5 Minute Dairy Free Chocolate Frosting
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This dairy free chocolate frosting is so sneakily decadent that you would never know it’s dairy free! Made with plant based butter and milk, this vegan chocolate frosting is perfect to top over dairy free cupcakes or over dairy free brownies. The best part is that it only takes 5 minutes to make, and can pipe really well!
If you need a dairy free chocolate buttercream frosting, you have come to the right place! Just like my vanilla dairy free frosting, this recipe is simple with only a handful of ingredients and can be made in literally 5 minutes.
This recipe is made with a plant based butter like Earth balance (my favorite), cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and coconut cream. For a deeper flavor profile I also sometimes add some hot brewed coffee.
It is optional but adding the hot coffee allows for the chocolate to bloom which means that the chocolate flavor deepens. As a professional baker, I love the simple things you can add to recipes that make a difference! So pour yourself a cup of coffee, and save a little for this recipe and let’s get to it!
Top this decadent frosting over dairy free brownies, dairy free cupcakes, or even sandwich between these dairy free chocolate chip cookies for an extra special treat!
This is also the frosting that I used on my chocolate chip cookie cake!
Plant based dairy alternatives
Milk- For this recipe I used coconut cream instead of heavy cream for 2 reasons. One because of how creamy it is. And no it doesnt make the frosting taste like coconut! The consistency is just like heavy cream. You dont get the same result if you use coconut milk. And two because it is nut free and I don’t use almond milk in my house.
If you like almond milk you can use it but I like to keep it allergen free. Other alternatives are oat milk or soy or rice milk. Just keep in mind that if you use oat milk, the texture of the frosting can be a little gritty.
Butter- My favorite vegan butter to use for baking are the Earth Balance baking sticks. I love that they are pre measured and soften easily- in just about 10-15 minutes at room temperature, instead of 2 hours like butter.
Making the frosting
You need a hand or stand mixer to make the frosting to add as much air as possible, this makes the frosting light and fluffy.
All you have to do is add the vegan butter, powdered sugar, and natural unsweetened cocoa powder to the bowl of your mixer and mix on low speed moving up to medium when it starts to combine. Whip for 1-2 minutes. It should be thick.
Stop the mixer and mix with a spatula to make sure it mixed evenly. Turn the mixer back on to low and slowly add the hot coffee and the coconut cream.
Whip on high for 1 minute to get make sure it’s mixed well.
Again stop the mixer and mix with the spatula and it’s done!
Consistency
You really can’t mess this frosting up, it’s extremely forgiving. If the frosting is too thick, just add a little more cream-1 tsp at a time until the consistency is right.
If it is too thin, then add more powdered sugar about 1/4 cup at a time until the mixture thickens up.
Make sure to mix well after adding either one to test out the consistency of the frosting
Decorating & yield
This frosting can be used pretty much the same exact way you would use a dairy chocolate frosting. It pipes well, and can be used to frost cakes or cupcakes.
You can frost 12 cupcakes with this recipe size of fill and frost a 2 layer 9 inch round cake.
How to store
I always store dairy free frosting in the refrigerator. Because it has more moisture content than dairy butter, it can soften too much at room temperature. But unlike butter, it comes to room temperature much quicker so if I need to use it I just leave it out for 10-15 minutes before.
I also store my dairy free frosted desserts in the fridge too. It helps to solidify the frosting.
You can store it in an airtight container, in a piping bag, or folded around some plastic wrap in the fridge for up to a week.
5 Minute Dairy Free Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted vegan butter, Earth Balance, softened
- 3 cup powdered sugar
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp brewed coffee
- 1 tbsp coconut cream, add more if needed
Equipment
Instructions
- In the bowl of a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add in the 1 cup plant based butter, 3 cups powdered sugar, and ⅔ cup cocoa powder and mix on low speed moving up to medium as it mixes together. Whip on medium for 1-2 minutes.
- Stop and mix with a spatula. With the mixer on low add in the coffee if using, and the coconut cream starting with 1 tbsp at a time. Then mix on medium- high speed for 2 minutes.
At this point check the consistency- want it thicker? Add 1/4 cup powdered sugar and mix. Want it thinner? Add another 1-2 tsps and mix, then reassess.
Notes
