This vegan cream cheese frosting will blow you away!  No one will know that it’s not the real deal! It’s perfect for topping your vegan carrot cakes, pumpkin bread, muffins, or cinnamon buns, or just licking it off your finger!  I’ve been vegan for over 20 years, and I’ve never had a more authentic-tasting dairy-free cream cheese frosting!

A slice of carrot cake being served.
Vegan Carrot Cake

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Why you will love this recipe

  • It is simply the most authentic-tasting vegan cream cheese frosting you can make!
  • It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free too!
  • You can make it without store-bought vegan cream cheese.

Keys to great frosting

For the best-tasting frosting, use my homemade vegan cream cheese.  It only takes about 5 extra minutes to make your own, but it’s totally worth it! (Plus you’ll have leftover cream cheese to spread on bagels or make my homemade no-bake vegan cheesecake)!  My homemade cream cheese is made with tofu, refined coconut oil, and some seasoning for an amazing, authentic, cheesy flavor.

Another essential ingredient for authentic frosting is apple cider vinegar.  For some reason, apple cider vinegar alone in frosting gives it a cream cheese flavor. 

Tip: If you want to make super easy cream cheese frosting without vegan cream cheese, you can simply use my vegan buttercream recipe and replace the plant-based milk with apple cider vinegar.

A loaf of pumpkin bread with vegan cream cheese frosting on it.

Ingredients and substitutions

  • Vegan Cream Cheese – I highly recommend my homemade version, but you can use a store-bought brand like Violife or Tofutti. You will need this softened to room temperature.
    • For my homemade cream cheese recipe, you will need:
      • A block of extra-firm tofu
      • Refined Coconut Oil
      • Apple Cider Vinegar
      • Nutritional Yeast
      • Salt
  • Vegan Butter – I also highly recommend my homemade vegan butter for the frosting, but you can use Earth Balance or Miyokos vegan butter.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar – for an authentic cream cheese flavor.
  • Vanilla Extract – for flavor.
  • Powdered Sugar – for creamy sweetness. Also known as icing sugar.
  • Salt – to balance out the sweetness.
A loaf of pumpkin bread topped with vegan cream cheese frosting.
Vegan Pumpkin Loaf

Helpful tools

  • A stand mixer – or an electric hand mixer.
  • A large mixing bowl to mix the frosting.

How to make vegan cream cheese frosting

  1. Beat softened vegan cream cheese and vegan butter with a mixer for 2 minutes until combined and fluffy.
  2. Add the apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, salt, and a cup of powdered sugar, and blend.
  3. Add the remaining powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, blending well between each cup until the desired consistency is reached.

The frosting is perfect for layer cakes, sheet cakes, cookies, pumpkin or lemon loaves, red velvet cake, and more.

Pro tips

  • Make sure the butter and cream cheese are soft, but not melted.  If it is too warm, you will end up with runny frosting.  If it’s too cold, you’ll end up with chunks of unblended cream cheese or butter in your frosting.
  • You can add slightly more or less powdered sugar to adjust the sweetness and consistency to your desired level. 
  • Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.  *Since the cream cheese is made with tofu and other perishable ingredients, keep the frosting refrigerated.

A note about the consistency

Cream cheese frosting has a stickier, softer consistency than traditional buttercream.  It will not pipe the same as other frostings made for cake decorating.  If you want a drippy frosting like in the picture, frost your cake or bread when it’s still slightly warm.  If you want a vegan cream cheese frosting that will keep its shape and hold when piping, make my vegan buttercream frosting and add 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar instead of the plant-based milk. This will give you fluffy buttercream with a cream cheese flavor.

How to use store-bought cream cheese

You can use store-bought cream cheese if you want.  I prefer the Violife, Tofutti, Kite Hill, or Trader Joe’s brand.

As I mentioned above, if you don’t want to use cream cheese at all, you can use the best vegan buttercream recipe and swap out the plant milk for apple cider vinegar.

A top view of zucchini carrot muffins with a dollop of frosting and a blueberry on top.
Healthy Vegan Muffins with Hidden Veggies

Storage

Store your leftover cream cheese frosting in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Uses for the frosting

A close up of a carrot cake with vegan cream cheese frosting being served from a round cake.
Diet
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4.50 from 4 rating

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: 24
Prep: 10 minutes
Blending Time:: 5 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
An authentic tasting cream cheese frosting made with homemade vegan cream cheese.
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup vegan cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup vegan butter
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups powdered sugar

Equipment

  • Mixer

Instructions
 

  • Beat softened vegan cream cheese and vegan butter with a mixer for 2 minutes until combined and fluffy.
  • Add the apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, salt, and a cup of powdered sugar and blend.
  • Add the remaining powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, blending well between each cup until the desired consistency is reached.

Notes

  • Make sure the butter and cream cheese are soft, but not melted.  If it is too warm, you will end up with runny frosting.  If it’s too cold, you’ll end up with chunks of unblended cream cheese or butter in your frosting.
  • You can add slightly more or less powdered sugar to adjust the sweetness and consistency to your desired level. 
  • Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.  *Since the cream cheese is made with tofu and other perishable ingredients, keep the frosting refrigerated.
Note: Cream cheese frosting has a stickier, softer consistency than traditional buttercream.  It will not pipe the same as other frostings made for cake decorating. If you want a drippy frosting like in the picture, frost your cake or bread when it’s still slightly warm. 
Serving: 0.25cup, Calories: 114kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Sodium: 91mg, Potassium: 2mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin A: 180IU, Calcium: 6mg, Iron: 0.1mg
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