You’ve probably been there – you make a gorgeous mountain of fluffy whipped cream to top a pie or cake, but by the time you serve it, the cream has lost its billowy shape and deflated into a sad little puddle. What gives?
The problem is that the air bubbles incorporated into freshly whipped cream are pretty unstable, and the delicate foam structure starts to break down quickly without some help. Luckily, it’s easy to add ingredients to your whipped cream that will stabilise and strengthen it so your perfect peaks hold their shape for hours or even days.
In this post, we’ll discuss some of the most common ingredients used to stabilise whipped cream.
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When it comes to stabilising homemade whipped cream, you’ve got plenty of options for ingredients that can help your peaks hold their shape. Some of the most popular choices are:
If you want your homemade whipped cream to hold its shape for days in the fridge, gelatin is the ideal stabiliser. Gelatin forms strong protein bonds when bloomed in cold water and then heated, which gives whipped cream unbeatable firmness and longevity.
ClearJel is a modified food starch that’s a favourite of professional pastry chefs for stabilising whipped cream. It gives amazing clarity and thickness to whipped cream without altering the flavour.
Unlike cornstarch, it won’t make your whipped cream taste starchy or gritty. It also won’t weep liquid like gelatin can. This makes it perfect for piping and decorating cakes or desserts.
Cornstarch is one of the most popular stabilisers used for whipped cream. It works by thickening the liquid and strengthening the structure of the whipped cream. This helps prevent the cream from weeping liquid and collapsing. However, when using cornstarch, make sure it’s completely dissolved to prevent lumps.
One downside of cornstarch, though, is that it can alter the texture, making the whipped cream slightly thicker and heavier. But it provides excellent stability, so the cream will not deflate quickly. Cornstarch is ideal if you need the whipped cream to hold its shape over time, like for a layered cake.
Adding a bit of powdered sugar is a classic, easy way to stabilise whipped cream. The granulated sugar crystals help provide more structure that keeps the whipped cream from deflating quickly.
Powdered sugar works well for whipped cream you plan to serve within a couple of hours. It provides short-term stabilisation that prevents your freshly whipped cream from weeping liquid or losing volume right away.
However, it’s not the best choice if you need the whipped cream to hold its shape for extended storage in the fridge or freezer.
Another product you can try is Greek yogurt, a great natural stabiliser for whipped cream. The acid in the yogurt interacts with the proteins in the cream to strengthen the whipped structure so it holds its shape longer.
Plus, the tangy flavour of the yogurt comes through beautifully in the whipped cream, adding complexity and preventing it from being too rich or cloyingly sweet.
Be sure to use plain, full-fat Greek yogurt, not the low-fat or nonfat varieties. The higher fat content of full-fat Greek yogurt will provide better stabilisation.
Cream cheese adds flavour, richness, and stability to homemade whipped cream. Just a small amount of cream cheese whipped into the cream helps keep it stiff and spreadable for longer.
The cream cheese adds extra fat and thickness that helps the whipped cream hold its shape and stand up over time. It also gives the whipped cream a nice tangy cream cheese flavour.
If you have a bag of marshmallows, you’re just a few steps away from fluffy, stable whipped cream. And that’s because they contain gelatin.
Our tip? It’s best to go with marshmallow fluff, as it’s easier to work with. Simply melt your marshmallows and stir until you have a gooey and thick consistency. Then add the mixture to the whipped cream and continue whipping until stiff peaks form.
Pudding mix is a delicious way to bring some flavour and stability into homemade whipped cream. The starch in the dry pudding mix acts as a stabiliser, so your homemade whipped cream will stay fluffy and stiff for hours when stored in the refrigerator.
The key is to first dissolve the dry pudding mix into the cold cream before whipping. This allows the starch from the pudding to thicken the cream. Then, when you whip the cream, it will whip up light and fluffy to form stabilised whipped cream.
Some favourite pudding mix flavours to use are vanilla, chocolate, cheesecake, or pistachio.
Milk powder adds body and thickness to whipped cream, helping it maintain its shape and volume. You can choose to use nonfat dry milk or skimmed milk powder.
The key to using milk powder is adding it during the whipping process once soft peaks form. Then, continue whipping until still peaks form. This mixture should last for days in the refrigerator.
Agar agar powder, derived from seaweed, can be used as a vegan substitute for gelatin. It works as an emulsifier and thickening agent. To use it, sprinkle and hydrate agar agar powder in non-dairy milk or cream. Heat to dissolve, then chill thoroughly before whipping.
Remember, when deciding on a stabiliser, think about how you plan to use the whipped cream. For topping short-term desserts or coffee drinks, powdered sugar or cornstarch will provide enough reinforcement.
Gelatin or clear jel are great for decorating cakes and pastries that need to hold up. Cream cheese, yogurt, or pudding mix add flavour and fat for richness. Marshmallows make a fun, sweet topping.
Test small batches with different stabilisers to find your favourite for the perfect whipped cream every time. And if you’re still whipping your cream the old-fashioned way, it’s time for an upgrade. Check out our cream chargers and see how easy and fun it can be to get that perfect, fluffy texture every time.
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