Have you ever wondered how professional bakeries get that amazing, perfectly shaped whipped cream on their fancy desserts? The kind where you think it’s frosting, but then you take one bite into it and realize it’s the most perfectly light, whippy, fresh cream? Chances are it’s just stabilized whipped cream. With the holiday season approaching, this is one little trick you need in your cooking arsenal. This method produces the perfect whipped cream that you love, but with a stabilizing agent, which means that it won’t fall flat or melt or get all goopy if it sits around for a while. If I’m taking dessert somewhere, or I know it’s going to sit in my fridge or on the counter for a bit, I always use this method. I also use this method to frost cakes and cupcakes when I want something lighter than a traditional heavy buttercream.
This is what I used on my Orange-Cranberry Cheesecake last week. There are a few options you can find for stabilizing whipped cream, like adding instant pudding mix, but I don’t recommend those. If you want pure, white, delicious whipped cream that tastes like normal whipped cream, go with this method. It starts with most of the same ingredients as regular whipped cream.
The little secret is a bit of unflavored gelatin. This won’t change the flavor or really the texture either, it simply provides some staying power. Sprinkle a teaspoon of gelatin over some cold water. If you’ve never worked with unflavored gelatin, it might seem weird, but it’s normal! You need to let this mixture sit for about 5 minutes to “bloom”. It will be thick and semi-solid.
Once it’s done blooming, you’ll heat it in the microwave just until melted. It only takes about 5-10 seconds, no need to boil it. Just whisk it until smooth. (Cutest-ever heart whisks from our Shop!)
I recommend you do this in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. If you don’t have a stand mixer, use a hand mixer. Place the heavy cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar in the mixer and beat for about a minute.
Then very slowly add the gelatin in a smooth, steady stream, as the mixer is running. Continue beating as normal until you reach medium-stiff peaks.
At this point, just use the whipped cream as you normally would. It works really well for spreading and piping. Like I said, I love this on cupcakes! As it sits in the fridge, it will set up a little more, and it will last significantly longer than regular whipped cream.
I hope to see this on lots of beautiful pies this holiday season!
Stabilized Whipped Cream
- Prep Time: 10
- Total Time: 10
Description
A method of making bakery style whipped cream that doesn’t fall or melt. Great for piping onto desserts or even icing cakes and cupcakes. Double if desired.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (like Knox, found near Jell-o in the baking aisle)
- 4 teaspoons cold water
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (more or less to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place cold water in small bowl and sprinkle gelatin over it. Let sit for 5 minutes. While it’s sitting, place heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or in a mixing bowl if using an electric beater. Once gelatin is set, place bowl in microwave and heat until gelatin turns to liquid, about 10 seconds.
- Turn mixer on to start beating cream. Let it run for about 1 minute and then with the mixer on high, very slowly pour the melted gelatin in, in a small steady stream.
- Continue beating cream until you reach medium-stiff peaks. Spread or pipe whipped cream as desired.
Will this method work with lemon curd mixed into the whipped cream? If so would I add the curd before or after the gelatin? Thanks you!!!
I’m not sure- I’ve never tried that! I would probably gently fold in lemon curd at the very end.
This, I believe, was applied to Strawberry Pies which were topped with whipped cream by one of those restaurants, like Big Boy, years ago, perhaps in the 60’s. It was firm and placed on the pies…not like just like plain cool whip or plain whipped cream!! I loved it on those pies! Now, I know the secret! Thank you!
Thanks for sharing. I was looking for the recipe of stabilized whipped cream, and found this. So, prepared with the help of my newly purchased hand blender with whipper attachment. Kudos to work.
Hi guys!
So I purchased “whipping” cream.
Should I have purchased the heavy cream instead?
Also, I want to add liqueur to it instead of vanilla, will that do anything adverse to the stabilization?
Thanks!
whipping cream, heavy or normal, works just fine! And you should be fine with liqueur as long as it’s not too much.
I made this following your recipe exactly and it was perfect, thank you for sharing!
I just tried this for an Atlantic Beach pie. Perfect! I couldn’t be any happier. Thank you!
Made with a few drops of green coloring added, it makes for a beautiful and colorful Christmas Wreath cake that has been baked in an Angel Food or Bunt Cake pan. Additional decorating with candied trees, Santa’s, etc.. obly adds to the beautiful look of the cake. But it all starts with the original topping of stable whipped cream.
Hi I was wondering can you colour this cream please as I’ve been asked to do a frozen themed cake but just with whipped cream please
sure!
Will I be able to freeze the stabilized whipped cream to be used later? Like piping on to baked goods after being defrosted?
I don’t think so, sorry!
Just found your recipe for stabilized whipped cream. I have always used a brand called Rich’s Bettercreme which I purchased from a cake/candy shop where I use to live. Now, since I moved I can no longer purchase it. Do you know if this is similar to the Bettercreme? I used Bettercreme to pipe onto Key Lime Pie, strawberry shortcakes and to fill strawberries. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
I’m not sure- I’ve never heard of that before!
Can I just add the jelatin powder straight to the cream mixture? Do I have to heat to dissolve the powder then cool down before adding to the cream mixture? TIA
No, you cannot just pour straight gelatin powder into whipped cream. Make sure to follow the recipe as written 🙂
can you use fresh strawberries in this recipe and still have it hold up
Probably not.
Have you ever frozen this after frosting something? Like an ice cream cake?
Sure, whipped cream freezes really well