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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Buttercream Frosting Recipes

    Easy Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

    Published: Dec 15, 2023 · Modified: Aug 3, 2024 by Megan Calipari · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

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    This easy Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting recipe is dairy free, smooth and intensely chocolatey. It is the perfect vegan chocolate icing for cakes and cupcakes. And its whipped up in a stand mixer in under 15 minutes!

    Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting in a white bowl on a white cloth.

    I love to decorate cakes and cupcakes! And to do that, I need solid, reliable and delicious buttercream recipes. I have a wide range from my most used Vegan Vanilla Frosting, to Vegan Peanut Butter Frosting all the way to Vegan Strawberry Frosting!

    But, sometimes I just want a delicious and fluffy dark chocolate frosting to go on top of Vegan Chocolate Cake or Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes. And thats where this Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting comes in.

    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Love This Recipe
    • Ingredient Notes
    • Substitutions
    • Step-by Step Instructions
    • Uses
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Expert Tips
    • Looking for More Vegan Chocolate Recipes?
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    There are so many reasons to love this vegan chocolate icing recipe, but here are my top 5:

    • Its ready in 15 minutes.
    • The frosting is intensely dark chocolatey.
    • It holds its shape when piped onto cakes and cupcakes.
    • This recipe is naturally gluten-free.
    • Its absolutely delicious!

    Ingredient Notes

    Photo of ingredients needed to make this recipe.

    Vegan Butter: I recommend either Earth Balance Soy-Free Buttery Sticks or Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks.

    Palm Oil or Vegetable Shortening: Since cocoa powder is really starchy, this ingredient crucial. It adds fat to the recipe to help keep the Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting supple and smooth. I recommend Spectrum Palm Oil.

    Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder: Dutch-processed cocoa has a richer and more intensely chocolate flavor than natural cocoa powder. I like Hersheys Special Dark Cocoa Powder, 365 by Whole Foods cocoa powder or Droste cocoa powder.

    Brewed Coffee: Coffee complements the roasted flavors of the chocolate in this recipe.

    Substitutions

    Don't drink coffee? No worries, just use a non-dairy milk in its place. I've done this many times and it tastes great.

    Can't find palm shortening? Use vegetable shortening like Crisco.

    Step-by Step Instructions

    Vegan butter creamed in a marble bowl.

    Step 1. Cream the vegan butter until completely smooth.

    Palm oil added into the non-dairy butter and creamed together in a marble bowl.

    Step 2. Add the palm shortening and cream until completely smooth again.

    Cocoa powder mixed into the non-dairy butter in a marble bowl.

    Step 3. Add the sifted cocoa powder and mix thoroughly.

    A crumbly brown mixture in a marble bowl.

    Step 4. Add the sifted powdered sugar and mix. Don't panic if it looks crumbly! It will come together.

    The finished Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting in a marble bowl with a spatula in it.

    Step 5. Add the coffee and mix until the frosting is light and fluffy.

    cake frosted with vegan chocolate icing and decorated with purple flowers.

    Step 6. Use the Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting as desired.

    Uses

    Use this vegan chocolate icing to:

    • Fill vegan double chocolate whoopie pies.
    • Frost a single layer cake like my vegan peanut butter cake.
    • Stack a layer cake like my vegan funfetti cake.
    • Pipe onto Vegan Cardamom Vanilla Cupcakes.

    Recipe FAQs

    How do I know if my cocoa is Dutch processed?

    If it says "cocoa processed with alkali" in the ingredients list, its Dutch-processed!

    What size cake can I frost with this recipe?

    This recipe will frost a 6 inch 3 layer cake, an 8 inch 2 layer cake or 2 dozen cupcakes!

    How do I store this Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting?

    Scoop the frosting into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

    Can I freeze the buttercream?

    Yes! To freeze, scoop the frosting into an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To use, allow the frosting to come to room temperature, then whip it back up with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer.

    Expert Tips

    Be sure to use a vegan butter that comes in in stick form. The kind that comes in a tub is too soft for this dairy free Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting recipe.

    Sift the powdered sugar and the cocoa powder! The last thing you want is a lumpy frosting.

    Close up of vegan chocolate buttercream frosting in a white bowl.

    Looking for More Vegan Chocolate Recipes?

    • brownies on a white cloth with flowers and chocolate chunks in the foreground
      Easy Dairy Free Fudgy Brownies
    • Vegan Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet flice on a white plate topped with ice cream.
      Vegan Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
    • Vegan Oat Milk Hot Chocolate in a mug topped with marshmallows and shaved chocolate.
      Oat Milk Hot Chocolate (Vegan!)
    • A stack of vegan oreo whoopie pies with one broken open to show the middle
      Oreo Whoopie Pies

    If you tried this Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today!

    📖 Recipe

    Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting in a white bowl.

    Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

    Megan Calipari
    This easy Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting recipe is dairy free, smooth and intensely chocolatey. It is the perfect vegan chocolate icing for cakes and cupcakes.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 15 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 5 Cups
    Calories 952 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment
    • 1 Sifter
    • 1 Rubber Spatula
    • Measuring Cups and Spoons

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 Cup Non-Dairy Butter, room temperature
    • ½ Cup Palm Shortening, room temperature or vegetable shortening
    • 1 Cup Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder, Sifted
    • 5 Cups Powdered Sugar, Sifted
    • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
    • 5 tablespoon Brewed Coffee, room temperature or non-dairy milk

    Instructions
     

    • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the non-dairy butter until completely smooth.
      1 Cup Non-Dairy Butter, room temperature
    • Add the palm shortening and cream again until completely smooth.
      ½ Cup Palm Shortening, room temperature
    • Add the cocoa powder to the mixture and thoroughly combine on low speed.
      1 Cup Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder, Sifted
    • Add ½ of the sifted powdered sugar and combine on low speed. Then, add the remaining half and combine on low speed again. The mixture will be very firm here or even crumbly looking.
      5 Cups Powdered Sugar, Sifted
    • Add the vanilla and combine on low speed.
      1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
    • Then, on medium speed, add the coffee, one tablespoon at a time letting the coffee or fully incorporate before adding the next tablespoon. Scrape the bowl down as needed.
      5 tablespoon Brewed Coffee, room temperature

    Notes

    Use a non-dairy butter that comes in stick form- not in a tub.
    Be sure to sift the cocoa powder and powdered sugar to avoid lumps!
    To store: This buttercream will store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months.  
    To use, simply bring the frosting to room temperature and put into a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.  Then mix on medium speed until the the frosting is light and fluffy.
     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1CupCalories: 952kcalCarbohydrates: 120gProtein: 3gFat: 56gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 16gMonounsaturated Fat: 25gTrans Fat: 9gSodium: 278mgPotassium: 9mgFiber: 3gSugar: 120gCalcium: 2mgIron: 0.1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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      Vegan Lemon Curd

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. steve crosetti

      April 19, 2020 at 5:01 pm

      Megan,
      My name is Steve Crosetti and I am Gina Crosetti's Dad. Gina like so many other graduates in the United States has to forego her graduation ceremony, however she is scheduled to be recognized on Wednesday April 22, via teleconference for her academic achievements at UK. I was wondering if it would be possible for you to deliver one of your Perfect Chocolate Buttercream cakes to Kentucky for the occasion. Your Father, Mother and Brother have been most generous in supporting her during the virus lockdown and I would love to have your cake as one of the surprises for the day. As I realize that this will require more time and effort on your part I would expect the expenses to reflect that. Please let me know if this is doable and if so how you would like to handle the payment. I appreciate your time and look forward to your reply. My cell phone is under my name if you find that more convenient.
      thanks again.
      Steve Crosetti
      510-506-9351

      Reply
    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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