This refrigerator vegan cream cheese frosting is so creamy and smooth and is the perfect icing for sheet cakes, cupcakes, or cookies. Cream cheese frosting is easy to make vegan with a few simple vegan substitutions.
If you are looking for the best tasting dairy-free cream cheese icing, this creamy delicious frosting is what you need! I first developed this sweet and tangy vegan cream cheese frosting for my moist vegan carrot cake.
Why is this vegan cream cheese frosting recipe called “refrigerator” fosting?
This frosting is soft and works best on sheet cakes, bundt cakes, carrot cake cupcakes, and cookies. Though I usually make my carrot cake as a layer cake, I couldn’t resist because the flavors are absolutely perfect together! Refrigerating the frosting along with the baked good after icing keeps it nice and firm.
This vegan cream cheese frosting would be excellent on:
Replace the frosting suggested in these recipes with this delicious cream cheese icing for an extra special flavor!
- Vegan Cake Brownies
- Devil’s Food Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Vegan King Cake
- Pumpkin Muffins
- Banana Cookies
- Pumpkin Cookies
Table of contents
- Why is this vegan cream cheese frosting recipe called “refrigerator” fosting?
- This vegan cream cheese frosting would be excellent on:
- Pin now to save for later
- Ingredients needed for vegan cream cheese frosting
- How to make the best tasting vegan cream cheese frosting ever!
- Refrigerate and frost
- For some other delicious vegan frosting, icing, and glaze recipes from Veggie Fun Kitchen, try:
- The printable recipe card for Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
Pin now to save for later
Ingredients needed for vegan cream cheese frosting
- vegan stick butter
- vegan cream cheese
- vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- powdered sugar
- You’ll also need a stand mixer or hand mixer
How to make the best tasting vegan cream cheese frosting ever!
It’s really pretty easy. Vegan cream cheese frosting is just like typical cream cheese frosting – but without the dairy. Just follow these few simple instructions and you’ll have your own vegan cream cheese icing in no time!
Step 1: soften the butter and cream cheese
We soften the vegan butter and vegan cream cheese so that this frosting will be easier to mix. But then it’s a little too soft so we refrigerate the icing to give it more substance. If you are using a quality stand mixer then you can use the dairy-free cream cheese and butter right out of the fridge!
What brands of vegan cream cheeses are recommended?
So here is the funny thing about vegan cream cheese…everyone has their own opinion. I belong to a dairy-free Facebook group and boy-oh-boy, when the cream cheese debates start, the opinions fire up!
For this recipe, I recommend the vegan cream cheese you most enjoy the flavor of BUT that also has the highest percentage of fat. The two brands I use and enjoy are Kite Hill and Tofutti cream cheese. Both work for this recipe and taste awesome. I have not been able to find Violife Cream Cheese at my grocer but would definitely like to give that one a try too. What I do not recommend is homemade tofu/cashew cream cheese for this vegan frosting recipe.
Step 2: cream the fats
In a large mixing bowl, add the softened vegan butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt. Beat until very smooth and creamy. Once you add in the powdered sugar (in the next step), you will not be beating hard or long so make sure everything is well combined, and smooth and creamy beforehand.
For an extra vanilla flavor, you could use double-strength vanilla extract. This will give the frosting recipe an extra vanilla flavor without adding more liquid.
Step 3: The powdered sugar
Add the powdered sugar two cups at a time. Beat only till combined – up to 1 minute each time. At four cups evaluate if your frosting is as thick as you’d like. Add in more powdered sugar if desired in 1/4 cup increments, gently folding in.
This is not going to be a stiff frosting. Do not try to add in too much more powdered sugar in order to make it super stiff or your frosting recipe will be overly sweet.
What if I accidently make my frosting too sweet?
You could try adding a little bit of cornstarch and lemon juice to tame the sweet. Just remember to start with a small amount – one Tablespoon of cornstarch and a few drops of lemon juice. You can always add more but you can’t take away.
Refrigerate and frost
And that’s it! Super simple. Refrigerate until your baked item is ready to frost and make sure it is thoroughly cooled. If your item can be refrigerated after frosting then it will hold up a little better.
For some other delicious vegan frosting, icing, and glaze recipes from Veggie Fun Kitchen, try:
- Salted Caramel Topping made with Medjool Dates
- Chocolate Ganache
- Classic Buttery Donut Glaze
- Browned Butter Donut Glaze
- Brown Sugar Cinnamon Glaze
The printable recipe card for Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
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Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- stand mixer or hand mixer
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/2 cup vegan stick butter softened/room temperature
- 8 ounces vegan cream cheese room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 4-4 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add the softened vegan butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and pinch of salt. Beat until very smooth and creamy. Once you add in the powdered sugar, you will not be beating hard or long so make sure everything is well combined, and smooth and creamy beforehand.
- Add the powdered sugar two cups at a time. Beat only till combined – up to 1 minute each time. At four cups evaluate if your frosting is as thick as you'd like. Add in more powdered sugar if desired in 1/4 cup increments. Gently folding in. This is not going to be a stiff frosting. Do not try to add in too much powdered sugar to make it stiff.
- Cover and put in the refrigerator until your cake is cooled enough to ice.