Meet My Coconut Mascarpone Frosting
I love how a good frosting can bring a cake together, and this coconut mascarpone frosting is one of my favourite combinations. It’s creamy, smooth and lightly flavoured with coconut, with the mascarpone adding a lovely richness without making the frosting feel too heavy.
I made this frosting for my black sesame cake, and I love how the gentle coconut flavour complements the rich, nutty taste of black sesame. It’s also a lovely option for other cakes when you want something creamy with a hint of coconut.
In this post, I’ll show you how to make this coconut mascarpone frosting, along with my tips for getting the right consistency for filling, covering and decorating cakes.
Let’s get started!
Why You’ll Love this Coconut Mascarpone Frosting
- Creamy And Smooth – The combination of mascarpone and double cream creates a smooth, creamy frosting that’s lovely for filling and covering cakes.
- Delicate Coconut Flavour – The thick coconut cream adds a gentle coconut flavour that complements the richness of the mascarpone without overpowering it.
- Rich But Not Too Heavy – The mascarpone gives the frosting a lovely richness, while the whipped cream keeps the texture light and airy.
- Holds Its Shape For Decorating – When whipped to the right consistency, this frosting holds its shape well, making it suitable for covering cakes and adding piped decorations.
- Easy To Make – With just a handful of ingredients and a few simple steps, you can make a delicious homemade frosting for your favourite cakes.
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Buy Now → Ingredients for Coconut Mascarpone Frosting
At a glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe. Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
- Mascarpone Cheese – Use full-fat mascarpone cheese for the best results. I don’t recommend semi-fat or non-fat versions, as they may not provide enough fat to help the frosting hold its shape, which can result in a runny consistency. Make sure the mascarpone is chilled before using.
- Double Cream – Use chilled double cream with around 33% fat content or higher. The fat helps the cream whip up beautifully, giving the frosting a light, airy texture while helping it hold its shape.
- Coconut Milk – The thick cream that separates from coconut milk adds a gentle coconut flavour to the frosting. Refrigerate the can overnight to encourage the thick cream to separate from the watery liquid, then use only the thick portion. However, this can vary between brands, as some coconut milk may not separate properly even after chilling overnight. I’ve tried several brands, and Kingfisher Oriental coconut milk is the one I personally prefer for this recipe. This is simply my own preference based on my experience, and I’m not sponsored by the brand.
- Icing Sugar – It adds sweetness while keeping the frosting smooth and creamy. It blends easily with the other ingredients without leaving a grainy texture.
- Salt – A small pinch of salt balances the sweetness and enhances the flavours of the mascarpone and coconut.
Tips for the Best Coconut Mascarpone Frosting
- Roughly Combine The Ingredients First – Mascarpone and thick coconut cream have different textures, so I recommend using a spatula to roughly combine them with the icing sugar before using an electric mixer. This helps bring the ingredients together and makes it easier to achieve a smooth, creamy mixture when whisking.
- Leave The Watery Coconut Liquid Behind – After chilling the coconut cream overnight, scoop out only the thick portion for this recipe. Avoid adding the watery liquid, as it can make the frosting too soft.
- Add The Double Cream Gradually – Once the mascarpone, coconut cream and icing sugar mixture is smooth, pour in the chilled double cream gradually while whisking on low speed. This helps the cream incorporate evenly into the mixture.
- Avoid Over whipping – Once all the double cream has been incorporated, increase the mixer speed to medium and whisk until the frosting is thick, creamy and holds its shape. Stop as soon as it reaches the right consistency, as overwhipping can cause the frosting to become grainy or split.
- Keep The Frosting Chilled Until Needed – If you’re not using the frosting immediately, cover the bowl and refrigerate it until you’re ready to assemble or decorate your cake. This helps it maintain its consistency, especially when working in a warm kitchen.
How To Use Coconut Mascarpone Frosting
This coconut mascarpone frosting is lovely for filling and covering layer cakes, adding a creamy finish without overpowering the flavour of the cake itself.
I especially love pairing it with my black sesame cake, as the gentle coconut flavour complements the rich, nutty black sesame beautifully. It also works well with other cakes that pair nicely with coconut, making it a versatile frosting to keep in your baking repertoire.
If you love coconut as much as I do, you might also enjoy trying it with my coconut chiffon cake and black sesame Swiss roll. Both are lovely ways to enjoy these flavours in different bakes, and this frosting is a delicious option when you want to add a creamy coconut touch.
For the best results, use the frosting while it’s cold and firm enough to spread or pipe. If it has softened while you’re decorating, pop it back into the fridge briefly to help it firm up before continuing.
How to Store
Since this coconut mascarpone frosting contains mascarpone cheese and double cream, it needs to be stored in the fridge.
- Refrigerate – Transfer any leftover frosting to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Before using it again, check its consistency and give it a gentle stir if needed. If it has softened, chill it until it firms up again.
- Make It Ahead – Prepare the frosting a day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge until you’re ready to decorate your cake.
- Freeze It – I don’t recommend freezing this frosting, as the texture may change after thawing and become grainy or separate. For the best texture, make it fresh or prepare it a day in advance and keep it refrigerated.
Coconut Mascarpone Frosting FAQs
Yes! You can make this frosting a day ahead and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. When you’re ready to use it, check the consistency before filling, covering or decorating your cake.
A runny frosting can happen if the coconut cream contains too much liquid, the ingredients are too warm, or the mascarpone doesn’t have enough fat. Make sure you use only the thick portion of the chilled coconut cream, keep your ingredients cold and avoid over whipping the mixture.
Yes! When whipped to the right consistency, this frosting can be used for piping decorations as well as filling and covering cakes. For the best results, stop whipping as soon as it becomes thick and holds its shape, and keep it chilled until you’re ready to decorate.
I recommend using full-fat mascarpone for this recipe. Semi-fat or non-fat alternatives may not provide the richness and structure needed, which can leave you with a softer or runnier frosting.
I don’t recommend freezing this frosting because its texture may change after thawing, becoming grainy or separating. It’s best to prepare it fresh or make it a day ahead and store it in the fridge.
Store the frosting in an airtight container in the fridge and use it within 3 days. Keep it refrigerated when you’re not using it, as it contains dairy products.
Tried this Recipe
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Coconut Mascarpone Frosting
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
- Category: Frostings and Fillings
- Method: Whip
- Cuisine: Asian, Italian
Description
This creamy coconut mascarpone frosting combines rich mascarpone, whipped double cream and thick coconut cream for a smooth, airy texture with a delicate coconut flavour. Perfect for filling, covering and decorating cakes.
Ingredients
- 250 g mascarpone cheese, full-fat and chilled
- 240 ml double cream, chilled
- 90 g coconut cream
- 60 g icing sugar
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Refrigerate the can of coconut cream overnight to allow the thick cream to separate from the liquid. Carefully scoop out 90 g of the thick coconut cream, leaving the watery liquid behind. Keep chilled until needed.
- Mix the salt with the icing sugar until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Place the chilled mascarpone cheese, thick coconut cream and icing sugar mixture in a large mixing bowl. Use a spatula to roughly combine the ingredients, then whisk on low speed until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Gradually pour in the chilled double cream while whisking on low speed. Once all the cream has been incorporated, increase to medium speed and whisk until the frosting thickens and holds its shape. Be careful not to overwhip.
- Cover the bowl with a lid and refrigerate the frosting until ready to use.
Notes
- Mascarpone Cheese: Choose full-fat mascarpone. Semi-fat and non-fat versions are not suitable for this recipe, as they may result in a runny frosting.
- Double Cream: Use cream with at least 33% fat content. Depending on where you live, it may be labelled heavy cream or heavy whipping cream. Check the fat percentage on the packaging, as products can vary.
- Coconut Milk: Choose a brand that separates into a thick cream and watery liquid after refrigeration. I personally use Kingfisher Oriental coconut milk because it works well for this recipe. This is my own preference, not a sponsored recommendation.
- If the frosting becomes too soft while decorating, chill it briefly to help it firm up.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 619kcal
- Sugar: 16g
- Sodium: 62mgg
- Fat: 58g
- Saturated Fat: 38g
- Unsaturated Fat: 19g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 131mg
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a creamy frosting with a gentle coconut flavour, this coconut mascarpone frosting is a lovely one to try. I love how the mascarpone creates a rich, smooth texture while the coconut cream adds a delicate flavour that pairs beautifully with so many cakes.
Whether you’re filling a layer cake, covering the outside or adding piped decorations, I hope this frosting becomes a favourite in your kitchen too.
If you give it a try, I’d love to hear what you think!
Thanks for joining me in the kitchen today. Enjoy and keep baking! 💛
