How to Decorate a Cake with Whipped Cream Icing

While it's customary to use whipped cream toppings for sundaes or pies, whipped cream can also be used as a delicious icing for cakes. If you are planning to decorate a cake with whipped cream icing, it’s important to stabilize the whipped cream so that the frosting holds its shape. By making your frosting with the right proportions of whipping cream and gelatin, you’ll have a light, fluffy icing that’s perfect for cake decoration. The following recipe makes 2 cups of whipped cream icing, which is ideal for icing a 9 inches (23 cm) round cake. If you're working with a much larger or multi-layer cake, consider doubling the recipe to ensure that you'll have enough icing.

Ingredients

1 cup (237 ml) whipping cream
1 tbsp (15 ml) confectioner sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla
½ tsp (2.5 ml) powdered gelatin

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Making Whipped Cream Icing

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1
Chill your cookware for 10-15 minutes. Before you start making your icing, place a large metal bowl and the metal whisk attachments from an electric mixer into the freezer to chill. Your whipped cream frosting will come together and hold its shape much easier if your cookware is chilled.
- If you don't have a metal bowl, it's fine to use plastic. However, it's best to use metal, as metal bowls will help insulate cold whipping cream, which makes for a more stabilized icing.
- Be sure your bowl is large enough to hold 2 cups of whipped cream without overflowing.
The following recipe makes about 2 cups of whipped cream icing, which is typically enough to frost a single layer cake. If you're making a double layer cake, and plan on using whipped cream icing to frost in between your layers, double the recipe to guarantee you wont run out of frosting.
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While your cookware is chilling, mix ½ tsp (2.5 ml) of powdered gelatin with 1 tbsp (15 ml) of water in a small bowl. Stir the mixture with a spoon until the gelatin is dissolved, then set aside.
4
Add the remaining ingredients to the chilled metal bowl. Remove your metal bowl and whisks from the freezer, and combine 1 cup (237 ml) whipping cream, 1 tbsp (15 ml) confectioner sugar, and 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla. Do not add the dissolved gelatin at this point.
- Leave your whipping cream chilling in the refrigerator right until you start mixing.
Using your electric mixer, whisk the cream, sugar, and vanilla together on medium speed for 3 minutes, or until the mixture starts to thicken. A thickened product will appear to have a greater volume than your original ingredients due to the air you are whipping into the mixture.^{[1]XResearch source}
Once your mixture has started to thicken, add the dissolved gelatin and continue whisking on medium speed. The gelatin will act as the stabilizing agent for your whipped cream icing, so once you add it, the mixture will continue thickening and holding its shape.
7
Stop mixing when stiff peaks form in your icing. Once 3-5 minutes have passed, check to see if peaks have started to form in your mixture. Lift your whisks from the bowl, and watch what happens to your cream. If the whipped cream stands straight up at the spot where you’ve removed the whisks, then your icing is finished. If the peaks are still soft, continue mixing for 1-2 minutes before checking again.^{[2]XResearch source}
- Avoid over-mixing your ingredients, as they might separate and become spoiled.
8
Spoon ⅓ of the cream into an icing bag and set aside (if desired). Reserve ⅓ of the mixture to decorate your cake with piped designs. Once you’ve filled the icing bag, place it in the fridge to chill while you frost the cake.
- If you’re not planning on decorating your cake with piped icing, skip this step.
Tish Boyle, Cookbook Author
The best way to learn how to decorate cakes is by doing it. Start with simple cakes and gradually work your way up to more complicated designs. With a little practice, you'll be a cake decorating pro in no time.

Part 2

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Icing the Cake

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1
Transfer whipped cream icing from the bowl to the top of your cake. Use a rubber spatula to scrape all of the whipped cream icing from the bowl, and plop the cream on top of your cake. At this point, you should have a large dollop of creamy topping in the center of the cake.^{[3]XResearch source}
- Be sure that your cake has cooled completely before you start icing.
- If you're icing a double layer cake, transfer half of your frosting on top of your bottom layer. Use a rubber spatula to spread the frosting evenly throughout the surface. Place the second layer on top of the frosting, and then transfer the rest of your frosting to the top of the cake.
Move your spatula in small, circular motions to push the cream out and away from the center of the cake, and distribute the icing towards the edges. The goal of this step is to cover the entire top surface with a uniform layer of icing, while moving excess icing towards the sides of the cake.
Angle your spatula down and towards yourself to spread the excess icing down from the edges of the cake. Use short strokes to spread the cream evenly around circumference of the cake. Keep spreading the cream along the sides until your entire cake is covered in the icing.^{[4]XResearch source}

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Adding Other Decorations

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If you’re not adding piped decorations but still want to add some flair, use a spatula to create waves in the icing. Swirl the whipped cream frosting to create small waves all over the cake for a more rustic look.
For a crisp, uniform layer of frosting that’s perfect for layering piped designs, run a bench scraper all around your cake. Start by working the bench scraper in a circle around the edges, before running it along the top. Pull the bench scraper towards you, and remove any excess frosting that collects on the blade.^{[5]XResearch source}
3
Add piped decorations to your cake. Once you’ve spread an even layer of frosting onto your cake, remove your icing bag from the fridge, and add some piped designs. Pipe around the edges of the cake to make a border, and pipe along the top to create flowers or pretty dollops.
- Practice piping a few designs on wax paper before icing directly onto the cake.
4
Place the decorated cake in the refrigerator. Before serving, allow your cake to set in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so that your decorations will hold their shape. The icing will maintain its shape for 2-3 days if left in the fridge, and for several hours if left at room temperature.^{[6]XResearch source}
- If you leave whipped cream frosting at room temperature for longer than 3-4 hours, it may become destabilized. It will lose its fluffy, frosting shape, and it might melt off your cake.

Community Q&A

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Question
After refrigerating whipped cream and getting ready to frost cake, my whipped cream is soft. What can l do to stiffen the texture?
Community Answer
Give your whipped cream a good stir; it will combine everything perfectly and return it to its original state.
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Question
Could I user agar agar instead of gelatin if I want to make a vegetarian eggless cake?
Community Answer
Yes. Agar agar will set your mixture. I would suggest adding a small bit more agar agar, maybe a quarter teaspoon, to ensure that it sets properly.
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Can whipping cream hold an edible image? Will there be a negative effect if I put it in the refrigerator?
Community Answer
Yes, it can, if you fortify it with instant pudding mix prior to whipping. Ditto for refrigeration, but I wouldn't go past a few hours, which is just enough time to cool and solidify the whipped cream. The problem is that whipped cream will pick up on any nasty odors that might be lurking in your refrigerator.
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Tips

If you or anyone who will be eating the cake is vegetarian/vegan, use agar, which is a plant based substitute for gelatin.
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Add 2-4 tbsp (30-60 ml) more confectioner's sugar to your mixture if you prefer a sweeter icing.
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Warnings

Do not over-mix your whipped cream icing, or else the mixture will separate in the bowl, and you will not be able to use it.
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