Here's an easy Vegan Chocolate Frosting recipe that is perfectly sweetened, chocolaty, and absolutely mouthwatering. Made with just 5 ingredients, you'll want to eat this dairy-free chocolate frosting by the spoonful.
Vegan Chocolate Frosting is an essential spread for vegan chocolate cake and cupcakes.
There're so many vegan frosting recipes out there, but I'm going to show you the best recipe.
Why so?
My dairy-free Chocolate Frosting is so easy to make, you only need 5 ingredients.
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What also sets my easy dairy-free and gluten-free recipe apart from other homemade vegan chocolate frosting recipes is that it has a perfect balance of sugar and other ingredients.
See, the thing is, most of the time you'll see dairy-free frosting recipes that are drowning in sugar.
My easy vegan chocolate recipe uses two times less the amount of sugar than is used in most frosting recipes.
The outcome? Perfectly sweetened vegan chocolate buttercream frosting that is rich, creamy, and melts in your mouth.
Yes, please!
Ingredients
Here's an overview of the specific ingredients for this recipe. For the exact ingredients and measurements, please scroll to the recipe card below.
Ingredient Notes
- butter - I used Miyoko's unsalted vegan butter. It's made of cashews and doesn't have any questionable ingredients. You can buy this plant-based butter in practically any grocery store in the freezer aisle. Search for the vegan foods section. Earth Balance is also a good brand.
- plant-based milk. In this easy vegan chocolate frosting recipe, I used Almond milk. As with the vegan butter, choose Almond milk that doesn't contain any oils or flavors. Currently, I love Three Trees Almond Milk.
- cacao powder. I recommend choosing unsweetened cacao powder versus unsweetened cocoa powder. The latter is more processed and has fewer antioxidants than cacao powder.
🔪 Instructions
It's so easy to make this vegan chocolate frosting with cacao powder. See the steps below.
- In a large mixing bowl sift cacao powder and sugar. Sifting will help to break up clumps.
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment beat softened butter until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add cacao-sugar mixture, vanilla, and ¼ c almond milk and beat on a low speed until sugar is incorporated.
- Increase the speed, and beat for 2 more minutes adding more plant-based milk as necessary to loosen the consistency and scraping down the sides of the bowl several times to ensure everything is well blended.
👩🏼🍳 Chef's Tip
To make this easy vegan chocolate frosting with cacao powder, you need to use softened butter.
If you haven't had time to bring the butter to room temperature, here's a little trick you can do to speed up the process.
- Place vegan butter on a microwave-safe plate and cover it with a microwave-safe bowl. There should be no gaps between the plate and the bowl.
- Microwave for 5 seconds. Check the butter if it is softened enough. With a clean finger, press on the butter. It should easily leave an indent in the butter without it falling apart.
- If the butter is still solid, cover it with a bowl once again and microwave for another 5 seconds. It's important not to overdo it, otherwise, the butter will melt.
💭 Frequently Asked Questions
You'll have about 3 cups of vegan chocolate frosting. It's enough for icing one double-layer chocolate cake or 24 cupcakes.
You can use any other non-dairy milk like soy milk, cashew milk, or coconut milk. However, keep in mind that coconut milk might slightly affect the flavor of the chocolate frosting. This should not change the taste though.
Absolutely. Make sure to increase the mixing times to accommodate the increased quantities.
Salt is often used to cut through the sweetness of the frosting. My easy vegan chocolate frosting has the right amount of sugar, so adding salt is not necessary.
📖 Troubleshooting
Melting butter? If your vegan butter is too soft or melting, it may be difficult to beat it into the stiff vegan frosting. To fix this, place it in a fridge to harden a bit and try again.
The frosting is too runny? Chill it in a refrigerator for an hour. If it's still runny, add a few tablespoons of powdered sugar. That will help to stiffen the frosting.
The frosting is too thick? Whisk in a tablespoon or two of plant-based milk. Also, if the vegan chocolate frosting was in a fridge for some time, simply giving it 10-20 minutes on a counter will soften the frosting making it perfect for spreading on cakes or cupcakes.
♨️ Storage Tips
Storage. Homemade Vegan Chocolate Frosting with cacao powder should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Properly stored it will keep for a couple of weeks.
Alternatively, you can freeze the dairy-free chocolate frosting. Place it in a freezer-safe bag or container and freezer for about 3 months.
Defrosting. 30 minutes before icing the cake or cupcakes, remove the dairy-free chocolate frosting from the freezer and let it defrost slightly.
🧁 Where To Use Vegan Chocolate Frosting?
This dairy-free frosting recipe is perfect to spread on layer cakes. Also, add some frosting in a piping bag and ice the cupcakes.
Try this easy non-dairy frosting on my Vegan Cruffins and Mini Chocolate Cake.
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Recipe
Easy Vegan Chocolate Frosting (ONLY 5 Ingredients!)
Ingredients
- ⅔ c cacao powder
- 1 c powdered sugar
- 1 c vegan butter softened
- ½ c plant-based milk I used almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium bowl sift cacao powder and sugar. Sifting will help to break up clumps.
- Using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment beat softened butter until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add cacao-sugar mixture, vanilla, and ¼ c almond milk and beat on a low speed until sugar is incorporated. Increase the speed, and beat for 2 more minutes adding more plant-based milk as necessary to loosen the texture and scraping down the sides of the bowl several times to ensure everything is well blended.
Notes
Nutrition
If you make this recipe, please leave me a comment below and rate it. I always appreciate the feedback. Also, you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.
Iryna Bychkiv is the founder and writer of the culinary website Lavender & Macarons, where she shares clean, European-inspired recipes that are delicious, easy to prepare, and made with wholesome ingredients. Iryna loves creating meals that are simple yet healthy and unique, including vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Iryna is also a freelance writer for MSN and Associated Press Wire.
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