Whipped Cream Issues

A reader has asked: I made some whipped cream to spread on the outside of a cake and it was grainy and leaked water. Should I have added a stabilizer to the cream?

A: It sounds as though your cream was overwhipped. Next time make sure the cream, bowl, and beater are all very cold—you can put them in the freezer for 5 minutes. Then make sure to stop whipping the cream when it forms firm, not stiff, peaks.