If you've ever tried using whipped cream with Frost Form and it hasn't worked, you're not alone. Plain whipped cream is too soft and unstable to hold its shape against the liner. But with this four-ingredient stabilized recipe and the right technique, whipped cream gives you a beautifully smooth, polished finish that looks just as professional as buttercream and tastes lighter, softer, and less sweet.
This recipe was developed and tested specifically for use with the Frost Form kit. It uses instant pudding mix as a stabilizer, which keeps the cream firm enough to work with and stable enough to store in the fridge once finished. If you've been wondering whether you can use whipped cream with Frost Form, the answer is yes, but this is the recipe you need.
Get a perfectly smooth finish — even on your first try.
Ingredients
- Fresh cream (30–40% fat) — 400g. Must be actual fresh cream, not cream substitutes like Elmlea. These substitutes won't set properly.
- Instant pudding mix — 2 tbsp. Make sure it's instant pudding mix, not regular pudding mix, check the label carefully. You can use any flavour you like.
- Vanilla extract — 1.5 tsp
- Powdered sugar — 40g
Makes enough to fill and cover a 5" round sponge cake, with extra leftover to pipe swirls and details on top once the cake is finished. We don't recommend making cakes taller than 5 inches with this recipe. Whipped cream is stiffer than buttercream and becomes very difficult to pipe into taller cakes.
Colouring and Flavouring Your Cream
We recommend Colour Bomb powdered colours; they work really well. Gel paste colours should also work. Avoid oil or fat-based colours as these can destabilize the cream. For flavour, you can use Flavour Bomb or just standard vanilla flavouring. Both work beautifully.
Instant Pudding Mix Brands We've Tested
We've tested this recipe with several pudding mix brands, and they all work beautifully. See the photos below for the brands we recommend.
Method
Step 1 — Whip your cream to soft peaks
Add all ingredients to a chilled bowl and whip together. Stop at soft peaks, do not over-whip. If you whip the cream too far, it will curdle and become too stiff to pipe. It needs to be soft and light, just holding its shape.
Step 2 — Set up your Frost Form kit and layer your sponge
Start by sticking your base liner down with a small amount of whipped cream. This keeps it secure. Place your crumb cutter and liner on top. Use your Frost Form crumb cutter to trim each layer of sponge cake so it fits neatly inside the liner. Pipe some whipped cream onto the base liner, then place your first trimmed layer of sponge into the liner and push it all the way down to secure it. Pipe in your first layer of cream, add your next trimmed layer of sponge, and repeat as many times as you need. Make sure not to go over 5 to 6 inches in height. Any leftover cream goes into the fridge at this stage.
Step 3 — Freeze for 2–3 hours or overnight
Place the assembled cake in the freezer for a minimum of 2–3 hours. You can also leave it overnight.
Step 4 — Remove, clean, and reassemble with your liner
Remove your crumb cutter and liner from the cake. Clean and dry your liner. Place your former with a small object in the middle, place your cake on its base onto the small object, wrap your liner into the former, and lift it up so that your cake slots in.
Step 5 — Re-whip and coat the outside
Take your leftover cream from the fridge and re-whip it back to soft peaks. Pipe four blobs evenly around the cake first, this keeps the cake centered inside the liner. Then pipe the rest all the way around to fill.
Don’t have your Frost Form kit yet? You're going to need it for the next step.
Step 6 — Freeze again for the best peel
Place the cake back in the freezer for a minimum of 2–3 hours. For the best peel, overnight is ideal.
Step 7 — Peel the liner and flip quickly
Once fully frozen, peel off the Frost Form liner to reveal your cake. Work quickly because the cream will start to soften very fast.
Step 8 — Flip the cake onto a board
Place a cake board on top and flip so you can remove the base and base liner. Place another board on top, attach it with a little cream, and flip again so the cake is now sitting on a board the right way up.
Step 9 — Scrape with water for a smooth finish
Working quickly while the cream is still frozen, use your Frost Form stainless steel scraper to smooth the surface. The key here is water. Use a spray bottle or dip your scraper lightly in water. Just slightly damp, not soaking. Top up the water as you go for a silky smooth finish.
Step 10 — Fridge, defrost, and serve
Place the cake in the fridge to defrost slowly. It will take around 2 to 3 hours to defrost fully. Because of the instant pudding mix, the cream stays stable and won't weep or collapse. Serve chilled.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the cake have to be frozen — can I use the fridge instead?
Yes, freezing is essential for this technique. The fridge alone won't set the cream firmly enough to peel the liner cleanly or scrape a smooth finish. You need a proper freezer for this to work.
Where can I find instant pudding mix in the UK?
Dr. Oetker instant pudding mix is widely available on Amazon and in many supermarkets — it comes in a 1kg bag which is very handy for regular bakers. Jell-O is another brand that works well and can also be found online. Make sure whichever brand you buy says "instant" on the packaging.
Where can I find instant pudding mix in the USA?
Jell-O instant pudding mix is available in most grocery stores across the US and works perfectly in this recipe.
Is whipped cream frosting less sweet than buttercream?
Yes, it's much lighter and less sweet than American buttercream. You can also adjust the amount of powdered sugar in the recipe to suit your own taste.
Will it melt at room temperature?
It won't melt the way plain whipped cream would. The instant pudding mix stabilizes it, so it gets soft but stays intact. That said, we recommend keeping your finished cake refrigerated and serving it chilled.
Can I use this frosting between the cake layers as well as on the outside?
Yes — this recipe is designed to do both. Follow the method above for filling the layers and coating the outside.
Can I pipe decorations with this frosting?
Yes, you can pipe swirls and other decorations with this frosting. The recipe makes enough to have some leftover, specifically for this.
What size cake does this recipe cover?
This recipe makes enough to fill and cover a 5" round sponge cake with extra for piping. We don't recommend using this technique on cakes taller than 5 to 6 inches.
Ready to try it yourself? Everything you need is in the Frost Form Kit!
Watch these videos: