Dairy Free Cream Cheese Frosting
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This dairy free cream cheese frosting tastes like the real deal! Made with vegan ingredients, no one will be able to tell it’s dairy free. You only need 6 simple ingredients to make this frosting, and it’s perfect to use on cakes, cupcakes, or even brownies.
I think we can all agree that cream cheese frosting is the best frosting, right? So you know I had to make the ultimate dairy free cream cheese frosting. This cream cheese frosting is perfect on a classic red velvet cake and I loved making a spiced version for my pumpkin cake!
I know cream cheese frosting can be a little tricky to work with, so I have a few tips on how to assemble your cakes, as well as how much frosting you need for different desserts.
Why You’ll Love This Dairy Free Cream Cheese Frosting
- We’re using dairy-free cream cheese and vegan butter, but you’ll never be able to tell it’s dairy-free! This tastes like the real deal.
- You only need 6 simple ingredients, nothing too fancy here.
- This frosting recipe is vegan and dairy-free, so it’s perfect to use if you have food allergies.
- This recipe can easily be scaled up or down depending on what you’re baking.
- I’ve got tips on how to work with cream cheese, I know it can sometimes be a little tricky!
Ingredients Needed
- Dairy Free Cream Cheese: there are some brands of dairy free cream cheese that work better than others! I love using Violife, Tofutti, or Vitalife.
- Cornstarch: Adding cornstarch to the vegan cream cheese frosting is going to help thicken it, I promise you can’t taste it at all!
- Vegan Butter: use your favorite vegan butter.
- Vanilla Extract: try to use a high-quality vanilla extract if you can.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a medium bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese together until combined.
Step 2: Add in the salt and vanilla extract and mix.
Step 3: Add the cornstarch and powdered sugar slowly until you have your desired consistency. I recommend starting with a lower amount of powdered sugar and adding more if needed.
Step 4: Cover the bowl and place in the fridge until ready to use. I recommend chilling the frosting for 2-4 hours before using.
Expert Tips
- I recommend making the frosting before you make your cake, cupcakes, or brownies. That way your frosting has plenty of time to firm up in the fridge!
- Make sure your baked goods are completely cool before you frost them. Warm cake with cold frosting is going to result in a frosting landslide!
- If you can, chill your cake, cupcakes or brownies before frosting them. I recommend putting them in the freezer for about 20 minutes!
- If you’re using this cream cheese frosting to frost a cake, I recommend chilling your cake in several steps. First, add the frosting between the three cake layers and chill for 10-20 minutes. Then apply your crumb coat and chill again for 10-20 minutes. Then frost once more with the final frosting layer!
- How your frosting turns out definitely depends on the brand of cream cheese you use, so please keep that in mind!
Storage Instructions
Store this vegan cream cheese frosting in the fridge for 3-4 days. For any desserts that are frosted with this cream cheese frosting, I recommend storing them in the fridge too.
Recipes for Your Dairy Free Cream Cheese Frosting
If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Dairy Free Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 10 oz dairy free cream cheese
- ¾ cup (157 g) dairy free butter, softened
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 4-5 cups (480 g) powdered sugar (icing sugar)
- 6 Tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- In a medium bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer, add the cream cheese and butter and beat until fully combined.
- Mix in the salt and vanilla extract.
- Add in the cornstarch and powdered sugar slowly until the desired consistency is reach. Start with the lower amount of powdered sugar and add more as needed.
- Cover the bowl and store the frosting in the fridge until ready to use. Keeping the frosting refrigerated for 2-4 hours at least before using it will make it firmer and easier to work with.
Equipment
Notes
The calorie information provided for this recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.
can this be made into chocolate frosting by adding cocoa powder? If so, how much?
I would use my dairy free chocolate frosting recipe for this!