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This Mascarpone Frosting is made with mascarpone, heavy cream, powdered sugar, and almond and vanilla extracts is a lusciously smooth creamy frosting.
It pipes beautifully, spreads effortlessly and stays stable at room temperature. It is a very delicate frosting, however, and works best as a cupcake topper as it will not provide structure to stacked cakes.
Krissy’s Notes
I’ve made a lot of frostings over the years, but this one completely changed the game for me. It’s not as heavy as buttercream and not as tangy as cream cheese frosting, but it sits perfectly in between. The first time I made it, I stored leftovers in the fridge and found myself spreading it on graham crackers the next day (no regrets).
This mascarpone icing recipe is now my go-to for cakes and cupcakes when I want something elegant but easy. It holds its shape well enough to pipe, stays soft even after chilling, and makes every dessert feel luxurious.
I frequently pair it with Lemon Cupcakes, Carrot Cake Cookies, on top of Angel Food Cake, and my absolute favorite Homemade Chocolate Cupcakes.
Reader Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is the best frosting I’ve ever tasted <3 I’ve made it a couple times now and really complements any cake flavors my personal favorite so far would be with a spiced carrot cake. -McKayla
What You’ll Need To Make It
The complete recipe is in the card below, but here’s a quick overview.
You’ll need mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Use full-fat mascarpone, low-fat versions won’t whip properly, and make sure both the mascarpone and cream are very cold before mixing.
A tip I swear by: chill your mixing bowl and whisk attachment for 15 minutes before you start. Cold ingredients are the key to a stable, fluffy frosting that won’t split.
How to Make Mascarpone Frosting
Full instructions are in the recipe card below, but here’s the short version.
- Beat the mascarpone. Add cold mascarpone to a chilled bowl and beat with the extracts and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
- Whip in the cream. Slowly pour in cold heavy cream while mixing on high speed until thick and airy. Don’t overmix or it may curdle.
- Frost and enjoy. Use immediately to frost cakes or cupcakes, or refrigerate for later. It spreads beautifully and pipes like a dream.
Make Ahead and Storage
To make ahead: Prepare the frosting and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Stir gently before using.
To store: Keep refrigerated. It stays soft even when chilled, so you can use it straight from the fridge.
To freeze: Freeze in a sealed container for up to a month. Thaw in the refrigerator and rewhip briefly before using.
Learn From Me
I’ve made this recipe countless times, and while it’s easy, it can be a little temperamental. The biggest lesson? Temperature matters. If the mascarpone or cream get too warm, the frosting can separate. Keep everything cold and stop mixing the moment it looks fluffy and firm.
I’ve found that the brand of mascarpone and cream also makes a difference. Trader Joe’s mascarpone and local heavy whipping cream have never failed me. This is what I use when I make my Cannoli with Mascarpone Filling and my Mascarpone Frosting.
This mascarpone cream frosting is perfect for topping cupcakes or a single-layer cake, but it’s too delicate for stacking tiered cakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe has gotten a ton of questions and comments, so here is some information you might find helpful.
Temperature is usually the culprit. Both the mascarpone and heavy cream must be very cold before whipping. A warm kitchen or overmixing can cause it to break or turn soupy. Chill the bowl and whisk first, and stop mixing as soon as it looks thick and fluffy. If it does curdle, try whisking a small portion separately and then slowly folding it back in to restore texture.
This frosting is best for cupcakes, single-layer cakes, or dessert toppings. I’ve even used it to make my Coconut Berry Icebox Cake. It’s delicate and won’t hold up well under heavy cake layers or in warm weather. For tiered or outdoor cakes, Italian Buttercream Frosting is sturdier but still tastes great.
Yes! Add cocoa powder for chocolate mascarpone frosting, or gently fold in a small amount of fruit purée or citrus zest for flavor variations. You can also swap the almond extract with something like peppermint extract.
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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 8 ounces mascarpone cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and start beating on medium speed. While beating, add the 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract followed by the 1 cup 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 1 cup heavy 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.
How do I make the icing thicker? It seems runny. I added powdered sugar but I am still running into the same problem.
If the ingredients are chilled, they should have an easier time thickening.
Maybe this works for squirting out of a pastry bag on top of a cupcake. It doesn’t work to ice a cake. It curdled even though I made it without an electric mixer. It never sets up even when placed in the freezer. So there’s no hope of making a crumb coat. Using it as a filling is also a problem as it is so soft, without adding any cream, that it squishes out. And mascarpone is about $4. I had to scrape it off my cake into the trash and start over with something else! I wish you had been clear up-front about this as I struggled most of the afternoon to try to make this thing work.
I’m very sorry this recipe didn’t work for you. It has always worked for me, but I know based on the comments I get that there are a lot of mixed reviews. Were you able to use Trader Joe’s mascarpone? I did update the recipe card and the top of the post to indicate that it is a very delicate frosting and is best used as a cupcake or a cake topper and not for stacked cakes as it does not provide structure like a true buttercream.
OK, so this is DEFINITELY a “trust the process” recipe … after adding the marscapone, extracts and vanilla, I thought it was too liquid-y and had definitely considered adding more sugar (especially with the addition of the heavy cream)… however, I trusted the process and followed the recipe exactly as written, and the end result was WONDERFULLY amazing – light, fresh and delicious. I find it more similar to a firm whipped cream than a traditional buttercream, but it will absolutely be added to the regular rotation.
Best comment ever. I think I should add what you wrote to the post because it’s super helpful. Glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely wonderful
I doubled the recipe and used 1/2 mascapone + 1/2 ricotta and used some unflavored gelatin at the end of the whipped cream step. Used for a raspberry chocolate chip cannoli cheesecake
Delish and nice to work with for piping. Held shape well
The gelatin is a great recommendation! I use it to make stabilized whipped cream and it definitely makes it more sturdy without effecting the taste or texture.
Hi Krissy,
I read your comment in response to someone that gelatin would make a great stabilizer. Would it work well for making maybe a 2 or 3 layer cake? Can you share with me how much gelatin I would add to this recipe and how exactly to do it? (Like what step I would add it in, etc) thanks so much!
Honestly, I don’t know how much structure gelatin would add. This is such a delicate recipe – both in taste and structure. If I were making a layered cake I would stick with buttercream or cream cheese frosting.
This is the best frosting I’ve ever tasted <3 I’ve made it a couple times now and really complements any cake flavors my personal favorite so far would be with a spiced carrot cake
love this recipe!
do you have a recipe for chocolate mascarpone?
I don’t… sorry!
Can I melt this and color it to make a swirl tye dye? If not can I use white chocolate ganache on top of this or will it melt?
This frosting is very light and delicate. Any kind of heat will likely ruin it. Same with any kind of weight, so I would avoid covering it with ganache. The only thing you could do would be to add a bit of gel coloring.
I made this last night and this recipe is wonderful! Thank you!
This sounds really yummy and I can’t wait to try it!
I have not made this recipe, as I do not have a stand mixer. I’m wondering if I could make it with a hand held mixer. Any thoughts on this?
Thanks, Deb
Absolutely!
Hi there, I would like to use this recipe on a Wedding cake, the cake will be a rustic naked cake with real flowers, the Wedding will be out doors in September, do you think this would hold up in warm weather.
Thankyou in advance.
I think it would taste and look amazing on a naked cake like that, but I’m not confident it would hold up in warm weather. I would definitely try a trial run before hand to see how it does.