How do bakery's make their whipped cream stiff enough for cakes instead of using buttercream?

foidivin
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27 Comments

charlie April 10, 2019
same
 
charlie April 10, 2019
id like to know too
 
magpiebaker June 15, 2015
8 oz softened cream cheese, whipped until smooth with 1/2 cup sugar and 1-2 tsp vanilla extract, then drizzle 2 cups cold whipping cream in while whipping, until thick and spreadable. Stays good at room temperature, and not too sweet.
 
Viola P. June 13, 2015
Hi, just wanted to mention that I stabilize my whipped cream with pastry cream. Takes a bit of advance planning but the night before, I make a small amount of cornstarch based pastry cream. The next day, I whip a cup of that till fluffy and pour in a quart of heavy cream (for a nice big batch) and whip it all up together. Pipes and frosts beautifully and doesn't get watery at all. Tastes good, too!
 
Claire S. May 29, 2015
If you're just making a light sponge cake you shouldn't need to add anything to the whipped cream, it will hold up on its own. I make a victoria sponge cake with cream and jam filling with no problems http://handfulofsunshine.com/2015/04/15/the-perfect-spring-cake/
 
CT May 29, 2015
Its a pillsbury cake mix. Im covering it in fondant and its hot outside. I don't want it to melt and ruin my cake. Will the whipped heavy cream hold up?
 
Claire S. June 15, 2015
The fondant might add too much weight. If it's hot I think it'll be tricky to keep the cream firm enough even with stabilizers.
 
CT May 29, 2015
Yes, to do a whipped cream filling for bday cakes. I'm making it today. Thk!
 
CT May 29, 2015
Yes, to do a whipped cream filling for bday cakes. I'm making it today. Thk!
 
Sujatha May 28, 2015
dymnyno--
do you mean pastry cream to fill a cake (ie between layers) or to actually frost the outside of the cake? i know of the former, but never heard of the latter, tho im no expert.
 
dymnyno January 20, 2014
Many bakeries use pastry cream which is made with whole milk rather than either whipped cream or buttercream. Karen Mitchell has great recipe from her Model Bakery in her fabulous new book The Model Bakery Cookbook.
 
CT May 28, 2015
Dymnymo, can you post the recipe here please?
 
Nazmul H. January 20, 2014
The most common thing I knew everybody used was cream of tartar.
 
Sujatha September 2, 2013
Gelatin to make stabilized whipped cream -- lasts several days before getting watery.
 
louisez June 14, 2013
there actually is an old recipe that uses marshmallow cream to make meringue:
3 large egg whites
Beat till stiff.
1 c. (4 oz.) marshmallow cream
Beat in a large spoonful at a time, till whites hold soft peaks that curl slightly.
2 tsp. vanilla
Blend in.
Swirl over pie, sealing to edge of crust.
Bake at 450° or till lightly browned.
Recipe can be doubled (e.g. for recipes that use 6 egg whites for meringue).
It's a quick way to make meringue, and though it's supposedly a way to make meringue that's less likely to weep, I don't think it's more stable than the traditional meringue topping, which I prefer.
 
foidivin January 28, 2012
Sdebrango:: can I use this method for egg whites when making meringue? It worked great with the whipped cream!
 
sdebrango January 28, 2012
Glad it worked, you cannot use the same method when making meringue. The best way to make meringue is to place the egg whites and sugar in a bowl over simmering water and whisk until the sugar melts much like when you are making a buttercream. When the egg whites are warm and sugar has melted beat either in your stand mixer or with a hand held. Your meringue will be shiny and smooth.
 
sdebrango January 28, 2012
Here is a link to the recipe I use for swiss meringue its from Martha Stewart and works well every time. Your meringue is a creamy consistency so that you can pipe it onto the pie or whatever you are making.
http://www.marthastewart.com/313300/swiss-meringue
 
davidpdx January 28, 2012
Won't work, per sdebrango. Consider the science: two different processes are at at work. Whipping cream is essentially emulsifying the fats in the cream and incorporating air; meringue is essentially stretching the proteins in the whites and incorporating air.
 

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sdebrango January 28, 2012
I make a whipped cream frosting that works like buttercream, I got it from James McNair's cakes and it was a revelation for me. He has you mix a small amount of cornstarch with some heavy cream making a thick pudding, you add that to the cream while you are whipping it and it stabilizes the whipped cream so it acts very much like a buttercream, You don't taste the cornstarch its amazing and I use it every time I make a cake with whipped cream frosting here is the link to the recipe, http://www.food52.com/recipes/11619_whipped_cream_frosting
 
Louisa January 29, 2012
Thanks so much for the recipe! I'll be using it on the Persian Love cake.
Also, I never tried this, but I heard somewhere that you can add a little marshmallow cream to stabilize whipped cream. Just wondering how that would affect the taste...
 
sdebrango January 29, 2012
i have never used marshmallow fluff with whipped cream. Would be interested to know if it works. If you do it let us know.
 
davidpdx January 28, 2012
And, don't forget Food52's own Genius Recipe from Nancy Silverton: http://www.food52.com/recipes/14500_nancy_silvertons_whipped_cream
 
boulangere January 28, 2012
There is a powdered stabilizer that is commonly used. I can't recall what it consists of, but I don't care for it. By itself, I find it smells vaguely of alfalfa with notes of manure. Not to put too fine a point on it. But the whipped cream looks great and will hold at room temp.
 
Gina August 20, 2017
I don't think I ever laughed so hard after reading the manure part. ROLFLMAO STILL!
 
cranberry January 28, 2012
You can add gelatin to it - like this, or you can google gelatin whipped cream for others:
 
klerguiza June 14, 2013
Do you have a recipe for this?
 
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