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Hi Bold Bakers!
I love a healthy serving of whipped cream alongside most desserts. The fluffiness of a delicious homemade whipped cream is really unbeatable! But if you’re are serving a dessert that may sit out for a while before serving, like a cake frosted in whipped cream or a dessert filled with cream, you may notice that your homemade whipped cream has started to lose its volume and becomes liquidy.
Thankfully, there’s a solution! Stabilized whipped cream is delicious, lightly sweetened, and flavored with vanilla — plus, it is stable enough to hold its shape and not water out for two days!
There’s the addition of one key ingredient that helps whipped cream keep its shape for longer: gelatin! And, it’s just as easy to make as your typical homemade whipped cream!
What Is Stabilized Whipped Cream?
Stabilized whipped cream is whipped cream that includes unflavored, powdered gelatin. It tastes just like regular homemade whipped cream, but it will hold its shape for at least two days instead of deflating and watering out.
If you want a dollop of whipped cream on the side of a slice of pie, feel free to use my homemade whipped cream recipe. But if you are planning to decorate a cake, cupcake, or fill a dessert with whipped cream, I recommend you make stabilized whipped cream!
What You Need To Make Stabilized Whipped Cream
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Pan or microwave
- Medium bowl
- Electric mixer
How To Make Stabilized Whipped Cream
Making stabilized whipped cream is just as easy to whip up as regular whipped cream, with just a couple of more steps, including the preparation of the gelatin. Here is how you make it (get all of the full measurements, down below):
- Combine boiling water with the gelatin in a small, heat-proof measuring cup. Stir to dissolve and let it sit for 5 minutes to sponge and set like jelly.
- Once the gelatin mixture is set, you need to make it liquid again. To do this, place the cup in a pan of simmering water and stir until dissolved. You can also microwave the mixture for around 20 seconds. Set the gelatin mixture aside and cool to room temperature but be sure it stays a liquid. This will take maybe 5 minutes.
- Next, combine the cream with the sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl. Whip the mixture with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
- Slowly drizzle in the cooled gelatin mixture and whip again until stiff peaks form.
- Cover the whipped cream and chill to let it firm up, roughly 2 hours.
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Stabilized Whipped Cream
- Be sure your gelatin mixture is in the liquid form when you stir it into the cream; otherwise, it will seize.
- If you prefer an unsweetened whipped cream, leave it out of the sugar.
- You can make different flavors by replacing the vanilla extract with any other extract of your choice. Some extracts are more potent in flavor than others, so start with a 1/2 teaspoon and taste before adding more.
- Although this whipped cream is stabilized, it will need to stay refrigerated until ready to consume.
- Make a double recipe and use this in place of frosting for my vanilla birthday cake recipe: layer the cake with this stabilized whipped cream and fresh sliced strawberries!
How Do I Store This Recipe?
You must store it in the refrigerator, where it will last for up to 3 days.
Make More Toppings!
And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook!
Full (and printable) recipe below!
Try These Recipes!
Stabilized Whipped Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon boiling water
- 1 teaspoon powdered gelatin
- 1 cup (8floz/240ml) heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine the boiling water with the gelatin in a small, heat-proof measuring cup. stir to dissolve and let sit for 5 minutes to sponge and set like jelly.
- Once set, you need to make the mixture liquid again so place the cup in a pan of simmering water and stir until dissolved. You can also microwave it for a roughly 20 seconds. Set aside and let cool to room temperature but still liquid (about 5 minutes).
- Next combine the cream with the sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl and with an electric mixer, whip until soft peaks.
- Slowly drizzle in the cooled, gelatin mixture and whip until stiff peaks form.
- Cover and refrigerate to chill and firm up for roughly 2 hours. It is now ready to use or can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. Use to decorate and fill cakes with.
Can you substitute gelatin from a box of flavored jello to make the same stabilized whipped cream?
Hi
Can we use Agar Agar instead of gelatin? Actually we are vegetarian.
Hi Gemma
Can I substitute the gelatin for mascarpone cheese or milk powder. Since I can’t get gelatin where I am
That’s a great tip…I add 1 dessertspoon of milk powder to my cream when whipping to stabilise the cream but now I will try your tip for sure… thank you
I do that for lemon pie. Great in egg whites. For whipping cream I use instant pudding. 1 tablespoon per cup of whipping cream. Keeps it stable for days.
Can I use cool whip instead of whipped cream for cake?
Am I use this recipe with a whipped cream dispenser? Thanks
Hi Gemma
How do I substitute powdered gelatin with sheets gelatin ?
Thanks in advance
I always make my whipped cream with powdered (confectioners) sugar instead of granulated sugar. Just thought I would throw that out for some folks who may want to give this a try. I have never needed to stabilize my whipped cream, but it is good to know how (by adding the gelatin) if I ever want to. Thank Gemma!
Hi Gemma, I am thinking about using this recipe to fill rolled pizzelles. Could I substitute Kahlua or Amaretto for the vanilla? Thx