Frosting. Mmm… it has a very happy place in my heart. The more frosting on the cake the better. And I love cake. Maybe I love cake because of the frosting. Did you know that there are frosting recipes that you can make at home and don’t make you feel guilty for eating them. Below I look into the unhealthy ingredients in the grocery store pre-made frosting and give you some of my favorite frosting recipes.
Here’s what I say… everybody needs a little frosting!
Pre-made, store bought, packaged canned frosting.
Have any of you ever read through these ingredients before? I haven’t bought this frosting in years, probably close to 15 years I’d say. So I don’t remember any of these ingredients. When I decided to post a pre-made frosting I didn’t expect so many fake ingredients, hydrogenated oils, and sugars (and more sugars).
Let’s break down these ingredients:
1. Sugar: The first ingredient is sugar. Plain old high inflammatory white sugar. Any ingredient that has the first ingredient listed sugar should be something you put down and find an alternative. In addition to just plain sugar, there is also High Maltose Corn Syrup which means extra high sugar infused corn syrup. There’s a LOT of inflammation from the sugar in this frosting.
2. Hydrogenated Soybean or Cottonseed Oil: the simple of this ingredient: trans fats! Any time you see the word “hydrogenated” think trans fat. On top of the chemically altered fat soybean and cottonseed oils are inflammatory. Our bodies do not like them, and they are most likely from genetically modified crops. The corn starch present is also a GMO food too.
3. Artificial flavors and artificial colors: I don’t know how you need artificial flavors and colors in a chocolate product. Isn’t the chocolate supposed to provide the deep flavor and color naturally? It must have needed more flavors to disguise the fake-ness in the ingredients.
4. Chemicals: most of the ingredients listed in the “less than 2%” category are chemicals. Even though there isn’t a lot of them, remember even at 2% something that isn’t natural can reek havoc on your hormones and hormone receptors on your cells.
The moral of the story is, make your own!
So after all of that information, what are the alternatives? And can you believe that there are actually healthy frostings that you can use?
1. Coconut based frostings: You can do a lot with coconut oil, coconut butter, butter and honey for a frosting. How about Burnt Butter Coconut Frosting?
2. Chocolate Ganache: Unsweetened chocolate, butter, cream (or coconut milk) and sweetener. It’s pretty much a classic ganache recipe made slightly healthier. Top cakes, muffins, or healthy donuts with this. It’s pretty amazing. Here’s my recipe.
3. Carmel frosting: This is actually not real carmel, but the burnt butter tastes like it. It’s a thin frosting that acts as a glaze to whatever you want to top it with. Tastes great on apple or pumpkin desserts. Find the recipe here.
4. Cream Cheese Frosting: The frosting is a version of cream cheese frosting without the powdered sugar. This recipe has espresso flavoring, so you can omit it if you want. It tops my espresso cupcakes, so you can check them out here.
5. There are some great frosting recipes on other blogs too. You can check out Elana’s Pantry and Empowered Sustenance for some of my favorites.
The frosting recipes are also listed below so you can look at the recipes:
Burnt Butter Coconut Frosting
1/4 cup butter
2 Tablespoon coconut butter (not coconut oil)
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut, ground in a coffee grinder
1/3 cup whipping cream (or coconut cream if you are dairy-free)
1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
1 teaspoon stevia
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- Prepare and have all of these ingredients ready to go before you start heating up the butter. This frosting goes together quickly and needs all hands on deck so you won’t have enough time to measure and prepare.
- Put a small saucepan on the stove on medium-high heat. Add the butter and whisk continuously until the butter starts to brown and take off the heat
- Turn the burner to low and whisk the coconut butter until mixed. Next add the shredded coconut (ground in a coffee grinder).
- In a small dish stir the arrowroot powder in the heavy cream (or else you will have clumps) and add to the saucepan and continue whisking. Once the butter and cream are combined you can add the almond extract and stevia
- You’re frosting is now complete and you can top the cooled cupcakes
- Store in the fridge
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 Tablespoon coconut butter (not coconut oil)
- ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut, ground in a coffee grinder
- ⅓ cup whipping cream (or coconut cream if you are dairy free)
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
- 1 teaspoon stevia
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- Prepare and have all of these ingredients ready to go before you start heating up the butter. This frosting goes together quickly and needs all hands on deck so you won’t have enough time to measure and prepare.
- Put a small saucepan on the stove on medium-high heat. Add the butter and whisk continuously until the butter starts to brown and take off the heat
- Turn the burner to low and whisk the coconut butter until mixed. Next add the shredded coconut (ground in a coffee grinder).
- In a small dish stir the arrowroot powder in the heavy cream (or else you will have clumps) and add to the saucepan and continue whisking. Once the butter and cream are combined you can add the almond extract and stevia
- You’re frosting is now complete and you can top the cooled cupcakes
- Store in the fridge
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
1 stick butter, room temperature
11 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 teaspoon Stevita stevia
2 teaspoon xylitol, powdered
2 Tablespoons raw honey (optional, it helps with preventing bacteria growth because of the sugar. If omitting, make sure to refrigerate if using heavy cream)
1 cup heavy cream OR 1 cup canned coconut milk`
- Add the butter and unsweetened chocolate to a medium saucepan and put it on the stove on medium and whisk constantly until the butter and chocolate is melted but not boiling
- Turn the heat to medium low and add the sweeteners and keep stirring so that they mix and dissolve completely in the chocolate
- Take the chocolate off of the head and add the cream or coconut milk. You will need to whisk it constantly and it will become thick and like frosting
- Let the ganache sit until it is warm or room temperature
- 1 stick butter, room temperature
- 11 ounces unsweetened chocolate
- 2 teaspoon Stevita stevia
- 2 teaspoon xylitol, powdered
- 2 Tablespoons raw honey (optional, it helps with preventing bacteria growth because of the sugar. If omitting, make sure to refrigerate if using heavy cream)
- 1 cup heavy cream OR 1 cup canned coconut milk`
- Add the butter and unsweetened chocolate to a medium saucepan and put it on the stove on medium and whisk constantly until the butter and chocolate is melted but not boiling
- Turn the heat to medium low and add the sweeteners and keep stirring so that they mix and dissolve completely in the chocolate
- Take the chocolate off of the head and add the cream or coconut milk. You will need to whisk it constantly and it will become thick and like frosting
- Let the ganache sit until it is warm or room temperature
Carmel Frosting
1/3 cup coconut butter
4 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup raw honey
pinch salt
1/2 cup canned coconut milk
- In a small saucepan, add the coconut butter and butter
- Turn the heat on medium and whisk the butters together and create a burnt butter sauce. Keep whisking and the butter will start to bubble and foam up. Keep whisking until the bubbles start to slow down and there will be a slightly darker burnt color forming on the bottom. You want to whisk for about another 20-30 seconds after that. Don’t let it get a very dark or you will have a charred butter frosting that won’t taste very good
- Once the butter is burnt, take off the heat. Whisk in the honey and salt and let sit in the pan for about 5 minutes. Then whisk the coconut milk into the frosting until it is totally combined.
- ⅓ cup coconut butter
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup raw honey
- pinch salt
- ½ cup canned coconut milk
- In a small saucepan, add the coconut butter and butter
- Turn the heat on medium and whisk the butters together and create a burnt butter sauce. Keep whisking and the butter will start to bubble and foam up. Keep whisking until the bubbles start to slow down and there will be a slightly darker burnt color forming on the bottom. You want to whisk for about another 20-30 seconds after that. Don’t let it get a very dark or you will have a charred butter frosting that won’t taste very good
- Once the butter is burnt, take off the heat. Whisk in the honey and salt and let sit in the pan for about 5 minutes. Then whisk the coconut milk into the frosting until it is totally combined.
Buttered Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 stick organic butter, room temperature
4 ounces organic cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoon stevia (or to taste)
3 Tablespoons prepared coffee or Espresso
Espresso Infused Salt, to top the cupcakes (optional, but delicious!)
- In a small bowl combine butter, cream cheese and stevia and beat with a hand mixer until combined until smooth
- Add in the coffee and immediately mix to combine. You want the warmth of the coffee to make a very smooth frosting
- ½ stick organic butter, room temperature
- 4 ounces organic cream cheese, room temperature
- 1½ teaspoon stevia (or to taste)
- 3 Tablespoons prepared coffee or Espresso
- Espresso Infused Salt, to top the cupcakes (optional, but delicious!)
- In a small bowl combine butter, cream cheese and stevia and beat with a hand mixer until combined until smooth
- Add in the coffee and immediately mix to combine. You want the warmth of the coffee to make a very smooth frosting
Cream Cheese Frosting (Refined Sugar Free)
16 ounces organic cream cheese (room temperature)
1 stick (1/2 cup) organic grass-fed butter, softened
2 Tablespoons honey
2 teaspoon Stevita stevia
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
3 Tablespoons arrowroot powder
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer beat the cream cheese and butter until well blended and whipped thicker
- Add in the honey, stevia, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt and mix again
- Add the arrowroot powder to the frosting and mix, starting slowly and then turning the speed up to medium for 1 minute. You want to add as much air and fluff into the frosting as possible
- Frost the carrot cake with this frosting or any of your favorite cupcakes
- 16 ounces organic cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) organic grass-fed butter, softened
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoon Stevita stevia
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 3 Tablespoons arrowroot powder
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer beat the cream cheese and butter until well blended and whipped thicker
- Add in the honey, stevia, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt and mix again
- Add the arrowroot powder to the frosting and mix, starting slowly and then turning the speed up to medium for 1 minute. You want to add as much air and fluff into the frosting as possible
- Frost the carrot cake with this frosting or any of your favorite cupcakes
Whipped Coconut Frosting
Ingredients
2 cups organic whipped cream
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup coconut butter
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 teaspoons Stevita stevia (or two teaspoons stevia + 1 Tablespoon Xylitol)
1-2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes, to coat the outside of the cake
Directions
- Using a hand mixer, Make whipped cream. You whip the heavy cream until it forms medium peaks (recipe here)
- In a medium sized bowl add the butter, coconut butter and cream cheese and cream together with the same hand mixer and beaters you used for whipping the cream
- Add the whipped cream to the butter mixture and mix together until they are completely combined
- Add 1/4 of the frosting to the top of the base layer in the cake and evenly spread across the cake and sprinkle 1/4 cup of coconut flakes on the top of the frosting
- Very carefully lay the top layer of the cake on top of the freshly frosted bottom layer
- Use the rest of the frosting and frost the rest of the cake
- Cover the frosting with coconut flakes until all of the frosting is covered up
- 2 cups organic whipped cream
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ⅓ cup coconut butter
- 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 teaspoons Stevita stevia (or two teaspoons stevia + 1 Tablespoon Xylitol)
- 1-2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes, to coat the outside of the cake
- Using a hand mixer, Make whipped cream. You whip the heavy cream until it forms medium peaks (recipe here)
- In a medium sized bowl add the butter, coconut butter and cream cheese and cream together with the same hand mixer and beaters you used for whipping the cream
- Add the whipped cream to the butter mixture and mix together until they are completely combined
- Add ¼ of the frosting to the top of the base layer in the cake and evenly spread across the cake and sprinkle ¼ cup of coconut flakes on the top of the frosting
- Very carefully lay the top layer of the cake on top of the freshly frosted bottom layer
- Use the rest of the frosting and frost the rest of the cake
- Cover the frosting with coconut flakes until all of the frosting is covered up
Almond Dream Frosting
Ingredients
1/2 cup organic palm shortening
1/2 stick (1/4 cup organic butter), softened (or ghee)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 Tablespoons arrowroot powder
2 teaspoons Stevita stevia
1/4 cup raw honey
2 cups unsweetened coconut, toasted in the oven and cooled
Directions
- In a medium bowl beat all of the ingredients, except the coconut) with a hand mixer until beaten. Gently stir in the toasted coconut
- Frost the cookies
- Store any remaining frosting in the fridge
- ½ cup organic palm shortening
- ½ stick (1/4 cup organic butter), softened (or ghee)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 Tablespoons arrowroot powder
- 2 teaspoons Stevita stevia
- ¼ cup raw honey
- 2 cups unsweetened coconut, toasted in the oven and cooled
- In a medium bowl beat all of the ingredients, except the coconut) with a hand mixer until beaten. Gently stir in the toasted coconut
- Frost the cookies
- Store any remaining frosting in the fridge
Double Butter Frosting
Ingredients
1/4 cup grass-fed organic butter
1/2 cup coconut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 Tablespoons sunflower seed flour
stevia, to taste (I use about 1-2 teaspoons)
Directions
- Put the coconut butter and butter in a bowl and beat with a hand mixer until the butters are creamed together
- Add the vanilla and almond extract along with the sunflower seed flour. Adding the flour thickens the frosting a little bit more and allows it to spread more easily on top of the cookies. Mix until the frosting is completely combined
- ¼ cup grass-fed organic butter
- ½ cup coconut butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 Tablespoons sunflower seed flour
- stevia, to taste (I use about 1-2 teaspoons)
- Put the coconut butter and butter in a bowl and beat with a hand mixer until the butters are creamed together
- Add the vanilla and almond extract along with the sunflower seed flour. Adding the flour thickens the frosting a little bit more and allows it to spread more easily on top of the cookies. Mix until the frosting is completely combined
- Frost the cookies. I like quite a bit of frosting on my cookies and with this recipe you will have enough frosting for an extra ½ of a dollop on each cookie
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[…] isn’t too sweet and you can make to top with lemon curd or whipped cream or really any other frosting you desire. I also have made it and just eaten it […]