Hands down, the best dairy-free chocolate frosting recipe you can whip up fast at home.
This recipe is simple and will satisfy even the toughest chocolateaholic critics out there. Use it to frost your favorite chocolate cake recipe or, for an allergy-friendly version, Check out my Gluten, Egg, and Dairy-Free Chocolate Cake Recipe.
Dairy-Free Chocolate Frosting Ingredients
Five simple ingredients make up this dairy-free chocolate frosting. You will need:
- Vegetable shortening
- Vanilla extract
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Powdered sugar
- Canned coconut milk or non-dairy creamer
For the recipe amounts and directions, check the recipe card below.
How to Make Dairy-Free Chocolate Frosting
Making dairy-free chocolate frosting at home is simple. You will need a hand mixer and a large bowl or, a stand mixer to whip up the ingredients into the classic frosting texture you’ve come to love.
Check out this video below where I show you how to make this dairy-free frosting. In the video, I also show you how to make my allergy-friendly cake recipe.
Sugar-Free Chocolate Frosting
To turn this recipe into a sugar-free chocolate frosting, you can swap the traditional powdered sugar with powdered erythritol.
I’ve successfully used powdered erythritol as a 1:1 replacement using this powdered erythritol and my favorite, this popular brand.
Extra Tips for the Perfect Dairy Free Frosting
For the ultimate whipped frosting texture, you’ll want to follow the recipe and not make any substitutions. That said, here are a few tips to make the perfect dairy-free frosting:
- Make sure the vegetable shortening is at room temperature and soft, not melted.
- Using canned coconut milk or dairy-free coffee creamer will yield a thicker texture than using a dairy-free milk alternative (like almond or soy). Using a milk alternative will yield a “runnier” frosting.
- Use powdered sugar, not granulated sugar.
- Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon instant coffee for a deeper chocolate flavor.
- Wait for your cake to fully cool down to room temperature before frosting. Otherwise, your frosting texture will be runnier.
- This dairy-free chocolate frosting needs to be at room temperature for easy spreading.
How Long Does Homemade Dairy-Free Frosting Last?
Homemade dairy-free frosting will last a week in the refrigerator in an airtight container or zip bag.
To have a ready-made cake, make this frosting, frost the cake, and refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve it, for up to 5 days.
You can also frost your cake or cupcakes and freeze them. To enjoy a slice or a cupcake, simply take it out of the freezer, and in 15 to 20 minutes it’s ready to be enjoyed.
How to Store Homemade Frosting
This dairy-free homemade frosting is best stored in the refrigerator for up to a week, in the freezer for up to 3 months once frosted on a cake or cupcakes.
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Chocolate Cake & Frosting Recipes
When you need an allergy-friendly treat, this frosting goes epic on top of my favorite gluten-free, dairy-free chocolate cake!
Another recipe you can use this frosting on is my Paleo Chocolate Cake Recipe.
Want more dairy-free treats? Check out this book!
Clean Treats Cookbook
Healthy and wholesome dessert recipes you’ll want to eat made with clean ingredients you already have on hand.
Grab your copy today!
Dairy-Free Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegetable shortening
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened canned coconut milk or non-dairy creamer
Instructions
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the vegetable shortening until light and fluffy.
- Add the vanilla, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar.
- While mixing on medium speed, add the coconut milk or creamer slowly until all ingredients are combined, and the frosting is smooth.
- If the frosting is too thick, add more creamer 1 tablespoon at a time. If it’s too runny, add more powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time.
- This frosting is ready to use once the cake has cooled completely.
Damini
This is the best gluten free recipe I have ever come across. Thank you so much for sharing!!
MOMables - Laura
thank you for sharing how much you enjoyed it!
TinyBirdie
Would nutiva coconut shortening work for the frosting or should it be crisco?
MOMables - Laura
I’ve used nutiva’s coconut shortening for this recipe and it performs just as well! Just make sure its not melty or near a too soft (I usually put it in the fridge for 5 minutes while I gather my ingredients since my kitchen is rather warm).
TinyBirdie
How does the frosting hold up in 80/90 degree weather?
MOMables - Laura
It holds for serving and singing. Like all homemade frosting recipes, they are not meant to be left out long.
Martha
New at GF, DF, NF cooking but was craving chocolate cake. My one yr old
Grandson has all the above allergies including egg allergies. I’m just learning how to bake treats for the time he will eat them. His mom can eat them without bothering her son (still nursing), she loves this cake, icing too. Said it’s so light and delicious! I used coconut milk for icing and Ripplebtand Pea Protein chocolate milk for the cake. They are perfect!
Not many of my first time attempts at allergy free food are successful, but this one was! Yay!!
MOMables-Laura
I am so happy to hear this recipe is a hit for you and your family! Thank you so much!
Faith
Never made an allergy free dessert that came out so normal and delicious!!!!!!
I used a 9×13 pan and baked it for 30-35 mins. Came out perfect!
Thanks for such clear instructions!
LEORA
Hi! I will be making this frosting & cake in few days. thank you for sharing. When I add the instant coffee is it just the coffee grounds its self, or make the coffee (liquid) then add it to the recipe.
Thank you!
MOMables-Laura
Just the instant coffee granules, the liquid coffee would make it too watery.
Natasha
Thanks for recipe can you pipe with this frosting and if you double the recipe will it work to make 4 layer cake.
MOMables-Laura
It’s not as stiff as piping icing, so I usually spread it with the icing knife. That being said, you should be able to pipe it onto the cake for a decorative touch. If you double the icing, it should be plenty for a four-layer cake.
Al
Can we use oil instead of veg shortening as we can’t use any butter of any sort..
Thanks,
Pls do share more butter free low sugar nut free and egg free recipes with me thanks.
MOMables - Laura
Yes, you can use vegetable shortening instead to make this frosting. Enjoy!
Carol Guthrie
hi can you give the ingredients in grammes as you have for the cake recipe?
I want to try it for my birthday cake as my daughter and granddaughters are Gluten free, dairy free and the girls can only have pasteurised egg white in small quantities
MOMables-Laura
400 grams gluten-free all-purpose flour
350 grams granulated sugar
45 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
8 grams baking soda
8 grams xanthan gum* if using
4 grams salt
574 ml chocolate non-dairy milk
120 ml vegetable oil
30 ml apple cider vinegar
5 ml vanilla
Esther Felicity
Hi, I’m glad I stumbled across your recipe. I love baking but my 2y/o toddler son is allergic to Dairy, Gluten, Eggs and Tree Nuts, so this recipe is just perfect! I’ve just made the cake – now cooking on the rack. However, after watching your video again, I realised my batter just now was NOT runny like yours at all. It was thick and kind of hard to whisk around (but I managed to stir all together). And the cake (I pinched a little on top) does look a bit on the denser side, more like mud cake. I followed your recipe exactly, omitted the Xanthan as my GF free already has Vegetable Gum (461&415) in it. I used Sunflower oil, and Almond Chocolate Milk. Is there something I could be doing wrong? I haven’t frosted nor have I tasted the cake in full yet… so perhaps I’ll just wait and see but thought of just dropping this comment now to let you know. I’ll update again later if the very end result.
MOMables-Laura
Hi, Esther, let me know the finished results. If you followed the recipe, it should turn out just fine.
Fran
I tried this cake & my batter was thick & hard to spread. It did come out fine but I felt it was a little dry. Any suggestions on making it a little more moist?
MOMables-Laura
You could try adding additional coconut milk until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.
Christie
You could try substituting the oil in the cake recipe for apple sauce. That helps to make baking more moist.
Aria
Hi! What dairy free milk/creamer do you use for the cake and frosting?
MOMables-Laura
Hi Aria, I used coconut milk but you can swap it for unflavored oat milk or coconut milk creamer.
Sally
I want to say Bravo! And thank you. I just made your everything free chocolate cake and the frosting for my daughters baby shower. The only thing I couldn’t actually get, was the chocolate oat milk. So I added 4tbls of good quality drinking chocolate to the oat milk and 2tbls of instant coffee. A trick I learnt a long time ago. The coffee brings out the flavour of the chocolate. And it was perfection on a cake board. And the frosting is amazing! No one even new it was Everything Freeeeeee!!!!
I’m So impressed with this recipe, it is now a staple cake in my recipe book. Love it! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Dhijara
Hello! You are very talented with creating delicious recipes! I have one question. I was always under the impression that all shortening, even vegetable shortening, is not healthy. Please, what brand of vegetable shortening do you use? Thank you in advance for your response!
MOMables-Laura
Hi Dhijara, thank you so much for the kind words, I’m glad you enjoy the recipes. Personally, vegetable shortening isn’t my optimal choice nor is it something I use all the time but for special occasions such as this frosting for a cake, I find it perfectly fine. It gives the frosting the right texture. I like to use Crisco but if you aren’t comfortable with that you can swap it for Earth Balance baking sticks.
Sally
Vegetable shortening is olive butter, nutlex, anything plant based.