By Chef Linda
Few foods elicit guilty pleasure like licking the remnants of something sweet and gooey left in a mixing bowl. Yes, in a pinch, cookie dough or brownie batter will do the trick. For me however, it's frosting. Frosting is sublime in its solitary form, without the trappings of cake or cupcakes, paired only with a spoon or a finger. This vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting is so luscious, rich and addictive, you too, might find yourself whipping up a batch and "forgetting" to make the cake.
In most cases, I find that vegan butter substitutes, like Earth Balance, are a perfect substitute for butter. While neither is particularly healthy, at least this version is cholesterol and cruelty-free.
Go on, grab a spoon and dig in.
Ingredients
1 cup vegan butter substitute (like Earth Balance)
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
½ cup vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted*
2 tablespoons non-dairy milk
Directions
1With a stand or hand blender, beat vegan butter until light and creamy. Slowly add in the powdered sugar and blend till combined. Add in cocoa powder, vanilla and melted chocolate chips. Blend to combine and add non-dairy milk a little at a time to achieve soft, spreadable consistency. (*Melt chocolate chips in a microwave or in a double-boiler, then let cool slightly before using.)
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
YIELDS
About 2 cups
INGREDIENTS
1 cup vegan butter substitute (like Earth Balance)
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
½ cup vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted*
2 tablespoons non-dairy milk
DIRECTIONS
1With a stand or hand blender, beat vegan butter until light and creamy. Slowly add in the powdered sugar and blend till combined. Add in cocoa powder, vanilla and melted chocolate chips. Blend to combine and add non-dairy milk a little at a time to achieve soft, spreadable consistency. (*Melt chocolate chips in a microwave or in a double-boiler, then let cool slightly before using.)