This black cocoa buttercream is the best way to create a super black frosting without any dyes or artificial colouring. Tasting basically like an Oreo, this rich and chocolatey vegan and dairy free black buttercream is the perfect addition to your spooky Halloween desserts or themed parties.
If you’re anything like me, you may have steered away from black cakes and cupcakes before as the idea of using a ridiculous amount of black food dye seemed a little excessive and messy.
The stained fingers, teeth and kitchen counters just didn’t really seem worth it.
That was until I found myself with a bag of black cocoa powder and realised that it truly does create the most incredible deep black colour naturally, and without the staining.
Plus the flavour is different to that of regular cocoa powder and actually tastes more like an Oreo cookie.
If you’re looking for your desserts to stand out, especially around Halloween, then black is the way to go!
What is black cocoa powder?
There are two types of cocoa powder you may be familiar with if you tend to do a lot of baking – dutch processed and natural. In Australia, the cocoa powder that you can buy at the supermarket (and what I use in all my chocolate recipes on the site) is dutch processed.
Dutch processed cocoa powder is treated with an alkaline substance to neutralise its natural acidity. This process gives it a smoother and milder taste. Natural cocoa powder on the other hand generally isn’t treated, retaining the cocoa beans natural acidity and creating a more bitter taste.
Black cocoa powder is a form of dutch processed cocoa powder where the alkalising process goes even further. It has a very smooth taste and is less ‘chocolatey’ in taste than regular cocoa powder with very little bitterness. Different brands may vary in colour from very dark brown to black.
Key Ingredients
This naturally black buttercream uses all the ingredients you’d expect based on all my other buttercream frosting recipes, with the addition of black cocoa powder which is the key to the rich, dark, black colour and Oreo-like taste.
I find the best place to buy black cocoa is from specialty cake stores. In Australia, I bought mine online from a Gold Coast based business called Baking Pleasures.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Dairy free butter -this is the key ingredient to make this the best frosting. Use a quality dairy-free butter substitute here for the best flavour and texture. I love and always use Nuttelex Buttery which is an Australian product. In the US, the closest alternative is Earth Balance which I understand to be very similar.
- Black cocoa powder – the key to the flavour and the rich, black colour without needing any dyes.
- Icing sugar – I use the icing sugar mixture from the supermarket, not the pure icing sugar. The only difference is the mixture has a little bit of cornflour added which means it’s less likely to clump together and turn rock solid.
- Dairy free milk – just a splash of milk keeps the frosting super smooth and creamy. You can use any you prefer but I usually use oat or almond milk.
- Vanilla extract – really enhances the chocolate flavour. Make sure you’re using vanilla extract, not imitation or essence.
- Pinch salt – optional, but a little bit just cuts through the super sweetness and balances out the chocolate flavour.
Equipment and Tools
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- Electric mixer – I find that a stand mixer is the best way to make buttercream as it makes the process very quick and easy however a handheld mixer will also work if that’s all you have.
- Spatula – for scraping down the bowl and ensuring the buttercream is properly mixed.
- Measuring cups and spoons – accurate measurements are crucial for baking, as even small differences can affect the texture and taste.
Step-By-Step Instructions
This black buttercream is made very similarly to my base vegan vanilla buttercream recipe. Start by beating together the vanilla extract and dairy-free butter using the paddle attachment on your stand mixer.
Add in half of the icing sugar and continue mixing. After a minute or two it will start to come together and get thick and creamy.
Add in the black cocoa powder and additional icing sugar keep mixing. Continue to beat until the mixture starts to come together and then slowly add in a little of the dairy free milk and mix through. If it’s still too thick and not creamy add a little bit more of the milk until the desired texture is reached. I usually use about 2 tablespoons of milk, but just adjust as needed based on the consistency of your frosting.
Taste and add a little salt if you like and beat through well. Once the buttercream is smooth and creamy but still holding stiff, this means it’s ready to use. If it’s still too soft, you can either add a little more icing sugar, or if it’s a warmer day, just put the frosting in the fridge to firm up for 15-30 minutes before using.
How to use this black cocoa buttercream
This amount will generously frost a batch of 12-14 cupcakes or a 2 layer, 8 inch cake. It’s quite a strong flavour so will work best with lighter flavoured cakes such as vanilla. Try it with;
- Vegan vanilla cupcakes
- Gluten free vanilla cupcakes
- Vegan vanilla cake
- Black velvet cupcakes (pictured below)
Recipe FAQs
Yes once you pipe it onto your cakes you can leave them out for a couple of days in an airtight container without issue. The amount of sugar acts to preserve the butter.
Yes! As dairy free butter tends to be softer than regular butter, for the best results you need to use cold dairy-free butter. If it’s a warm day and your buttercream is getting too warm, pop it in the fridge for about 30 minutes to firm up for piping. Before using, mix it back together with a spatula.
When stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, this buttercream can typically be kept for up to a week. Just make sure to give it a good whisk with your electric mixer before using it to restore its creamy consistency.
More vegan buttercream recipes:
Vegan Lavender Buttercream
Vegan Biscoff Buttercream
Vegan Strawberry Buttercream
Vegan Lemon Buttercream
Black Cocoa Buttercream
Equipment
Ingredients
- 125 grams dairy free butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ½ cup icing sugar
- ½ cup black cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons dairy free milk
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment fitted, beat dairy-free butter and vanilla for 1-2 minutes until creamy.
- Add in half of the icing sugar and beat on medium until combined. Add in the black cocoa powder and remaining icing sugar and continue to mix. As the mixture thickens, add in dairy free milk a tablespoon at a time until the frosting is thick and creamy. Add pinch of salt to taste.
- If the frosting is still too thick, add a little more of the dairy free milk until it reaches the right consistency.
- Store covered frosting in the fridge, or pipe directly onto cupcakes or cake.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
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