding wrapped in a cannoli shell! I eat it on graham crackers and it’s heaven!
I use Marscarope in mine and it’s deliciouse.
What does it mean when your icing seprates
Not sure I understand. Did you make it and the frosting separated?
So perfect for carrot cake! Frost was the layers and the sides then add some toasted coconut …OMG, this can’t get better!
can this be made with different flavors, ie: strawberry extract, lemon, etc. Thanks for the awesome recipe !!
Absolutely! I’m partial to almond. You could say I have a slight addiction. But I would love to see how it tastes with other flavors of extracts! I have one more tub of mascarpone in the frig… perhaps I’ll do some experimenting!
Can chocolate be added ?
I would think cocoa powder could be added, but it’s not an overly sweet frosting so the addition of cocoa powder might require more sugar.