Hello, everyone! Are you looking for a delicious, vegan-friendly frosting recipe? If so, you'll love this vegan buttercream frosting. It's perfect for topping cakes or cupcakes and will surely please even the most discerning palates. Give it a try today!

vegan buttercream frosting on top of carrot cake

We use this cake frosting for our carrot loaf cake, vegan banana bread, and muffins.

Most frosting recipes call for cream cheese and lots of powdered sugar. We decided to make many trials to reach a version that did not have many calories per serving.

adding frosting on top of the carrot cake

Mission: Flavor-packed indulgence under 100 kcal. Guess what? Nailed it! We're totally vibing with the outcome and can't stop slathering it on our gluten-free, vegan carrot cake—flavor jackpot without the calorie overload!

💚 Why you will love it

Effortlessly Creamy Texture
Versatile Plant-Based Delight
Rich White Chocolate Twist
Cool & Spreadable Consistency
Kitchen staples and equipment

Jump to:

💚 Why you will love it
🧾 Ingredients
🍽 Equipment
🔪 Instructions
💡 Expert Tip
📚 More Vegan How to's
🎥 Video
📋 Recipe
💬 Reviews and Comments

🧾 Ingredients

This white chocolate buttercream frosting is made in minutes with a few ingredients.

Cornstarch is used as a thickening agent to give the frosting a creamy and smooth texture.
Soy milk serves as a non-dairy liquid base for the frosting, providing moisture and helping to achieve the desired consistency.
Agave nectar or maple syrup: These sweeteners are used to add a natural sweetness to the frosting without using animal-derived ingredients like honey.
Vegan butter (such as Earth Balance buttery sticks): Vegan butter is the main fat component in the frosting, providing richness and a buttery flavor.
Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract enhances the flavor of the frosting, giving it a delicious and aromatic taste.
Lemon zest: Lemon zest adds a refreshing citrus note to the frosting, balancing the sweetness and adding a subtle tangy flavor.

Optional

White chocolate or cacao butter (depending on the recipe variation): White chocolate or cacao butter is used to add richness, creaminess, and a hint of chocolate flavor to the frosting, enhancing its overall taste and texture.

Substitutions and additions

Dairy-free milk - you can use any non-dairy milk you like, such as almond milk, oat milk, and coconut milk, for this vegan icing recipe. Most of the time, we use homemade soy milk, almond milk, or oat milk.
Sweetener - you can use maple syrup, agave nectar, or organic powdered sugar instead.
Vegan butter - we like using earth-balance butter or this easy vegan butter recipe. You can use palm shortening or melted coconut oil instead.
Lemon - if you plan to use this frosting in a vegan chocolate cake or even vegan zucchini muffins, or any other recipe where you might not see a good fit, you can omit the lemon zest.
White chocolate - we have made this recipe without white chocolate or cocoa butter, and it also works. The flavor will be a little different but still delicious.
Vanilla extract - you could make this delicious frosting more like a vanilla frosting, add more vanilla extract, or use vanilla bean paste and remove the lemon zest.
Color - you can ideally use organic and natural food coloring for this recipe. I like adding a pinch of turmeric for oranges and squeezing some juice out of beets for a purple frosting.

🍽 Equipment

You could use a stand mixer to make this vegan frosting recipe and just let it run until the desired consistency is met.

We just felt it was unnecessary, but it can definitely give much more air to the dairy-free buttercream frosting. I feel a whisk and an immersion blender (affiliate link) are enough to keep my kitchen super clean.

As we usually pair this frosting with our one-bowl carrot cake, we like to keep the whole dessert-making hassle-free and keep cleaning to a minimum.

🔪 Instructions

Mix the cornstarch and soy milk using an immersion blender.
Melt vegan butter in a saucepan and add the agave nectar and vanilla extract.
Bring to a boil and slowly pour the cornstarch and plant milk mixture, followed by the white chocolate and the lemon zest.
It doesn't matter if it's still warm. Just keep whisking until thick and smooth.

whisking vegan buttercream frosting on top of carrot cake

Tip: you can use the vegan buttercream recipe immediately or leave it to cool completely in the fridge before using it on your cakes. You may need to whip the frosting again to soften it before using it.

💡 Expert Tip

For flawless frosting every time, focus on achieving the perfect consistency. This is crucial, especially when dealing with plant-based ingredients. After combining all your ingredients, pay close attention to the texture as you whisk. If your frosting is too runny, it hasn't appropriately emulsified.

To rectify this, continue whisking energetically. The goal is a smooth, creamy texture that holds its shape, not too stiff or too liquid. Remember, the frosting will thicken slightly when cooled, so aim for a slightly softer consistency than traditional buttercream.

This ensures it spreads quickly on cakes without losing its shape. Remember, if you're using cacao butter, the consistency might differ slightly from when using melted white chocolate, so adjust your whisking accordingly.

📚 More Vegan How to's

Check out how to make vegan buttermilk for vegan baking.

Use this extraordinary vegan bechamel white sauce for your savory treats like lasagna and vegan casseroles.

For a simple yet delightful topping for your Christmas cookies, try this vegan royal icing recipe. It's an effortless way to add a beautiful touch to your treats!

Chocolate lover? Try our chocolate and strawberry smoothie, dark chocolate chia pudding, and chocolate almond milk.

⭐ If you try this recipe, let us know! 💬 Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag us @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!

🎥 Video

📋 Recipe

Vegan Buttercream frosting with White Chocolate | No Sugar

Author: Gustavo De Obaldia

A scrumptious vegan buttercream frosting that is perfect for cupcakes and cakes! You can even mix in some melted white chocolate to make it extra yummy.

4.9 from 13 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Total Time 10

Course Basics & Preparations, Sweet

Cuisine American

Servings 12 servings

Calories 98 kcal

Equipment

(affiliate link)

Immersion blender (affiliate link)

our favorite small saucepan cuisine art.

(affiliate link)

Small Saucepan (affiliate link)