Simply the BEST Vegan Chocolate Frosting! It’s buttery, chocolatey, and perfect for piping with NO shortening aftertaste.
This is my absolute favorite and perfected vegan chocolate frosting recipe, and it’s so easy to make! Just what you need for cupcakes, cakes and more. It’s a chocolate buttercream frosting: smooth, creamy, chocolatey and rich.
What goes well with vegan chocolate frosting?
Well, um, everything! Try not to eat all of it out of the bowl with a spoon! Here are some ideas:
- The Best Vegan Chocolate Cake
- Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes (recipe coming in a few days!)
- Vegan Vanilla Cake
- Sandwiched between cookies!
- On top of brownies if you dare
How to make Vegan Chocolate Frosting:
It’s only going to take you about 5 minutes to make this frosting. The first important part before you get started though is to SOFTEN YOUR VEGAN BUTTER. But do NOT melt it at all, or your frosting will not turn out.
If you are using the vegan butter sticks, simply leave them at room temperature for 15-30 minutes. If using the tub, measure out 16 tablespoons (that equals 1 cup) and place in the mixing bowl for 10-15 minutes until softened. Try not to microwave, but if you insist, only microwave for 10 seconds at a time, being very careful not to melt any of the butter.
Once your butter is soft, beat with a hand mixer (or stand mixer with whisk attachment) for about 2 minutes until creamy.
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Now sift in the cocoa powder (if clumpy). Add in the powdered sugar as well, and the vanilla and soy milk. Beat on low for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 2-3 minutes, until fluffy and combined. That’s it!
Tips for the best vegan frosting:
- If your frosting seems too thick, add a tablespoon of soy milk at a time. If it’s too thin, add 1/4 cup more powdered sugar until a desirable, spreadable consistency is reached.
- Sift your cocoa powder in to avoid clumpy frosting. You can sift your powdered sugar in as well if you want, but I don’t usually do that. Use a sifter or fine mesh strainer.
- To ensure frosting is vegan, use organic powdered sugar.
- This frosting makes enough for about 12-18 cupcakes (depending on how much frosting you use for each one) or one 9×13 inch cake. It is enough for a 8 or 9 inch double layer cake, but if you want the frosting thick or plan to use it for decorating as well, I would double the recipe. For a triple layer cake, triple the recipe to make sure you have plenty.
How to make frosting ahead of time:
You can make vegan chocolate frosting ahead of time if you want. Simply place it in a covered container and refrigerate for up to 1 week. When ready to use, let it come to room temperature and then beat it again with your mixer, or simply stir it well with a spatula.
It can also be frozen for 2-3 months.
Vegan Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegan butter, softened to room temperature earth balance brand sticks preferred
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder natural or dutch processed
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened soy milk
Instructions
- Soften the vegan butter: If using the baking sticks, let them sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes. If you are using the vegan butter in the tub, you can measure out 16 tablespoons (it equals 1 cup and is easier to measure out of the tub), and place in the mixing bowl for 10-15 minutes until softened. Avoid microwaving, but if you must, only microwave for 10 seconds at a time. If the butter melts at all your frosting will be difficult to work with.
- With a hand mixer (or stand mixer with a whisk attachment), beat the butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until creamy.
- Sift in the cocoa powder if clumpy, and add the powdered sugar, vanilla and soy milk. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase the speed to high and beat for 2-3 minutes, until combined and fluffy.
- If the frosting is too thick, add another tablespoon of milk. If it's too thin, add an additional 1/4 cup powdered sugar until the correct consistency is reached.
- Use immediately, or store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. When ready to use, let it come to room temperature, then mix it well or beat again before using. The frosting can also be frozen for 2-3 months.
Notes
- This recipe makes enough for 12-18 cupcakes (depending on how you frost them) or a 9x13 inch cake. It should be enough for an 8 or 9 inch double layer cake, but if you want the frosting really thick or plan to do a lot of decorating I would double the recipe.
- I always use earth balance brand vegan butter, either the baking sticks or the tub. I've heard Miyokos works well but I haven't tried it in frosting. You can try another brand, but I can't be sure it will work as well.
- Feel free to substitute almond, cashew, hemp or coconut milk for the soy milk. Any non-dairy milk works here.
- Calories are for about 1/18th of the entire frosting, about as much as would be on 1 cupcake, frosted generously.
Nutrition
Hello, I just made this frosting for a vegan/gluten free cake for my child I just made. I followed the recipe and used extra homemade vanilla rum instead of milk for more intense bitter vanilla background flavor. This was an amazing recipe, thanks for sharing!
This is a delicious frosting recipe that is not too sweet! It came together beautifully and was more than enough to frost a dozen cupcakes!
Best vegan icing I’ve ever made. I used to use Eatrh Balance exclusively until I found Violife. It’s just like butter. What my store in Ohio sells comes in an 8oz block and I used half of the block for this recipe. After it softened and I whipped it with my Kitchen Aid upright wisk, I added half the powdered sugar then sifted the cocoa powder over that, then added the rest of the powdered sugar, the vanilla and 3 TBL of oat milk (my brand it kind of thick). Mixed, then whipped for a minute, scraped down the side and wisk, then whipped another couple of minutes. Perfect! Just the right amount for my 9×13 cake. Thanks, Nora!!
This worked out really well! It was decadently chocolatey. I used it to ice cupcakes and the only struggle was finding the perfect temperature — too warm and the mixture was too gooshy to pipe properly, too cold and it didn’t want to pipe at all. The only change I made was using homemade almond cream instead of soy milk. I think I added ~1T extra to get a workable consistency. Thanks, will definitely be making this again!
Hello,
I like others had the same issue of my frosting turning out thick and fudgy, and I followed your recipe as written, except I used coconut milk. I also used earth balance from a tub (though I have to use the soy free one). I made sure it was soft (not cold) when I started, but also not too soft. I’m really disappointed. The colour is also sooo dark, it looks nothing like your final picture of a very light brown fluffy frosting. I was really looking forward to some light and airy frosting, which is so far from what I ended up with. I made a full batch, which was more than I needed, but I figure I’d love it and freeze some, but instead I just feel like I’ve wasted a ton of time and ingredients. I tried beating it for longer. I added more coconut milk, cuz it is very thick. I continued beating. I tried adding more icing sugar, nope. I tried refrigerating it for a bit and then mixing again, nope. Any idea why this is happening for many of us? I just don’t get it.
I’m guessing you used a dark cocoa powder, not the lighter colored natural cocoa powder? That will make your frosting very dark. The tub of earth balance, or any vegan butter, does not work as well as sticks, so use them if you can. Frosting can be tough for some folks to master, and there are a few tricks. You’ve got to start with quality vegan butter, sticks if at all possible like I said. They need to be just softened, but not at all melted, so able to hold their shape but soft if you push with your finger. For this chocolate frosting, use natural unsweetened cocoa powder, not dark or alkalized cocoa. And then it’s a matter of adding the right amount of powdered sugar and milk. If it’s really thick like you are describing, you need to add more milk and beat with a mixer until it’s creamy and fluffy, not thick. If it seems too runny, you can add more powdered sugar. That’s really it for frosting. The other thing here is if you are using canned coconut milk, it can make things very thick and strange, so don’t use it.