Whipped ganache takes regular chocolate ganache and turns it into a light and fluffy chocolate lover's dream! It's much like a mousse but without added eggs, and it makes a really great option for frosting a cake, piping onto cupcakes, or using as a filling.
I love making whipped ganache to lighten a heavy, decadent ganache. If you use dark chocolate then it's really low in sugar as well. It's soooo good on top of my chocolate cupcakes or as a filling inside my easy chocolate cake. Whipped ganache CAN get grainy if you whip it too much so don't over do it.
Quick Glance at the Recipe: Whipped Ganache
- Recipe Name: Whipped Ganache
- Why You'll Love It: Two main ingredients, and it tastes like chocolate mousse you can pipe.
- Time and Difficulty: About 20 minutes of hands-on time plus 20 to 30 minutes to cool. Beginner friendly.
- Main Ingredients: Semi-sweet chocolate, heavy whipping cream, vanilla, salt.
- Method: Pour hot cream over chocolate, mix until smooth, cool to peanut butter consistency, then whip.
- Texture and Flavor: Light, fluffy, and deeply chocolatey. It sets up like a soft truffle.
- Quick Tip: Let it cool at room temperature, not in the fridge.
Jump to:
- Quick Glance at the Recipe: Whipped Ganache
- What Makes This Whipped Ganache So Good⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Whipped Ganache vs Regular Ganache
- Whipped Ganache Ingredients
- How To Make Whipped Ganache Step-By-Step
- Cake Batter and Frosting Calculator
- Cake Batter and Frosting Calculator
- Cups of Batter Needed
- Cups of Frosting Needed
- Common Whipped Ganache Problems To Avoid
- Final Thoughts
- Make This Recipe Your Own
- Whipped Ganache FAQs
- More Ganache Recipes To Try
- Ready To Master Cake Decorating?
- Leave Me A Review⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Recipe
What Makes This Whipped Ganache So Good
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If you can make ganache, you can make whipped ganache. Here's why I love it.
- It's a simple 1:1 ratio. Equal parts chocolate and cream by weight. That's it.
- It pipes beautifully. It holds its shape for swirls on cupcakes and borders on cakes.
- It doesn't need the fridge. Once it's on your cake it sets up like a soft truffle and is fine at room temperature.
- It's not overly sweet. All the flavor comes from the chocolate, so use one you love to eat.
Whipped Ganache vs Regular Ganache
Whipped ganache is just regular 1:1 ganache with air whipped into it. Same ingredients, totally different texture. Regular ganache is dense, smooth, and shiny. Whipped ganache is lighter in color, fluffy, and matte.
Use whipped ganache for filling cakes, frosting cakes and cupcakes, piping, and sandwich cookies. Use regular ganache for a chocolate drip, for chocolate truffles, and for anything that needs a firm shell. If you're covering a cake in homemade fondant or making a sculpted cake with my chocolate cake for carving, stick with regular ganache and let it set overnight.
Whipped Ganache Ingredients
You only need a few ingredients, so quality matters. I always recommend weighing your ingredients with a digital kitchen scale for the most accurate results, since the ratio is everything here.
- Semi-sweet chocolate. Use a good quality chocolate that is at least 60% cocoa. I use Guittard. The darker your chocolate, the firmer the ganache sets.
- Heavy whipping cream. This is what makes ganache creamy and lets it whip up light and fluffy.
- Vanilla extract. Rounds out the chocolate flavor.
- Salt. Just a pinch to bring out the chocolate.
- Rum (optional). A little rum adds flavor, but you can leave it out if you prefer.
How To Make Whipped Ganache Step-By-Step
Making whipped ganache is pretty simple! Before you start, weigh out your chocolate and cream, and chop your chocolate into small pieces if needed. I like to do this in the bowl of a stand mixer so that after five minutes you can attach your paddle attachment and let it mix until smooth and creamy.
- Place your chopped chocolate into the bowl of your stand mixer.
- Heat your cream in a saucepan until it just starts to steam.
- Pour the cream over the chocolate, making sure the chocolate is completely covered, and let it stand for 5 minutes.
- Mix on low with the paddle attachment until the cream and chocolate are combined and smooth.
- Let it cool at room temperature until it's the consistency of peanut butter. Don't put it in the fridge. Letting it mix slowly with the paddle attachment actually helps it cool down.
- Add your vanilla, salt, and rum (if you're using it), then switch to the whisk attachment.
PRO TIP: Cooling takes about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on how cool your house is. I pour mine out onto a sheet pan to help it cool down faster.
- Whip on medium until combined, then turn it up to high for 2 to 3 minutes until the ganache is light and fluffy.
PRO TIP: Stop as soon as it's light and fluffy. Whipped ganache gets grainy if you whip it too long.
Cake Batter and Frosting Calculator
One batch makes 16 ounces of whipped ganache, which is about 2 cups. That's enough to fill a layer cake or frost 12 cupcakes, so double it if you want to fill and frost a 2 layer 8 inch cake. For other sizes, use the calculator below.
Cake Batter and Frosting Calculator
Select an option below to calculate how much batter or frosting you need. Adjust the servings slider on the recipe card to change the amounts the recipe makes.
Choose a pan type
Choose a cake pan size
(based on 2" tall cake pan)
Choose a cake pan size
(based on 2" tall cake pan)
Cupcake Tin Size
Choose number of pans
Cups of Batter Needed
8 cups
Cups of Frosting Needed
5 cups
Note: measurements are estimated based off the vanilla cake recipe using standard US cake pans and sizes. Measurements used are for 2" tall cake pans only. Your results may vary. Do not overfill cake pans above manufacturer's recommended guidelines.
Common Whipped Ganache Problems To Avoid
- Grainy ganache. You whipped it too long. Remelt it over a double boiler, let it cool back down to room temperature, and whip it again for less time.
- Runny ganache that won't whip. It hasn't cooled enough. Give it more time until it's peanut butter consistency. If it never thickens, whisk in 2 ounces of melted chocolate at a time.
- Too firm to whip. If it sets up too hard, microwave it for a few seconds to bring it back to peanut butter consistency.
- Spongy ganache. This happens when you whip it and then let it sit. Whip it right before you use it.
Final Thoughts
Whipped ganache is one of those recipes that looks fancy but is really just patience. Let it cool all the way and stop whipping the second it looks fluffy. Once it's on your cake or cupcakes it does not need to be refrigerated. It hardens up to the consistency of a truffle, not as hard as solid chocolate, and it's fine at room temperature for a few days. You can also refrigerate it for up to 5 days or freeze it for up to 1 month.
Make This Recipe Your Own
- White chocolate whipped ganache. White chocolate is much softer, so use a 3:1 ratio (three parts white chocolate to one part cream by weight). My white chocolate ganache post has everything you need to know.
- Milk chocolate whipped ganache. Use a 2.5:1 ratio of milk chocolate to cream.
- Add color. You can add food coloring at any time. I usually add it with the liquids. For really bright colors, try my water ganache.
- Add shine. You can add a slice of butter to the ganache for a little extra shine.
- Mix it into buttercream. Fold it into easy buttercream frosting for a mousse-like chocolate filling (a reader tip I love).
- Pair it with a cake. Try it on death by chocolate cake or as a filling in white velvet cake.
Whipped Ganache FAQs
How much whipped ganache does this recipe make?
One batch makes 16 ounces, or about 2 cups. That will fill a layer cake or frost 12 cupcakes. Double the recipe to fill and frost a 2 layer 8 inch cake.
Does whipped ganache need to be refrigerated?
No. Once it's on your cake or cupcakes, whipped ganache can stay at room temperature for a few days. You can also refrigerate it for up to 5 days or freeze it for up to 1 month.
Can I make whipped ganache with white chocolate?
Yes, but not with the same amounts. White chocolate needs a 3:1 ratio of chocolate to cream to set up firm enough to whip.
Can I use whipped ganache under fondant?
I don't recommend it. For fondant cakes and carved cakes, use regular 1:1 ganache that has set overnight to peanut butter consistency.
What kind of chocolate is best for whipped ganache?
Use a good quality semi-sweet chocolate that is at least 60% cocoa. Some brands call 60% chocolate bittersweet, and that works too.
More Ganache Recipes To Try
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Recipe
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Saucepan
- Digital Kitchen Scale
Ingredients
- 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate good quality, at least 60% cocoa
- 8 oz heavy whipping cream
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon rum optional
Instructions
- Before you begin: Make sure your chocolate is chopped into small pieces and have your stand mixer ready with the paddle and whisk attachments.
For the whipped ganache
- Weigh out chocolate and chop into small pieces if needed. Place into the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Heat cream in a saucepan until it just starts to steam.
- Pour cream over chocolate and make sure it's completely covered. Let stand 5 minutes.
- Attach paddle attachment to stand mixer and mix at low speed until cream and chocolate are combined.
- Let mixture cool at room temperature until it's a peanut butter consistency. Do not place in the fridge.
- Add 1 teaspoon vanilla, a pinch of salt, and 1 Tablespoon of rum (if using). Attach the whisk attachment to the mixer.
- Mix on medium until all the ingredients are incorporated, then turn the mixer up to high for 2-3 minutes, until ganache is light and fluffy.
Notes
- This whipped ganache is perfect for cake filling, as a frosting for cupcakes or regular cakes and for piping.
- Yield: 16 oz (about 2 cups), enough to fill a layer cake or frost 12 cupcakes. Double the recipe to fill and frost a 2 layer 8 inch cake.
- Whip right before using. Whipped ganache does not need to be refrigerated once it's on the cake, but you can refrigerate it for up to 5 days or freeze it for up to 1 month.
- White chocolate: use a 3:1 ratio of chocolate to cream. Milk chocolate: use 2.5:1.
- Do not over-whip or the ganache will turn grainy.
- Nutrition is calculated for a 1 oz serving without the rum.
Angela Dobbins says
After frosting cupcakes, can this frosting be put into a cooler and for how long?
Liz Marek says
Yes! You can keep them cold for up to 5 days. The ganache firms up when it's cold, so let the cupcakes come back to room temperature before serving. It also doesn't need to be refrigerated, so they're fine at room temperature too. If you have more questions, come ask me in the Sugar Geeks community: https://community.raptive.com/sugargeeks
Mai says
Hi I’m from Sydney and I can’t find any white chocolate bars (because I want to make it white chocolate) with 60% cocoa the most I can find is 23% is that ok or?
Liz Marek says
Yes, that's fine! The 60% is only for dark chocolate. For white chocolate, just make sure it's real white chocolate made with cocoa butter, and use a 3:1 ratio (three parts white chocolate to one part cream by weight). If you have more questions, come ask me in the Sugar Geeks community: https://community.raptive.com/sugargeeks
NSahgal says
Hello Liz,
I love your recipes.
1) when you say add food colouring anytime, when would be ideal as you say don’t over mix as it can get grainy?
2) this recipe says 32oz, might I please know if that it enough to completely frost an 8 inch 2 pan cake? Including crumb coat and layering between the 2 cakes ?
Liz Marek says
Add your coloring with the vanilla and salt, right before you whip, so you don't have to mix it any longer than you need to. I also just updated the recipe card: one batch makes 16 ounces, not 32. Double it to fill and frost a 2 layer 8 inch cake. If you have more questions, come ask me in the Sugar Geeks community: https://community.raptive.com/sugargeeks
sophia says
hi would this recipe be able to frost one cake?
Liz Marek says
One batch makes 16 ounces, which is enough to fill a cake or frost 12 cupcakes. Double it if you want to fill and frost a 2 layer 8 inch cake. If you have more questions, come ask me in the Sugar Geeks community: https://community.raptive.com/sugargeeks
Paula Vallinot says
hii if i wanted to put a food coloring when should i do it? thanksss for the recipe
Liz Marek says
Put it in at any time, I usually do with the liquids
Josette Jones says
Good evening can I use white chocolate to make this whipped ganache?
Liz Marek says
Yes you can make this into white chocolate whipped ganache
NSahgal says
Hello,
Does the recipe in terms of ingredients and ratios stay the same for white chocolate? Does one simply just substitute the dark chocolate with white chocolate?
Liz Marek says
The ratio changes. White chocolate is much softer, so use three parts white chocolate to one part cream by weight. If you have more questions, come ask me in the Sugar Geeks community: https://community.raptive.com/sugargeeks
Amrita K says
How many cups of whipped frosting will the recipe card quantities make?
Liz Marek says
One batch makes 16 ounces by weight, which is about 2 cups once it's whipped. That's enough to fill a cake or frost 12 cupcakes. If you have more questions, come ask me in the Sugar Geeks community: https://community.raptive.com/sugargeeks