Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

When I was a kid, if I had a sweet tooth, sometimes I would make myself a little batch of frosting. No cake. Just frosting. A couple spoonfuls and I was satisfied. The idea kind of horrifies me now, but who am I kidding? Right at this moment, I could go for a spoonful of this luscious lemony frosting. In fact, just thinking about it makes me want to bake a carrot cake so that I can justify making a batch of this frosting.

So now that you know about my frosting fetish, let's talk about why frosting matters and how this particular frosting just may become your go-to topping for your favorite cakes, cupcakes, quick breads and muffins.

Why Frosting Matters

These vegan piña colada cupcakes are crowned with a plant-based coconut buttercream frosting and topped with toasted coconut. They taste like a tropical vacation!

If you do a quick online search about the purpose of frosting, you'll find a lot of comments about how frosting makes baked goods look prettier and adds flavor. But if you think about it, while eye-catching and tasty cupcakes are important, frosting contributes more than just that.

Frosting helps prevent cakes, cupcakes, and pastries from drying out quickly. By creating an outer layer, frosting acts as a protective barrier, keeping sweet treats fresh longer. Frosting also helps hold layer cakes together, providing structural strength. In addition, frosting provides a fabulous mouth and taste sensation that enhances practically anything you spread it on, even a spoon. There, I said it. Frosting rocks.

🍋Ingredients

cream cheese - vegan (use your favorite)

butter - vegan (your choice)

lemon juice - freshly squeezed 

lemon zest

powdered sugar 

🍋Instructions

This super simple recipe makes enough frosting for at least 24 cupcakes, one 9" x 13" single layer cake or an 8" round 2-layer cake.

Place all the ingredients inside a deep bowl.

Using an electric mixer or spatula, beat the ingredients together until smooth and fluffy. That's it, you have frosting! So easy!

What cakes go well with cream cheese frosting?

This vegan cream cheese frosting pairs wonderfully with a variety of cakes, quick breads and muffins, complementing their flavors and textures. Here are some of my favorite vegan recipes that are even tastier with a touch of frosting!

1. Carrot Cake -The creamy tanginess of cream cheese frosting balances the sweetness of carrot cake, creating a harmonious combination of flavors.
2. Applesauce Cake - The subtle flavor of apples and spice are the perfect partner with the combo of sweet and citrus in vegan cream cheese frosting.
3. Pumpkin Bread - The warm spices in pumpkin bread are elevated by the smooth and slightly tangy cream cheese frosting, making it a favorite fall treat.
4. Banana Muffins - Vegan cream cheese frosting adds just the right amount of sweet and tangy taste to these marvelous vegan banana muffins.
5. Lemon Blueberry Bread - The zesty flavor of lemon bread pairs wonderfully with cream cheese frosting, creating a refreshing and yummy treat.
6. Zucchini Bread - Enjoy the best zucchini bread topped iced with this luscious vegan cream cheese frosting.

This lemony vegan cream cheese frosting is the ideal topping for my favorite vegan pineapple carrot cake. The sweet and tangy white frosting flecked with citrusy bright lemon zest provides just the right color and flavor contrast to the lightly spicy, dense and moist cake.

For the vegan pineapple carrot cake above we iced the sides with a very light amount of lemon cream cheese frosting, sometimes known as half-dressed, semi-naked, or a crumb coat. It looks nice and helps keep the cake from drying out too quickly.

The top of the cake is finished with a generous amount of frosting sprinkled with unsweetened flaked coconut and decorated with dried slices of Cara Cara orange and lime.

Can you decorate with vegan cream cheese frosting?

Yes you can! Part of the joy of this simple frosting is the fun you can have decorating with it.

I like to use a pastry bag with decorative tips to apply the frosting to cakes or cupcakes, but you can also use a food grade plastic bag filled ⅓-½ full with frosting. Twist the open end tight and hold with one hand. Use scissors to snip a small opening on one corner and gently squeeze the bag and swirl on some frosting. You don't have to cover the entire top. A dollop in the middle makes for a nice look.

You can also decorative designs with colored icing made with food coloring mixed with frosting. Look for natural food colorings that are vegan and cruelty free, such as TruColor , Wilton , or Americolor .

One thing I've discovered is it's important to keep the frosting cold and a bit on the thick side when you use piping tips. Otherwise, if the frosting is too soft, the piping details will melt. Be sure to refrigerate your cake or cupcakes until you're ready to serve.