Cream Cheese-Mascarpone Frosting

5.0(461)

Cream cheese frosting has become the go-to topping for red velvet cake. Not only do the colors provide a feast of contrast for the eyes, the creamy richness of the icing perfectly complements the deep flavor of the cake. This version calls for freshly whipped cream, cream cheese and mascarpone, which makes an impossibly satiny and cloud-like frosting that is lighter, silkier and a bit less sweet than the plain old cream cheese sort. You're going to lick the spatula clean.

by Florence Fabricant·published 2007-02-14

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Quick, Dessert

Servings

Enough for one three-layer cake

Total time

15 min

Calories / serving

1530 kcal

Ingredients (6)

serves

2 cups heavy cream, coldheavy-cream
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperaturecream-cheese
12 ounces mascarpone, at room temperaturemascarpone
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extractvanilla-extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, siftedsugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

Instructions (3 steps)

01Whip cream by hand, in electric mixer or in food processor. Cover in bowl and refrigerate.
02Blend cream cheese and mascarpone in food processor or electric mixer until smooth. Add vanilla, pulse briefly, then add powdered sugar and salt. Blend well.
03Transfer cream cheese mixture to bowl; fold in whipped cream. Refrigerate until needed.

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Rich recipe — supports nutrition-aware planning.