<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-06-15</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001655199</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NorthStar Real Estate Capital Income Fund</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>XNAFX</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001679688</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Colony NorthStar, Inc.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>515 SOUTH FLOWER ST</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>44TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LOS ANGELES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>90071</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>false</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>false</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>true</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>false</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001695854</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Colony Capital Operating Company, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>515 SOUTH FLOWER ST</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>44TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LOS ANGELES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>90071</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001666397</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>NSAM FV Holdings, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O COLONY NORTHSTAR, INC,</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>515 SOUTH FLOWER STREET, 44TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LOS ANGELES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>90071</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-06-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>538461.538</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>9.10</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>726846.23</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By NSAM FV Holdings, LLC</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Colony NorthStar, Inc. (&quot;CLNS&quot;) disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities, except to the extent of its pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">NSAM FV Holdings, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Colony Capital Operating Company, LLC (&quot;CCOC&quot;), which is a majority-owned subsidiary of CLNS.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ David A. Palame, Chief Compliance Officer of Colony NorthStar, Inc., in its own capacity and as managing member of Colony Capital Operating Company, LLC, in its own capacity and as managing member of NSAM FV Holdings, LLC</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-06-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
