While I love my recipe for chocolate frosting using heavy cream and chocolate, I like this one even more for a few reasons: It’s dairy free and it’s made with cocoa powder, maple syrup, coconut oil, and coconut cream from full-fat coconut milk. I can also easily adjust it to my liking.
I’ve been experimenting for a while with cocoa as the key ingredient for chocolate frosting. There are a lot of recipes out there that use unsweetened chocolate and baking chocolate, but I like to avoid the additives in chocolate bars. I’m also trying to focus on plant-based eating to minimize my impact on animals and the planet, so this hits that mark well for me since it’s made of plant-based ingredients.
And another beautiful thing about this recipe: You can work with it just like dairy-based buttercream. It can be piped using a pastry bag to create decorative frosting on cakes and cupcakes. The frosting can be at room temperature or a bit cooler. If it’s a bit on the warm side just put in the refrigerator for 10 minutes or so.
Milk Chocolate Buttercream Frosting {dairy free}
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 5 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 6 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons almond butter smooth, unsalted, roasted or raw, no additives
- 6 tablespoons coconut cream the cream from the top of a container of full-fat coconut milk (see recipe notes)
- pinch of salt optional
Instructions
- Melt the coconut oil in a glass bowl over a double boiler (saucepan with simmering water).
- Once the oil is melted (and clear), turn off the heat and add the cocoa powder and blend well with a whisk.
- Add the maple syrup and whisk unti well blended.
- Add the coconut milk and whisk well again.
- Add the almond butter and whisk the frosting for a minute or so, unti it is blended a lightly whipped.
- Frost cupcakes and cakes. Store it covered in the refrigerator for a few weeks.
Thank you, Erica! Is there a coconut milk brand you can recommend? We’ve been buying SCD-legal canned coconut milk, but of late when I open the cans, I would swear there is coconut OIL instead of CREAM on top. It’s so strange–instead of white and creamy, the milk is translucent and (solid-ish) oily on top. Thanks for any ideas on what coconut milk can be used to get good cream 🙂
Hi Gina! The two brands that have been working for me are: Aroy-D (no additives) and Native Forest (no quar gum and no additives).
Just finished making the frosting. It’s pretty runny, not like frosting. I’m going to hope it firms up as it cools? Smells great!
Oh no! It should be more like buttercream and not runny. Try adding coconut cream, which you can get by refrigerating the full fat coconut milk for at least 24 hours. I use a very thick coconut milk for this frosting so that could be why. I’ll make a note in the recipe. You can also try adding a bit more cocoa powder to thicken it.
Hi! Can the maple syrup be substituted with honey to make is SCD legal? Thanks
Unfortunately, cocoa is not SCD legal, but you can replace the maple syrup with honey.
Hi there 🙂 Looks great! I’m guessing the second coconut oil mentioned in the list is coconut milk as per the recipe 🙂 x
Thanks! Already fixed that. Yes, the second is coconut milk 🙂