How to make cake frosting with heavy whipping cream

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Made with just three ingredients, this homemade Whipped Cream recipe is just what you need for all your dessert toppings. Super simple to make in just a few minutes, this easy stabilized whipped cream is better than anything you’d buy in a store.

Homemade Whipped Cream

I doubt I’m alone in saying this but I could totally eat bowls of whipped cream with a spoon for hours on end.  I’m not sure my belly would love it but there’s nothing better than homemade whipped cream and it couldn’t be simpler to make. You’re not even going to believe how easy this is.

I always thought that everyone knew the basics of how to make homemade whipped cream because it’s so simple to throw together.  I’m not trying to make anyone feel badly for not knowing how to make whipped cream but I always took my kitchen skills for granted.  Therefore, I, sometimes forget that I know things others don’t.

So, I’m here to share with you the gloriousness that is easy to make homemade stabilized whipped cream in your very own home. And the best part is…it only takes THREE ingredients to make this edible delight in just a couple minutes.

I’m also going to add here…..those recipes that call for cream cheese in their stabilized whipped cream recipes are so totally wrong. If you add cream cheese to your homemade whipped cream recipe….you, basically, just made cream cheese frosting. Which is totally wonderful….but it’s definitely not whipped cream.

How does whipped cream hold it’s shape if you’re not using cream cheese?

While some recipes use gelatin to keep their homemade whipped cream aloft, I chose to just use confectioners’ sugar. I find that the perfect ratio of cream to sugar will keep your whipped cream light and airy for a couple days.

How to Make Whipped Cream from Scratch

Making this easy Stabilized Whipped Cream recipe is super simple to do. 

1. Chill a glass or metal bowl, as well as, your beaters for your hand mixer in the fridge for 10-20 minutes. (This trick helps your cream whip up more quickly.)
2. Place the confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream and vanilla in the bowl.
3. Beat the heavy cream and sugar until stiff peaks begin to form. 
4. Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.

Totally Easy Peasy!!!  In a pinch, I like to use it as a Whipped Cream Frosting for angel food cake and pound cake.  But most of the time I just use it to top hot cocoa, Homemade Pumpkin Pie or a bowl full of berries….just depends on the time of the year.

If you don’t have a hand mixer, you can totally make your whipped cream by hand.

How to whip cream by hand:

1. Again, chill your glass or metal bowl, as well as, a metal wire whisk for 10-20 minutes.
2. Place the confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream and vanilla in the bowl.
3. Using your metal whisk, beat the cream and sugar by hand in a circular motion quickly for 5-10 minutes or until stiff peaks begin to form.
4. Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.

I have found that my hand whipped cream sometimes loses it fluff more quickly than the whipped cream made with an electric mixer. My theory is that the hand whipped cream makes my arm hurt so I don’t really beat it as long as I should. You really need to work the air into the cream to break down the sugar molecules.

I use this stabilized whipped cream recipe as a substitute for Cool Whip in all my recipes.  I love that it doesn’t contain any preservatives or artificial ingredients….and you can totally taste the difference in everything you make with it.

Is heavy cream the same as heavy whipping cream?

Short answer….sort of. The difference comes down to fat content. 

Heavy cream has a little more fat content (at least 36% fat) than whipping cream (at least 30%).

Both heavy cream and whipping cream can be made into “whipped cream”, BUT heavy cream is able to be whipped into stiffer peaks AND BUTTER, allowing it to hold it’s shape longer.  This makes it perfect for piping as a whipped cream frosting onto cupcakes and cakes.

Whipping cream is much lighter and softer, so it will not hold it’s shape causing your whipped cream to weep. That is why this recipe calls for HEAVY CREAM and not whipping cream.

And if you’re wondering if you can substitute the heavy cream with half and half…..NO. Not a chance….you can whip for 30 years and your half and half will still be half and half. Just a little frothier.

Here are a few recipes using Stabilized Whipped Cream:

• Mocha Mousse Parfait
• Berry Rhubarb Crostata
• Easy Strawberry Ice Cream Cake
• Strawberry Cream Crepe Cake
• No Bake Chocolate Mousse Pie

And a few recipes you can TOP with your Homemade Whipped Cream:

• The Nutty Irishman Cocktail
• Boozy Peppermint Mocha
• The Very Best New York Cheesecake
• Best Ever Strawberry Shortcake
• Berry Belgian Waffle Cake

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Get the Recipe: How to make Stabilized Whipped Cream

Yield: 10

Prep Time: 2 mins

Cook Time: 0 mins

Total Time: 2 mins

Make homemade whipped cream from scratch with no weeping or wateriness. Perfect for all your desserts year round.

• ▢ 1 cup heavy cream, chilled
• ▢ 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• ▢ 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• ▢

  hand mixer

• ▢

  bowl

• Chill a metal or glass bowl, as well as, the beaters for your mixer for 10-20 minutes

• Place the cream, sugar and vanilla in the bowl.

• With a hand mixer (or by hand with a wire whisk), beat the cream, sugar and vanilla on medium speed for about 2 minutes or until stiff peaks form. (If whisking by hand, beat for approximately 5-10 minutes or until stiff peaks form.)

• Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.

Your whipped cream, if beaten sufficiently, should last up to 48 hours in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  

Do not over beat your whipped cream or you will end up with very sweet butter. Not necessarily a bad thing but not super fantastic for dessert topping.

Calories: 118kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 33mg, Sodium: 9mg, Potassium: 18mg, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 350IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 15mg

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

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