Vegan Chocolate or Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

This is a smooth frosting that is useful not just for those who do not consume eggs or dairy, but for those with specific allergies as it does not contain vegan butter.

The base of this frosting is called a butter roux frosting (but without butter.) 

Also known as an Ermine style buttercream base, which is usually white, hence the name (but being vegan contains no Ermine.)

Vegan Chocolate Frosting on Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes. (click on image to view cupcake recipe)

I have also added icing sugar.  For the chocolate version, I have added cocoa.

Instead of milk, I have used canned coconut milk, the type that separates. Make sure you give it a good shake before measuring it out, or blend it.

I have used oat milk, it turns out a bit different, and the oat milk is not white which may not matter too much, especially when cocoa is added. 

Vegan Vanilla Frosting on Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes. (click on image to view Chocolate cupcake recipe)

The problem with using coconut oil for something that you need to set, is that it does not contain stabilizers.  Coconut oil gets very hard when it is cold and gets soft faster than other “solid at room temperature” oils, so incorporating this pudding base, or roux helps.   It also does not get crisp on the outside after sitting like American Buttercream can. 

Coconut oil can also be lumpy as it tends to go from liquid to solid on its own with the slightest change in temperature.  Virgin coconut oil, more likely than refined.

*Note!

The other problem with coconut oil is, it gets lumpy, grainy from heating a cooling and it doesn’t take much to change as you may have noticed if you have had a jar.

If it seems grainy, it would be worth it to take the time to heat it until it is liquid, just 10 seconds or so in the microwave, then chill it completely, then let it come back to room temperature so it is useable.

I’m sure shortening or vegan butter would work here but I have not tried either.

How to Make Vegan Chocolate or Vanilla Buttercream

Start with the roux because it needs to cool completely.  I usually do this the day before.

Since the pudding base needs to be started first so it can be completely chilled, I would suggest checking your coconut oil at this time.  If you scoop it, you will probably be able to see if it is lumpy.  Sometimes these lumps don’t just spread out, they are more granular and do not smooth out with beating.  

Measure what you need, then melt it, then cool it in the fridge and bring it back to room temperature for using.  (It is much too hard straight from the refrigerator). An odd and time consuming step, but makes for a much nicer frosting.

1. Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a small saucepan. Add the cocoa here if using.

2. Add the coconut milk and cook over medium heat stirring so it does not get lumpy, until thick like a pudding.

Remove from heat. 

3. Add vanilla.

If it is lumpy, put it through a sieve.  Place plastic wrap directly on top of the mixture as you would a pudding.

Cool completely.

cooked roux for vegan chocolate frosting

4. Beat the coconut oil until smooth, scrape the bowl and beat again. 

Try to keep it cool, not cold or the oil will be hard.  A bit too warm and it is liquid.  You’ve probably seen this with your jar of coconut oil and this is why it may have been lumpy.

5. Beat in the icing sugar a cup or so at a time until incorporated, scraping often.

Roux beaten into icing sugar mixture

Note!

If this is still lumpy, I have microwaved it a bit until softer, beat it, refrigerated it, beating from time to time until cooled and smooth. Sometimes I have done it after combining it with the flour mixture.

It doesn’t always do this, but has with virgin coconut oil, which is one reason why I suggest refined, also because refined coconut oil is more neutral in taste and smell. 

I don’t know why some coconut oil are lumpy, and virgin coconut oil gets more like grainy.  It seems to be the storage, like most things that go from warm to cool, like honey or chocolate, they are still fine to consume, but change in appearance and texture.

Virgin coconut oil

Cooled and re-whipped

6. Add a scoop of the coconut oil mixture to the pudding mixture and beat.

7. Combine everything together and beat until smooth.

I find that over beating is not helpful and the mixture may start to split.

It always does a little bit but if it has before you use it, refrigerate for about 30 minutes making sure to beat it every 10 minutes or so. You could also add another spoonful of icing sugar.

Try to use this frosting right away.  It freezes well and rewhips fine if you keep it cool but not always after freezing.

Beat until smooth