Vegan Chocolate Frosting

You know that old idiom that is used to describe one great thing happening, and an additional great thing happens on top of that? Sure you do: the second great thing is called the “icing on the cake.” This saying comes from the widespread appeal of icing, or frosting, a sweet glaze used to cover or decorate baked goods, such as cakes or biscuits. Traditionally icing is made of sugar, and also contains butter, water, egg whites, milk, or flavorings. As versatile as it is delicious, frosting can be customized for an incredible variety of uses. Also, because of its texture, some types of icing can be shaped into flowers, leaves, and other designs with the deft use of a pastry bag. Such decorations have been used to personalize wedding and birthday cakes for years.

There are literally hundreds of variations of icing, from the simplest glace icing made from icing sugar and water, to more complex versions combining butter, cream, egg whites, and glycerin. Other popular favorites involve cream cheese, ground almonds (as with marzipan) and many others.

For those of us looking to avoid animal and dairy products, the idiom might go, “I baked a wonderful vegan chocolate cake, AND I made vegan chocolate frosting to go on top!” The key to a good vegan chocolate frosting is substituting vegetable oil or vegan butter substitutes for butter, and either soy milk or water for milk. Since cocoa powder and icing sugar are already dairy and animal free, there’s no need to tweak that side of the recipe, although be sure that the sugar you use is vegan! Once the all of the ingredients are mixed well, simply use a knife or spatula to apply your vegan chocolate frosting and voila! Sit down with a fork and a nice cool glass of soy milk, and enjoy your delicious cake, secure in the knowledge that you’re eating something that is just as ethical and health conscious as it is tasty. If you are looking for a great vegan chocolate frosting recipe, try this one! It’s simple, easy, and totally delicious!