The Joy of Strawberry Whipped Cream (and cousins)

That's a cake made with a Fudgy Baby Cakes Mix, a cream cake mix with chocolate pieces.  The frosting is Better than Buttercream Frosting mix. The roses on top are made with a pastry tip and strawberry whipped cream.

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I've always loved strawberry whipped cream. When I found fresh pineapple, I loved it even more.

Before the pandemic, on a Saturday morning, I was making cream filled cupcakes for customers. They were filled with strawberry whipped cream and topped with strawberry whipped cream.  The customers were pouring in; they didn't mind them. They could choose between chocolate and vanilla cupcakes, both with strawberry whipped cream.

Strawberry Pineapple Whipped Cream

That morning, there was a leftover fresh pineapple on the counter. It was a little soft and needed to be used. I prepped it and used a chef's knife to mince it. I put the minced pineapple in paper towels and wrung the juice out. I folded the pineapple into strawberry whipped cream--strawberry pineapple whipped cream.

People loved the strawberry pineapple whipped cream.  But then, they loved the plain strawberry whipped cream, too.

The Secret Ingredient

Basic Flavored Whipped Cream

We started using simple colors and flavors. The flavors are commercial grade flavors. The colors are Americolor food colors. We have 38 colors and 37 flavors.

This is a simple whipped cream made with orange flavor and orange zest, but the results are delicious. Substitute whatever flavors you need.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons orange flavor
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 2 tablespoons meringue powder

Directions:

1.  Whip the cream to soft peaks.
2. Add the sugar, flavor, and zest and continue whipping.

Cheesecake Whipped Cream

Add cream cheese to your whipped cream to make cheesecake Whipped Cream.  This is raspberry cheesecake whipped cream.

Add a touch of tart raspberry flavor to get a delightfully fruity whipped cream. You can even try adding some additional lemon flavor to create the essence of raspberry lemonade.

 Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1 drop red red Americolor food color gel or equal
• 1 teaspoon raspberry flavor

Directions:

Place the sugar and cream cheese in the bowl of your stand-type mixer. Beat until the sugar is creamed through the cream cheese into a soft, consistent mixture.

1. Add the cream, color, and flavor. Beat until soft peaks form.
2. Hold the whipped cream in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. It can be re-whipped as long as you don’t over-beat it.

Strawberry Key Lime Flavored Whipped Cream

Consider this as a colorful topping for any strawberry dessert. It’s also a nice alternative to whipped cream in fruit salads calling for whipped cream.

 Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 2 drops deep pink Americolor food color gel or equal
• 1 teaspoon strawberry flavor
• 1 teaspoon lime flavor
• zest from two small limes (optional)

Directions:

1. Place the sugar and cream cheese in the bowl of your stand-type mixer. Beat until the sugar is creamed through the cream cheese into a soft, consistent mixture.
2. Add the cream, color, and flavors. Beat until soft peaks form. Fold in the zest.
3. Hold the whipped cream in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. It can be re-whipped as long as you don’t over-beat it.

Beyond Ordinary Flavors

You can experiment with whipped cream flavors forever.  We've especially enjoyed Caramel Nut, Peanut Butter, and Chocolate Whipped Cream. 

But let me tell you about pastry fillings in whipped cream.

Pastry fillings are designed for filling pastries--donuts, sweeet rolls, and such. But we discovered they were amazing in whipped cream. We stock the following professional pastry fillings. 

• Strawberry
• Raspberry
• Blueberry
• Cherry
• Pineapple
• Apricot
• Peach
• Lemon
• Bavarian Cream
• Chocolate Cream
• Cream Cheese

They're more concentrated than pie fillings. They come in two-pound professional dispenser bags--so it's a lot. Squeeze some into your bowl when you whip your cream. Mix it and add some more if needed.  Most of the time, when you get the color right, the flavor will be right.  

Put a clip on the bag, stick it in the refrigerator, and use it within six months. Use it for a filling in cupcakes, between cake layers, and donuts.

My favorite way to use leftover pastry fillings is in cheesecake bars which are absolutely divine.

lemon cheesecake bars