There are tons of vegan cream cheese products in the market right now (trust me – I’ve spent a small fortune on them!), and I honestly didn’t think I would be able to get a delicious cream cheese frosting until I found Trader Joe’s! This is now my favorite frosting (like, eat by the spoonful favorite) and all the non-vegans I work with swear this is one of the best they have ever had! The flavor and texture are on point for the creamy consistency that pairs beautifully with everything from spiced cake to lemon.
If you are not close to a Trader Joe’s, there are cream cheese extracts and other vegan cream cheese products that will work with varied taste and texture success. I have been wanting to try to make my own and if I have success with it – I will make sure to share!
Vanilla bean paste – I definitely recommend investing in a good vanilla bean paste for frostings. It adds another layer of flavors and gives a rich look with the speaks of vanilla – which I just love! I have been using the Olive Nation brand that you can get online.
Ingredients:
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8 oz Trader Joe’s vegan Cream cheese
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1/2 cup of shortening (I love Spectrum)
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2 t. vanilla bean paste
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500 g powdered sugar
Instructions:
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Combine cream cheese and shortening together in a mixer on medium high until well combined and smooth.
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Add vanilla bean paste until combined.
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Add the powdered sugar a little at a time (I use a large serving spoon to scoop). Once all the powdered sugar is combined, scrap down the sides of the bowl and beat on high for 2 minutes or until smooth.
I like to chill the frosting for at least 10 minutes before using to give it a little more structure. Once you are done frosting your cake/cupcake, let it set up in the fridge and it holds its shape really well. You can make this frosting ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the fridge for a week or the freezer for a couple of months.
Happy Baking!
I have had this frosting and it has the most amazing flavor and consistency. Way lighter than others while retaining the same taste and texture you expect with a cream cheese frosting.
500 oz powdered sugar?
This icing is absolutely delicious, but I find it to be too runny to actually ice the cake with it. I did wait for the cake to cool completely, and I chilled the icing in the fridge for about 30 minutes, but the icing just kind of slid down the sides of the cake. I did use vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean paste, so I am wondering if that may be why? But even after adding more powdered sugar to try to thicken it up, the consistency was still too runny. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!