Gluten Free, Dairy Free
This easy dairy free chocolate frosting is rich and creamy with the perfect amount of sweetness. It’s stiff enough to hold it’s shape yet maintain a pillowy softness. You’ll forget you’re eating dairy free!

Why I Love This Recipe
My oldest son, Aldan, requested his birthday cake be filled with this chocolate frosting this year. Since his birthday is this weekend, I’m kicking off the celebration by sharing this recipe with all of you!! Happy 7th Birthday my big man!
When I realized how quick it is to make homemade frosting, I was determined to come up with a recipe that solved the issues I was running into with store bought brands. This started with my homemade Vanilla "Buttercream" Frosting and has extended to this perfectly chocolaty version!
So, join me in saying so long to overly firm, difficult to spread store bought diary free frostings and hello to this silky smooth alternative! Unlike store bought brands that taste bland at best and like lard/oil at worst, Chocolate "Buttercream" Frosting boasts a deliciously rich milk chocolate flavor.
This recipe is beautifully smooth and creamy and will also last at room temperature without wilting. It's a frosting that is soft yet stiff enough to hold is shape well when frosting cupcakes or adding decorations to cake. Plus, Chocolate "Buttercream" Frosting is decadent and rich without being overly sweet. Of course, it is delicious on cakes, but also tastes great on top of brownies, cookies or as filling in cookie sandwiches or whoopie pies!
Cooking Tips
It can be hard finding a good dairy free, soy free butter alternative, but this dairy free butter is one my favorite finds. The base of it is cashews, so it is a no go for those of you with nut allergies. Earth Balance and Country Crock also offer good quality plant based butters that are nut free. However, it’s important to note they both do contain soy and/or legume products.
While you don’t want to blend butter that’s too cold, you don’t want the butter to get too soft/melty either. Typically I either cube the butter and let it set out on the counter for 10-15 minutes. Or for quicker butter softening: First, fill a large mixing bowl half-way with tap water on hottest setting. Let set 30 seconds to 1 minute. Then, drain and wipe dry with a paper towel. Next, slice butter into 1 tablespoon squares and add to warmed bowl. Finally, let set 1-2 minutes. Viola! Softened butter 😉
Cacao is extra rich and delicious with the added benefit of being calcium and antioxidant packed. However, if you don’t have cacao powder on hand, you can substitute with cocoa powder. The taste will be very similar.
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📖 Recipe
Chocolate "Buttercream" Frosting {Dairy Free}
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 electric hand mixer
- measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 3 sticks dairy free butter* 1½ cups
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla
- 2 pinches salt
- 1 cups cacao powder
- 3½ cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoon almond milk or preferred milk
Instructions
- Using a hand mixer on MED-LOW cream butter until smooth. Add vanilla and salt and cream until well mixed. Add cacao powder ½ cup at a time and blend on LOW to incorporate then increase to MED-LOW to combine. Then add powdered sugar ½ cup at a time and blend on LOW to incorporate sugar then increase to MED-LOW to combine. Between each scoop of powdered sugar use a silicone spatula to push down frosting from sides of bowl. Continue to mix until well combined and smooth.
- When frosting starts to become difficult to mix (about 1½-2 cups powdered sugar left to add) add in almond milk 1 tablespoon at a time up to 3 tbsp. Continue to mix. Only add the remaining milk ½ tablespoon at a time if frosting is really thick. You want it to be a smooth, creamy, but slightly firm texture. Serve on your favorite cakes, cookies, or brownies!
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