If you are looking for a light, not-too-sweet alternative to traditional buttercream, Cool Whip and Pudding Frosting (often called “Better Than ______” frosting or “Mock Mousse”) is a fantastic choice.
This frosting is incredibly popular for sheet cakes, poke cakes, and red velvet cakes because it is stable, fluffy, and takes on flavors beautifully.
Here is exactly how it works, along with the standard ratios and some flavor variations.
The Basic Science: Why It Works
This recipe relies on two chemical/culinary reactions:
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The Thickening Power of Pudding: Instant pudding mix contains modified cornstarch and stabilizers (like tetrasodium pyrophosphate). When mixed with cold milk, it almost instantly thickens into a custard-like base.
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The Stabilization of Cool Whip: Whipped cream (or homemade whipped cream) deflates over time and weeps liquid. Cool Whip contains stabilizers and emulsifiers that allow it to hold its shape in the fridge for days without melting.
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The Combination: When you fold the thick, dense pudding into the airy, stable Cool Whip, you get a frosting that has the body of a mousse but the structural integrity to hold up on a cake.
The Standard Base Recipe
This makes enough to generously frost a 9×13 sheet cake or a two-layer 8-inch round cake.
Ingredients:
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1 box (3.4 oz) Instant Pudding Mix (Any flavor)
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1 cup Cold Milk (Whole milk works best; skim milk will make it too thin)
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1 container (8 oz) Cool Whip (Thawed in the fridge)
Instructions:
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In a large bowl, whisk together the cold milk and the instant pudding mix for about 2 minutes. It will become very thick.
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Let the pudding sit for about 5 minutes to fully “set.” This prevents the frosting from being grainy.
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Gently fold the thawed Cool Whip into the pudding using a rubber spatula. Fold until no white streaks remain. Do not use an electric mixer here; it will knock all the air out of the Cool Whip and turn the frosting soupy.
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Frost your completely cooled cake immediately, or chill the frosting for 30 minutes to firm it up before piping.
The Best Flavor Combinations
Because the base of this frosting is slightly tangy and milky, it pairs best with rich, chocolatey, or fruity cakes. Here are the classic combinations:
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The Classic “Red Velvet” Combo: Cheesecake flavored pudding + Cool Whip. (Sometimes people add a block of softened cream cheese to the pudding before folding in the Cool Whip for a thicker, tangier frosting).
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The Chocolate Lover’s Combo: Chocolate fudge pudding + Cool Whip on a Devil’s Food cake.
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The Summer Combo: Lemon pudding + Cool Whip on an Angel Food cake or white cake with fresh berries.
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The Pistachio Combo: Pistachio pudding + Cool Whip on a yellow or vanilla cake (often called “Watergate Frosting”).
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The Birthday Cake Combo: Vanilla or White Chocolate pudding + Cool Whip with rainbow sprinkles folded in.
Pro Tips for the Perfect Texture
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Do not use Cook & Serve pudding. You must use Instant pudding mix. Cook-and-serve pudding will be a runny liquid when cold and will ruin the frosting.
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Want it thicker? Some bakers prefer a 1:1 ratio of pudding to Cool Whip (using two boxes of pudding and two tubs of Cool Whip) for a sturdier, denser mousse that can be piped with a star tip.
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Want a “Real” whipped cream taste? You can substitute the Cool Whip for 2 cups of heavy whipping cream that you whip to stiff peaks yourself. However, note that homemade whipped cream frosting must be kept refrigerated and will deflate faster than Cool Whip.
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Resting is key: This frosting actually tastes better the next day. If you frost a cake with it and let it sit in the fridge overnight, the flavors of the pudding and the cake meld together beautifully.
The Takeaway
Cool Whip and Pudding Frosting is a nostalgic, no-fuss frosting that is nearly impossible to mess up. It is significantly less sweet than buttercream, incredibly light, and perfect for anyone who wants the texture of a fancy bakery mousse without any of the culinary hassle.