This vegan cream cheese frosting will blow you away! No one will know that it's not the real deal! It's perfect to top your vegan carrot cakes, pumpkin bread, and muffins, cinnamon buns, or just lick it off your finger! I've been vegan for nearly 20 years and I've never had a more authentic tasting dairy-free cream cheese frosting!
You'll LOVE this vegan cream cheese frosting because it's...
- simply the most authentic tasting vegan cream cheese frosting you can make!
- gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free too!
- easy to make without store-bought vegan cream cheese.
So, what's the secret to authentic tasting dairy-free cream cheese 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 ingredient that is essential for making delicious cream cheese tasting frosting is apple cider vinegar. For some reason, apple cider vinegar alone in frosting gives it a cream cheese flavor. If you want to make super easy cream cheese frosting without vegan cream cheese, you can simply use my vegan buttercream recipe and use apple cider vinegar in place of the plant-based milk.
What you will need to make delicious vegan cream cheese frosting...
- Vegan Cream Cheese - I highly recommend that you use my homemade, but you can use a store-bought brand like Tofutti.
- For my homemade cream cheese recipe you will need:
- A block of extra firm tofu
- Refined Coconut Oil
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Nutritional Yeast
- Salt
- For my homemade cream cheese recipe you will need:
- Vegan Butter - I also highly recommend that you use my homemade vegan butter for the frosting, but you can also use Earth Balance or Miykao's vegan butter.
- Apple Cider Vinegar - for an authentic cream cheese flavor.
- Vanilla Extract - for flavor.
- Powdered Sugar - for creamy sweetness.
- Salt - to balance out the sweetness.
How to make homemade vegan cream cheese frosting...
- 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.
Pro Tips:
- Make sure the butter and cream cheese are soft, but not melted. If it is too warm, you will have runny frosting. If it's too cold, you will have chunks of unblended cream cheese or butter in your frosting.
- You can add slightly more or slightly less powdered sugar to adjust it to the sweetness and consistency that you desire.
- 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 frosting 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 don't want to use the homemade cream cheese...
You can use store-bought cream cheese if you want. I prefer the Tofutti brand or the store brand from Trader Joe's or Aldi.
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 for a delicious frosting that has an amazingly similar taste to cream cheese. (If you want beautiful frosting for piping, you may want to choose this method).
What should I use this cream cheese frosting on?
This is the perfect addition to my vegan pumpkin bread, vegan pumpkin muffins, or healthy vegan muffins with hidden veggies.
It's also divine on my rich and moist vegan chocolate cupcakes! And is the go-to frosting for vegan carrot cake.
Make sure to follow me on Instagram for daily vegan recipe inspiration. If you make this, be sure to tag #thehiddenveggies so I can see your creation!
An authentic tasting cream cheese frosting made with homemade vegan cream cheese.
- 1 cup vegan cream cheese
- 1/2 cup vegan butter
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
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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.
Pro Tips:
- Make sure the butter and cream cheese are soft, but not melted. If it is too warm, you will have runny frosting. If it's too cold, you will have chunks of unblended cream cheese or butter in your frosting.
- You can add slightly more or slightly less powdered sugar to adjust it to the sweetness and consistency that you desire.
- 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 frosting 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.
