Whipped cream frosting - can I freeze it?

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AmBodach

Assistant Cook
Joined
Dec 21, 2024
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7
Location
Near Edinburgh
I volunteered to make an Ice Cream Christmas cake this year, and am running into the minor problem that it will have to travel on Christmas Day to my daughter's house 20 minutes away.

That probably isn't too much of a difficulty - the problem lies in the whipped cream frosting that is used for encasing the layers of the cake - a bit like royal icing - and for decoration. This is basically whipping cream and icing sugar. I would rather do this here at home such that the whole process has been done in my time, but there does have to be the fall-back option that I do that at my daughter's house just a bit before the cake is attacked.

So the question is - will a frosting of whipping cream and icing sugar whipped to stiff peaks tolerate being frozen? The implication in the recipe is Yes ...'..back in the freezer to chill the whipped cream for 20 -30 minutes', but I would really like to do this stage on Christmas Eve and freeze it over night.

Many thanks
 
I did a bit of a search and it seems you can freeze whipped cream icing. But I think the key word here is with the icing as you seem to need to add that as a stabilizer.
Now this is only what I've just read. I'm not an expert by any means nor have I done it.
I actually have been looking at doing a Yule Log this year (too late for me now, I think) but I was looking at using ice-cream as the filling. That obviously freezes well! 😊

I'm sure someone will be along soon who is more expert than I.
 
This then raises the question that we all need to ask - as to what is the difference between 'whipped cream frosting' and 'whipped cream icing'???? In my ignorance is this one of the problems of US wording versus UK wording?

And I was confused when you threw in the word 'stabiliser'.
 
This then raises the question that we all need to ask - as to what is the difference between 'whipped cream frosting' and 'whipped cream icing'???? In my ignorance is this one of the problems of US wording versus UK wording?

And I was confused when you threw in the word 'stabiliser'.
I don't think there is a difference. I use the words indiscriminately. They might to someone else though!

Oh dear, think I've made an assumption. I've had rolled Yule Log cakes on my mind lately and jumped to visualizing that is what you meant.
Could you define "Ice Cream Cake" for me? Ice Cream as in layers inside the cake? Centre of the cake or outside the cake then a whipped cream frosting slathered on? How is it constructed?
 
We are fortunate to have a lot of awesome bakers on here. One should have your answer. It may help to share the recipe or at least your ingredients to help them though.
 
Many thanks for your replies guys. As a 'newbie' here but familiar with other forums, I'm going to do a resume of the recipe, and add in the bits that I seem to need assistance on. This is a US recipe and I've changed the quantities to UK.

9" dia tin, 3" deep. Soften 800ml choc ice to go into the bottom, into freezer, out for a layer of crunchy chocolate fudge then back in again. Out again for vanilla icecream to the top of the tin (abt 800ml again). That's where I am at so far.

Then I have to take it out of the tin and "Whipped Cream Frosting - 450gm whipping cream, 100gm icing sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract - all into large bowl and beat to stiff tips". I've then to transfer the 'cake' to a freezer chilled plate, and "Using an offset spatula, frost the 'cake', keeping back 1 cup for piping decoration. Pipe rosettes on top, and sprinkle with rainbow dots - and put back into the freezer to chill the whipped cream for 20-30 minutes"

As I said previously, it's the limit of '20-30 minutes' which is concerning me as I would to like to prepare this on Tuesday evening for transport for 20 to 30 minutes to my daughter's home on Christmas Day.

I hope this all helps and I've not left anything out.
 
It seems that you want the whipped cream to stay whipped, not to melt. The fact that it is frozen seems irrelevant to me. Check out this thread. There are several solutions to keeping the whipped cream nice. Actually, if the icing sugar in the UK has corn starch (which I believe is called "corn flour" in the UK), you may not need to do anything special.

 
OK, again the disclaimer as to talking off the top of my head.

As the 'cake' is already frozen ice-cream, applying the whipped cream icing and then chilling for 20/30 minutes - but not necessarily longer. I believe that is more for the benefit of the ice cream itself. To firm it back up after being out for the final decorations.
Think back to all the other times this cake has been served in your home. What have you done with leftovers? I'm guessing the leftover ice-cream cake might well be mythical but maybe? You must have stored in the freezer. How did the icing fare?
How early are you leaving for your daughter's? Is it an all day affair?

The more I think about it the more I feel you should frost it at your daughter's. Then comes the decision to whip the cream at home or your daughters, I think at your daughter's would be best.
The 40 minute trip (traffic n weather) plus the meal, visiting. You are talking certainly more than an hour possibly 2 or even 3 hours before serving. (if you have a hand held mixer that's easy enough to carry along without having to get out her big one)
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and all that would entail.
Anyhow - that's my humble opinion.
You've got 2 days to decide! LOL let us know what you do and how it turns out after. I am all ears with curiosity!
 
For those here in North America the is the Diary Queen franchise that sells Ice Cream Cakes. Those are frosted and kept frozen, no?
I think I've only ever had one in recent history and that was several years ago. What are their frosting made of?
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There is also Carvel. I think they started the cakes and DQ followed.

It's been a very long time since we had either, but I do remember they were kept frozen until right before serving. They weren't frosted/iced with ice cream, but neither of us can remember what they used.

As far as stabilizers for whipped cream, there are products made to do that specifically and you can also use just the plain, unflavored gelatin.
 
My gal pal just mentioned to me it is the usual bakery style shortening type of icing that they seem to use. I don't think it is whipped cream at all.
@medtran49 if gelatin or even the pudding mix is used to stabilize - do you think that the whipping cream as such can be frozen?

and now I've just found this freezing whipped cream
LOL, will wonders never cease! Can only try!
 
My gal pal just mentioned to me it is the usual bakery style shortening type of icing that they seem to use. I don't think it is whipped cream at all.
@medtran49 if gelatin or even the pudding mix is used to stabilize - do you think that the whipping cream as such can be frozen?

and now I've just found this freezing whipped cream
LOL, will wonders never cease! Can only try!
Are you referring to her points about freezing whipped cream and stabilizing whipped cream? That info is a little above where that link lands you. I had to look around to find that. The link lands you at her recipe card for making whipped cream.
 
Are you referring to her points about freezing whipped cream and stabilizing whipped cream?
Well, I did say "freezing whipped cream"

When I checked the link, even after closing my original tab, it took me right to it. so for @AmBodach here is where the link would have led you to.

Whipped cream freezes well. Just store in a freezer bag with excess air removed. It can stay in the freezer for up to 2 months.
If you want to freeze individual servings, place individual servings on a pan lined with parchment and freeze for 30 minutes before storing in a freezer bag.


Now how this would work on your cake I have no idea, might be worth a try... or not! 🤭
 
In case there is someone else doing a similar - possibly rather daft - project, I looked at whipped cream stabilisers and attempted at short notice to unsuccessfully get tapioca starch, which did seem as one of the recommended products to use.
In the end I just plunged straight in, whipped up the icing sugar sweetened double cream and plastered it on a bit like royal icing - plus some twirly decorations and some brightly coloured sprinkles.
Back into my freezer overnight - it looked good the next morning and happily travelled in a large polythene box with a couple of freezer blocks the 20 minutes to my daughter's freezer.
It was taken out about 30 minutes before it was sliced with a warmed-up knife, and was greeted with great joy. It went back into my daughter's freeezer and the second half looked just as good on boxing day evening when it fed a second round of the family.
Many thanks to all who contributed to this discussion, and I hope that this brief report will re-assure any other ice-cream cake makers !!!!
 
@AmBodach Well, that's fantastic! Congratulations. So very happy for you and your consumers.
I now predict you will be invited all over the country side and to bring an ice-cream cake. And if there wasn't a big pond of water between us I might even be one to invite you.
 
Many thanks, dragnlaw - what's the explanation behind your handle - Am Bodach means The Old Man in Gaelic, and is a regular mountain name in Scotland.
I'm not sure that at the moment I want any such invitations - and just being an 'assistant cook' at the moment is just about my level.
However having found this forum and being aware of the pond seperating us, but then our common language which has its divergences such that decoding US recipes can be quite fun, I may well be back for assistance again.
 
I certainly hope you will stick around and browse here, at least once in a while. Even people who think they are quite inexperienced cooks can have a gem of knowledge to impart to someone asking a question.

dragnlaw - came about when I was playfully telling my new son-in-law that as his mother-in-law I was a terrible dragon and to watch himself!
I was his dragon-in-law, shortened to drag-n-law.
Ancestry is Welsh - German. First, maiden and marriage names are all Welsh.
 

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