Mascarpone frosting is made from the incredibly rich and creamy Italian mascarpone cheese. The cheese has a high milk-fat content (usually between 65%-75%) and is best known for its delicious place in tiramisu. Of course, the cheese can also be used to make a scrumptious mascarpone frosting to top off cakes, cupcakes, or even cookies. Although recipes abound on the internet - don't get out your mixing bowl until you've read these important tips.

Mixing Mascarpone Frosting the Right Way

Mascarpone can be used right out of the fridge but it is much easier to work with if it's brought to room temperature first. So, although you might be impatient, hold out just a little longer and wait for your cheese to soften a bit before mixing your frosting. Once your cheese is ready to go make sure you don't overwork it while mixing. The mascarpone can separate during the mixing and become granular- detracting from the ultimate taste of your frosting.

Alternatives to Mascarpone Frosting

Cream cheese can be used as a replacement in a mascarpone frosting recipe although the frosting will have a slightly different flavor to it. Ambitious chefs should also try experimenting with their recipes by adding chocolate, lemon, or even ginger flavoring for an especially unique concoction.

Can Mascarpone Frosting Be Frozen?

It's best to plan ahead and create only as much frosting as you'll need. Since mascarpone is a soft cheese it has a tendency to change texture when frozen. This is due to the high fat content of the cheese - as the water within the cheese freezes it pushes the fat molecules within apart. If you must freeze your mascarpone, try whisking it once it has thawed a little to make it creamy again.

Frosting Your Cake

After you've gone through all the trouble of baking a cake and whipping up a batch of icing - make sure to take a few preparatory steps for the perfect dessert. Make sure the cake has cooled completely before adding on the mascarpone frosting or else it will melt. Also, cut off any burnt edges on the cake and fill in those spots with your frosting. An alternative to globbing on your icing with a knife is to use a piping bag for fancy shapes. Just pop your mascarpone in an icing bag and decorate the tops of your cupcakes or the edges of your cake with dollops of delicious frosting.

Alicia J. is an expert cake decorator with a passion for helping others create their own perfect cake. Learn more about cake decorating, frostings, and icings at Alicia's website: http://icingforpiping.com/

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