Piping whipped cream icing vs buttercream

Question

I'm looking to try piping whipped cream icing, instead of buttercream -- what are the major handling differences the feel to it, different tips to use, any tricks or pitfalls I should be aware of? I've never done whipped cream icing before, but it was requested. I am used to a stiff buttercream, and would like to know the handling comparisons when piping it.

Answer 1

You could try adding a piping gel, such as the one found here, which contains no eggs or dairy.

Alternatively, the colder you keep the whipped cream icing, the better it will hold its shape. You could refrigerate the icing until immediately prior to serving which would help.

Answer 2

The main pitfall to whipped cream is that it has to be kept cold. Your hands will heat up the cream in the bag, causing it to lose volume and pipe sloppily.

Stabilizing the whipped cream will help. See (Adjusting whipped cream to hold its shape longer?) But mostly, you need to keep it cool:

• Frequent rests, putting the bag in the fridge

• Refill frequently

• Keep the extras in the refrigerator

• Don't let the room get too warm
• Refrigerate the result immediately.