Cocoa-Vanilla Swirl Whipped Cream adds flavor and flair to your favorite sweet treats!
Airy and sweet, whipped cream makes a perfect, easy topping for so many desserts. Cocoa-Vanilla Swirl Whipped Cream takes this simple, decadent topping to the next level.
In addition to its visual appeal, this delightful mix delivers a blended, yet distinctly separate sweet vanilla and rich chocolaty experience. Sometimes you want your whipped cream to be more than just a generic topping.
This Cocoa-Vanilla Swirl Whipped cream adds something special to anything from traditional cupcakes to delicate angel food cake to smooth, minty grasshopper tart.
Since whipped cream comes together quickly and easily, adding another flavor to the mix doesn’t require much extra effort, and the results are well worth it.
How to Make Cocoa-Vanilla Swirl Whipped Cream
Start by preparing the vanilla whipped cream. Making the vanilla part first means you can use the same bowl, whisk, and spatula for the cocoa version, which minimizes the mess. Hooray for less clean up!
A standing electric mixer is the easiest option for this project, but a hand mixer and a large bowl work great, too. You can also whisk by hand if you like. It’s actually super satisfying to whip cream by hand if you’re not in a hurry!
Combine the heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla and whisk them together on medium speed until peaks just form. Transfer the vanilla whipped cream to a piping bag and chill it.
For the cocoa whipped cream, mix the cocoa powder and confectioner’s sugar together with a small portion of the cream. This enables the cocoa to incorporate more evenly into the cocoa whipped cream. Once you add the remaining cream, mix to combine before beating on medium speed until peaks just form. Add the cocoa whipped cream to a second piping bag.
Because cocoa powder adds density to the cocoa cream, it pipes more slowly than its airy vanilla partner. My first attempt with this recipe resulted in rosettes of mostly vanilla whipped cream with tiny smudges of cocoa. A larger opening at the end of the cocoa bag helps balance the flow. This is also why the cocoa version includes more whipped cream.
Slide both whipped cream-filled bags into a third piping bag fitted with a decorative tip, situating them as evenly as possible near the piping tip. Apply pressure at the top to send both whipped creams out the tip together.
Pipe a few practice decorations to get the flow going before adding sweet swirls to your favorite dessert. If the whole piping thing sounds like too much work, just dollop out both whipped creams and swirl them together with spoon or spatula.
Because this is whipped cream and not frosting, you can think outside the dessert box. Imagine garnishing waffles or pancakes with swirls of this cocoa-vanilla topping! And don’t forget to save some for your coffee.
Cocoa-Vanilla Swirl Whipped Cream
Equipment
- Stand mixer with a whisk attachment or hand mixer with beater attachments and a large bowl
Ingredients
Vanilla Whipped Cream
- 3/4 cups chilled heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cocoa Whipped Cream
- 1 1/4 cups chilled heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- Fit one of the piping bags with a decorative tip. On the remaining bags, cut a 1/4-inch opening to use for the vanilla whipped cream and a 1/2-inch opening for the cocoa whipped cream. Set aside.
- For the vanilla whipped cream, combine heavy cream, confectioners’sugar, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on low speed to combine and then beat on medium speed until the mixture just holds peaks.
- Transfer the mixture to the piping bag with the 1/4-inch opening and place it in the refrigerator (you can rubber band the ends to prevent leakage, but I usually just fold the ends over and let it rest carefully on its side). Reserve the bowl and whisk attachment to use for the cocoa whipped cream.
- To prepare the cocoa whipped cream, pour about 1/2 cup of the heavy cream into the mixing bowl. Sift the cocoa and confectioners’ sugar over the top and mix to combine. Add the remaining heavy cream and mix on low speed to begin incorporating the heavy cream. Increase speed to medium and beat until the mixture just holds peaks. Transfer the cocoa cream into the piping bag with the 1/2-inch opening.
- Slide the whipped cream-filled piping bags into the remaining piping bag fitted with a decorative tip. Apply even pressure to the top of the pastry bags to merge the vanilla and cocoa whipped cream mixtures together through the piping tip. Pipe as desired.
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