How to Make Candles with a Whipped Wax Topping

In this whipped candle wax tutorial, we’re going to demonstrate how to make a set of 8 cute votive candles that look just like a hot drink with whipped cream on top. For this project, we’re using our new Maple Chai Cream fragrance oil. It’s a wonderful scent for fall and winter projects, but it’s so delicious smelling that you might just want to use it all year round!

You can of course swap out the fragrance for any other scent that you like. In our store, we have a large selection of coffee-inspired fragrances and delectable bakery fragrance oils to choose from. A whipped candle wax topping looks amazing with any fragrance that might go well with whipped cream!

Follow us on Tik Tok @northwooddistributing for a video tutorial of this project or check out the video on our YouTube channel!

How to Make Whipped Wax for Candles

If you haven’t read our blog on making whipped wax, be sure to check it out before you start this tutorial. If it’s your first time making whipped candle wax, this post has some very helpful information that will make the project easier.

Yield: 8 candles (approx. 4 oz each)

Hands-On Time: 1 hour

Total Time (including cooling time): 4 hours

Skill Level: Intermediate

Supplies

• 8 4 oz Votive Containers
• 8 Wick Stabilizer Bars or Bowtie Wick Bars
• 8 Wicks of choice (Eco 4 Wicks suggested – refer to our Wick Size Chart for tips picking a wick)
• Piping bag & tip or plastic zippered bag for piping wax
• EZ Grip Nylon Whisk for stirring & whipping wax
• 3 oz Measuring Beaker

• Small Metal Pouring Pitcher
• Straight Edge Soap Cutter
• Nitrile Gloves
• Digital Scale

• Digital Thermometer
• Glue Dots
• Small Candle Warning Labels
• Cutting board

Ingredients

• 32 oz CB2 wax, divided
• 1 oz Stearic Acid
• 2 oz Maple Chai Cream fragrance oil
• ½ to ¼ of a Mahogany candle dye chip

Find all the supplies and ingredients you need to make this project in our store NorthWoodCandleSupply.com

Part 1: Making the Candles

First, we will start by making the main part of our candles. The candles need to cool and harden before we can make the whipped topping. You can leave the candles to harden for a few hours, or let them sit overnight.

1. Prepare your candle votives by attaching the wicks. To do this, apply a glue dot to the bottom of a wick and firmly press it into the bottom of the container, making sure it is centered.
2. Place a small candle warning label on the bottom of each container.
3. Attach wick stabilizer bars or bowtie wick bars to hold your wicks in place. Then set the candle containers aside for later.
4. Wearing gloves, cut and weigh 22 oz of wax using your straight edge cutter and digital scale.
5. Add the 22 oz of wax to a wax melting pot or a double boiler. If you do not have a double boiler, you can create one by placing the wax in your metal pouring pitcher and putting the pitcher in a sauce pan that is ½ full of water. Then heat the sauce pan on the stovetop.
6. While your wax is melting, use your digital scale and a 3 oz measuring beaker to measure 2 oz of fragrance oil.
7. Use your digital thermometer to check the temperature of the wax. When it is between 200 and 220 degrees F, add the fragrance oil. Stir for 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
8. Next, cut off a small piece of a Mahogany candle dye chip and drop it in the melting wax. You only need ¼ to ½ of one dye chip to create a nice pale brown color. Stir to blend the dye.
9. Remove the wax from the heat and let it begin cooling. If your wax is in a melting pot, transfer it to your metal pouring pitcher at this time. When the wax reaches about 160 degrees F it is ready to pour (the ideal pour temp can vary depending on the temperature in your work room. Anywhere from 150 to 165 degrees F could be ideal).
10. Pour wax into each container, being careful to only fill them 2/3 of the way full. You want to leave enough room for the whipped topping.
11. Let the candles sit until they are cool and hard. This may take a few hours.

Part 2: Making the Whipped Candle Wax Topping

After the candles are cool and hard, you are ready to make the whipped topping. Remember that adding fragrance oil is completely optional. For this tutorial, we are skipping the fragrance in the whipped topping.  

1. Wearing gloves, cut and weigh 10 oz of wax using your straight edge cutter and digital scale.
2. Use a measuring beaker to weigh 1 oz of stearic acid.
3. Add the wax and stearic acid to your wax melting pot or double boiler. Remember you can create your own double boiler with your metal pouring pitcher and a sauce pan as described in Part 1.
4. Heat the wax until it is fully melted. If you are not adding fragrance, the wax temperature does not matter. However, if you are adding fragrance oil, make sure the wax reaches 200-220 degrees F before adding the fragrance.
5. Remove the wax from the heat. If your wax is not already in the metal pouring pitcher, transfer it to the pitcher at this time.
6. Let the wax begin to cool. You may stir the wax to help it cool faster.
7. When the wax starts to become opaque, begin whipping it with your whisk or another mixing tool.
8. Whip the wax until it forms peaks that hold their shape.
9. Transfer the wax into a zippered sandwich bag or a piping bag with a tip attached.
10. Apply the whipped topping to the candles (see piping tips in previous sections). Avoid placing too much whipped topping on the candles, as it may melt over the edges of the container when the candle is lit.
11. Let the whipped topping harden completely, then trim the wick to ¼”.
12. For best results, let your candles cure for 1-2 weeks before burning them.

How to Use Candles with a Whipped Wax Topping

These candles are so cute to look at that you might not want to ever light them. However, there are a few things to know about burning decorative candles such as these. They’re adorable to look at, but they don’t burn quite the same way a normal candle would. Therefore, they require a little extra attention the first time you light them.

Tips for Burning

Because of the way these candles are structured, the wick may tunnel when you light the candle. In other words, the wick may create a hole straight down into the frosting as the candle burns. This is because there is more air in the whipped topping, and it will melt more quickly than the rest of the candle.

On the first burn, check the length of the wick after it tunnels into the frosting. If the wick becomes longer than ¼ of an inch when it gets into the middle of the whipped topping, blow the candle out and trim away the excess wick. You may then re-light it.

As the candle burns, you may notice that the whipped wax forms a pool at the base of the frosting as it melts. This melted wax may cool and harden as it reaches the edges, or it may stay melted and begin forming the melt pool.

As the whipped topping melts, you may also notice that there is an excessive amount of melted wax in the melt pool. If so, it is recommended that you extinguish the candle and let the melt pool harden. Having too much wax in the melt pool can drown out the wick, making it difficult for the candle to stay lit. With that in mind it’s best to give the candle a break so the melt pool can harden and return to a normal size. The next time you burn the candle, it should burn normally – just like any other candle would. Melt pool issues are more likely if you put a lot of whipped topping on your candles or if there are large air pockets in your whipping. The more topping you use, the more likely it is you will face issues with the melt pool.