Easy Mascarpone Espresso Frosting (no butter)
This Easy Mascarpone Espresso Frosting is light, airy, and not dense. It can be quickly whipped up in 5 minutes with just 4 simple ingredients, and you don’t need any butter!
- This frosting holds its shape and pipes well too! It has roasted coffee notes and pairs perfectly as a topping for chocolate-based cakes like chocolate fudgy cupcakes or my chocolate layer cake.
Are you looking for a more advanced and over-the-top buttercream recipe? Try my Pipeable Meringue Buttercream Recipe! It is a silky smooth buttercream made with a meringue base perfect for cake decorating and topping cupcakes.
Equipment Needed:
- Electric hand mixer or whisk
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Spatula
- Piping bag and decorating tips (optional)
Ingredient Overview:
- 320 ml heavy cream (cold)
- 200g mascarpone cheese (cold)
- 8 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2 shots of espresso (cold)
- Vanilla bean paste or powder (optional)
- I love LorAnn Oils Vanilla Bean Powder for Frostings!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- It whips up in a SNAP!: this recipe comes together so swiftly you will have a bowl of scrumptious frosting in 10 minutes!
- Rich Coffee Flavor: Mascarpone cheese and brewed coffee blend create a velvety frosting with an intense coffee kick.
- Creamy and Decadent: The combination of heavy cream and mascarpone results in a lusciously smooth texture that melts in your mouth.
- Versatile: This frosting isn’t just for cupcakes; it complements cakes, pastries, and other desserts beautifully.
- Customizable: You can adjust the sweetness and coffee intensity according to your preferences.
How to Make the Frosting:
- Brew coffee or espresso and allow it to cool in the refrigerator.
- Combine cold mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, and powdered sugar, and vanilla in a mixing bowl..
- Beat high speed for about 5 minutes until the mixture becomes thick and fluffy.
- Add cold brewed coffee and continue beating until the coffee is fully incorporated.
Tips and Tricks:
- Chill your mixing bowl and beaters for about 15 minutes before whipping the cream for faster and better results.
- sift powdered sugar to prevent lumps and achieve a smoother texture.
- Adjust the amount of brewed coffee based on your desired coffee flavor intensity.
Variations:
- Mocha Twist: Add a tablespoon of cocoa powder to the frosting for a delightful mocha flavor.
- Caramel Delight: Swirl in a teaspoon of homemade or storebought caramel to balance the coffee richness.
Storage and Freezing:
- Store any leftover frosting in an airtight container or zip-lock bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. re-whip for 30 seconds while cold. Dont over whip!
- For longer storage, freeze the frosting in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before use.
Ingredients
- 320 ml heavy cream (cold)
- 200 g mascarpone cheese (cold)
- 8 tbsp powdered sugar
- 2 shots espresso (cold)
- 2 tsp Vanilla bean paste or powder
Instructions
- Brew the espresso and allow it to cool in the refrigerator.
- Combine the cold mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, vanilla and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl.
- Beat the mixture on high speed for approximately 5 minutes until it becomes thick, fluffy, and well-whipped.
- Add the cold brewed coffee to the mixture and continue beating until the coffee is thoroughly incorporated.
- Your Coffee Frosting is ready to be used for your cupcakes or other desserts!
Notes
Top my ultra-delicious and moist Chocolate Coffee Cupcakes with this frosting for an explosion of coffee flavor!
Looks so delicious and simple to follow. I love your recipe!
I followed your recipe exactly and it absolutely will not set up. I added 2lb of powdered sugar to attempt to get it to set and nothing worked. It tastes great, it just doesn’t function as a frosting.
Hi Erin, I am so sad to know this recipe did not work out for you. Everything in this recipe must be extremely cold for the ” frosting” to set up. Since there is no butter to stabilize it, it really relies on the mascarpone cheese and powdered sugar to keep it stable enough to pipe. I have made this recipe many many times, and the only times I have ever had trouble is when any component was not fully chilled. If it did not set up throw it in the fridge for a couple of hours and try to re-whip. I hope you give it another try!
best, Kala