Are you living a low-carb lifestyle but miss the sweet, decadent touch of frosting on your favorite treats? Do you find yourself gravitating towards the frosting on a cake more than the cake itself? This guide provides everything you need to create the perfect keto-friendly frosting. Whether you prefer vanilla, chocolate, or cream cheese, these recipes will satisfy your sweet tooth without derailing your diet.
Why Keto Frosting?
Traditional frosting is loaded with sugar, making it a no-go for anyone following a ketogenic diet. Keto frosting uses low-carb sweeteners and other keto-friendly ingredients to replicate the taste and texture of classic frosting, allowing you to enjoy your favorite desserts guilt-free.
Key Ingredients for Keto Frosting
Butter
- Type: Use salted butter in just about every recipe. You can definitely use unsalted and add salt to taste after mixing the ingredients.
- Temperature: Softened butter is essential. The butter should be at room temperature, soft enough to leave a slight indent when pressed, but not greasy. This ensures a smooth, creamy consistency. If the butter is too melted, the frosting won't hold its shape.
- Dairy-Free Option: The butter can be replaced with a dairy-free alternative. Please check the ingredients of the dairy free spread you use as some may have some nasty ingredients.
Sweetener
- Type: A low-carb powdered sweetener is crucial. Swerve confectioners, powdered erythritol, monk fruit, or allulose work best.
- Powdered Form: Powder is important for this recipe, though, because otherwise you'll end up with grainy frosting. If you can't find powdered allulose, you can use a spice grinder or coffee grinder to get the desired powder.
- Allulose: Allulose is newer on the keto scene, but it's quickly gaining popularity because it tastes just like regular sugar, but doesn't have a glycemic impact.
- Quantity: We suggest starting with 3/4 cup of powdered erythritol and then bumping it up to 1 cup according to desired taste and texture.
- Regular Sweetener: If you do not have powdered sweetener or can source it locally you will need to mill it to make the sweetener finer. If you use a standard sweetener, it will be grainy and not so nice. To mill the sweetener in a Thermomix or similar simply mill 10 sec/speed 10 until a fine powder forms.
- Besti Sweeteners: For the sweetener, many prefer to use powdered monk fruit with allulose. It tastes just like powdered sugar with NO aftertaste and results in a super-smooth texture. Use the code "CRAVEABLE" at checkout for discounts.
Cream Cheese
- Type: Use full-fat cream cheese, not cream cheese spread, the spread will result in runny frosting!
- Importance: The cream cheese is required to make the frosting creamy instead of grainy.
- Dairy-Free Option: Simply use Daiya dairy-free cream cheese, it will have a slightly stronger cream cheese taste and you may need to add a bit more powdered sweetener to thicken.
Heavy Cream
- Purpose: This helps to make the frosting super creamy. Half and Half can also be used as a substitute.
- Coconut Milk: If using coconut milk, it is recommended to use full-fat Thai Kitchen, Sprouts, or Native Forest Brands because others may lend an aftertaste. You can scoop out and use the cream if the coconut milk separates.
Vanilla Extract
- It is vanilla buttercream after all. You can also skip the vanilla and add other extracts to flavor your frosting as desired depending on what type of cake you’re baking.
Other Optional Ingredients
- Salt: Add a pinch of salt if desired to enhance the flavors.
- Food Coloring: Add a few drops of food coloring as desired for extra pizzazz.
- Extracts: Add any of your favorite extracts, zest, unsweetened cacao etc.
Basic Keto Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Recipe
This recipe provides a base for many variations, allowing you to customize the flavor to your liking.
Ingredients
- 1 stick (113g/4 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (120g/4.4 oz) powdered sweetener of choice (Swerve, Erythritol, or Allulose)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional: 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream (30 ml)
Instructions
- Dice butter and add to a stand mixer bowl with the powdered sweetener.
- Use a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment. Increase speed and mix until light and fluffy and beat for another minute. The mixture should roughly double in size.
- Add vanilla extract.
- If the frosting is too thick, you can optionally add 1 to 2 tablespoons of cream and beat for a few more seconds.
- Use immediately to frost cupcakes or decorate cakes. One batch will be enough to decorate 6 to 8 cupcakes, and a double batch will be enough to decorate an 8 to 9 inch (20 to 23 cm) cake. This keto buttercream frosting can be stored in the fridge up to a week if making ahead.
Keto Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe
For chocolate lovers, this frosting is a must-try.
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Unsalted Real Butter - softened to room temperature (2 sticks)
- 8 oz Block of Cream Cheese - not cream cheese spread, softened
- 2 ¼ Cups Keto Powdered Sweetener
- ½ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder or Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder
- 4 tablespoon Heavy Whipping Cream - or non-dairy milk, as needed to thin
- ¼ tsp. sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese over medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute.
- Add the powdered sweetener, cocoa powder, heavy cream or non-dairy milk, sea salt, and vanilla. Beat on low for 30 seconds, or until incorporated.
- Increase speed to high and beat for 3 full minutes. Add additional non-dairy milk or cream, one tablespoon at a time, as needed to thin.
Keto Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
This tangy and creamy frosting is perfect for cakes and muffins.
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Ingredients
- 1 stick (113g/4 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup (120g/4.4 oz) powdered sweetener of choice (Swerve, Erythritol, or Allulose)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional: 1-2 tbsp heavy cream
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Add the powdered sweetener and vanilla extract.
- Beat until light and fluffy.
- If needed, add heavy cream to achieve desired consistency.
Tips and Tricks for Perfect Keto Frosting
Butter Temperature
Ensure your butter is at the right temperature. You want it so that when pressed it will leave a slight indent, but not that soft that it feels greasy - it should still be quite firm. To get the butter at the right temperature, follow tutorials on how to soften butter quickly for perfectly softened butter.
Sweetener Choice
Most low-carb sweeteners should work, as long as you use powdered form. If you can get your hands on Allulose, it's even better because it tastes just like sugar!
Mixing
Mix all buttercream ingredients in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Pipe or spread over the top of each cupcake.
Flavor Variations
Get adventurous and try any other flavor combo you love - chocolate mint, berry (using freeze dried berry powder), berry swirl using fresh berries; the options are endless! To flavor the frosting simply add any of your favorite extracts, zest, unsweetened cacao etc.
Troubleshooting
- If the frosting won't come together: If this happens, try adding an additional Tablespoon of milk or cream. If that doesn't work, the butter is still too cold.
- If the frosting is too runny: If the frosting is too runny, it may be that the butter was too soft.
Piping
If you don’t have a fancy icing pastry bag, it’s super simple to pipe keto chocolate frosting with a Ziplock or plastic baggie!
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Storage Instructions
- Refrigerator: This keto buttercream frosting can be stored in the fridge up to a week if making ahead. Store leftover frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
- Freezer: Place in a freezer-safe baggie, push out the extra air, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then soften to room temperature before using. If you’d like to freeze leftover frosting, store it in a shallow container and use it within 2 months of freezing.
- Frosted Cakes/Cupcakes: After you frost the cake or cupcakes, they can be stored at room temperature for 1 to 2 days or tightly covered in the fridge for up to 1 week. For already frosted cakes and cupcakes, wrap the sliced cake or cupcakes individually in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe baggie for up to 3 months.
Conventional and Thermal Methods
Conventional Method
Mix all buttercream ingredients in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Pipe or spread over the top of each cupcake
Thermal Method
Place all ingredients into the mixer; mix 30 sec/speed 5 (for Magimix see the notes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Repeat until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Magimix Keto Frosting: For the keto buttercream frosting.
- Thermomix Keto Frosting: The buttercream can be whipped with the butterfly whisk attachment in place too. Please stop the mixer from time to time when making the frosting to scrape the sides down.
Dairy-Free and Vegan Options
For dairy-free and vegan: Simply use dairy-free butter, Daiya dairy-free cream cheese, and canned coconut milk or non-dairy milk. If using Daiya cream cheese, it will have a slightly stronger cream cheese taste and you may need to add a bit more powdered sweetener to thicken.
Other Uses for Keto Frosting
This Keto Cream Cheese Frosting is the perfect topping for low carb cakes and muffins, but also makes a delicious filling for keto crepes, fat bombs, truffles, etc. Another great way to use this recipe (or the leftovers) is to scoop it into a mold and make some tasty easy keto fat bombs. Actually you wonder if you could blend this into coffee? I’m just riffing here but it could technically work - almost like bullet proof!
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