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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.
Hi, I came across this when doing a quick search for ricotta, mascarpone for a cannoli cake. I’m thinking with regards to some who may have had issues with it not forming up? Are they using a mascarpone that needs to be strained? Much like a Ricotta does when making cannoli fillings? I use the Belgioioso and they are pretty thick (but I still strain my ricotta).
Just wondering if people are having issues due to the wetness of their mascarpone.
The Belgioioso is the only one I use (only one at my local store LOL)
Interesting. The Trader Joe’s version is the only one I’ve ever used and it’s completely creamy and not wet at all.
I followed the recipe exactly, including chilling everything, and it came out perfect. It’s my new favorite recipe for icing a cake. Light, fluffy, looks and tastes very delicate yet holds up well. I made mine in the afternoon, popped the iced cake in the fridge, served it after dinner at 6 pm and it was awesome.
Hi. Can you use sugar syrup instread of powdered sugar in this recipe?
I would fear that the sugar syrup would make it a liquid mess. This recipe is pretty delicate so I recommend not making any substitutions.
I just made this recipe for the first time, and it came out perfectly! I was nervous about making mascarpone frosting with heavy cream since my homemade whipped cream was runny the last time I made that. I watched a few videos on how to make mascarpone frosting before I tried this recipe. Two common suggestions were: 1) freeze the mixing bowl (I used a metal bowl, since that’s what my niece uses when she makes whipped cream, and hers always turns out well) and 2) the mascarpone and heavy cream need to be chilled (as Krissy has instructed).
I also found the instruction not to overmix to be very important to get the right consistency. I had no trouble piping cupcakes with this frosting. And, the almond extract seems to enhance the vanilla flavor of the frosting.
I will definitely make this again!
Great suggestion! And I totally agree with freezing the metal bowl. I did that last time I made it and got perfect results. I’m going to update the recipe with that tip. Thanks!
It seems quite a few people are having trouble with it, and I used to fail so much with this type of recipe, I understand the frustration! So here’s my two cents, if it helps anyone at all.
With anything involving whipping heavy cream, TEMPERATURE is of the utmost importance. When it says “chilled”, it’s no joke! What it means is, as COLD as possible without being frozen – it’s really about the physics! Over here in France, I was told so many times by my mother and grandmother to put everything used for the “crème chantilly” in the fridge ahead of time – better yet in the freezer, but mind your cream doesn’t freeze – and that’s literally EVERYTHING – the cream, the bowl, down to the whisk or attachements! I find this is especially true if your bowl is glass or plastic. Metal is quite cool already, so not as much of an issue.
Also, if you want to try using this frosting for something sturdier, yes, I’d use some sort of stabilizing agent: gelatin (more finnicky since you need to heat it up first for it to work), corn starch, powdered milk, or we have a special powder here that comes in a single-dose pack (Chantifix), maybe you guys have something like this too.
But really, even when doing everything ‘right’, at the end of the day it’s science and it’s difficult to control every single parameter. Sometimes, it just won’t do what you want it to do!
Anyways, thanks a lot for this recipe – can I ask though if in the future the conversions in grammes could be included as well? It would be great and save us so much time on this side of the Atlantic! =)
It worked really well! I didn’t use almond extract, but I added 2 spoonfuls of peanut butter, it’s to die for on vanilla cupcakes, thanks =)
Ooooh, I’ve never added peanut butter. Thanks for letting me know!!!
Didn’t work for me. I followed the recipe to a tee but it never thickened. Was just a sloppy mess. I had to throw it away with the cake.
I’m sorry it didn’t work for you. Did you use the Trader Joe’s mascarpone? Was everything VERY chilled? If your house is warm, you can try freezing your mixing bowl before mixing. I just made this frosting again last month to see if I was missing something because some people couldn’t get it to work and it turned out perfect. Not sure why others struggle, but our house is typically cold and I truly do think it’s the temperature.
I love this frosting, any ideas on making a chocolate version?
Glad you liked it! I just made it again myself. I’ve never tried making a chocolate version. If I did, I would add some cocoa powder and maybe a bit more sugar.
I’ve made chocolate and it is fantastic. Just sift about 1/4 cup cocoa in with the powdered sugar. Next time I may add a bit more cocoa or a bit of espresso to bring out the chocolate flavor
I made 4″ mini layer cakes (carrot spice cake) with this. I think the small layers were light enough that the center frosting didn’t squish out and it held up really well-I did a naked cake kind of thing with no frosting on the sides, just on top and in the middle. Also-I creamed the mascarpone thoroughly, then whipped the cream, whipped the mascarpone into the cream then added the sugar, so a bit different order from your recipe, mostly because I didn’t read your instructions carefully enough. It came out beautifully, held up nicely in the fridge before the dinner, and was delicious.
Oh. My. God. I haven’t even tried it with the cake yet (my usual carrot cake recipe), just stuck a small spoonful in my mouth to try it and I am absolutely floored. This is so silky smooth, light and airy, and not too sweet at all! Definitely adding this to my recipe book!
It’s one of my favorites. I’m glad it worked for you! A lot of people seem to struggle with this recipe.