Sugar-Free, Oil-Free, Non-Dairy Carob Frosting
This easy, chocolatey, sugar-free frosting recipe contains no artificial sweeteners, no agave, no powdered sugar, no oil, no shortening, and no butter. It’s made with all plant-based ingredients (vegan!) and it’s gluten free!
A few weeks ago, someone asked me if I had a sugar-free cake recipe. Most of the recipes here on my website are sugar-free, so this question was a logical one. If you don’t eat sugar, what kind of cake do you serve at a birthday party?
Many people have told me that they use my Fruit Pizza recipe for sugar-free birthdays. I also love the idea of fruit cakes. Both of these are delicious and healthy birthday cake options. But what if a fruit cake just won’t fly with your 13-year-old nephew whose favorite food is Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and fried doughnuts?
What if you just need a regular birthday cake – the kind with gooey chocolate frosting that you lick off your fingers? Is it possible to make delicious cake and frosting that are sugar-free?
A quick look on the internet will provide you with several sugar-free cake and sugar-free frosting recipes, but most of them are sweetened with zero-calorie sweeteners and artificial sweeteners. Not something I want in my kitchen or my body.
Also, those sugar-free frosting recipes usually call for Earth Balance or some other fake butter or coconut oil. What if you want a sugar-free and oil-free frosting?
I gotcha covered. 🙂
After a bit of delicious experimenting, I came up with a birthday cake and frosting recipe that is not only sugar-free, but also gluten-free and oil-free.
What I Love About This Sugar-Free Frosting
I love that this chocolate-like frosting is made with whole-food ingredients. This delicious frosting recipe contains NO sugar, NO sugar substitutes, NO agave, NO dairy, NO eggs, NO oil, NO butter.
And even though it tastes so similar to chocolate, it’s made from carob – a much healthier alternative to chocolate. (Carob does not contain theobromine like chocolate does. Theobromine can cause insomnia and fatigue.)
Ingredients
My sugar-free, oil-free, dairy-free frosting is made with wholesome, whole-food ingredients.
How to Serve This Sugar-Free Carob Frosting
This sugar-free frosting alternative is yummers on cake and cupcakes, but we’ve also been known to eat it on toast, fresh fruit, waffles, and bread. (It makes a great dip for apples!)
Is This Sugar-Free Frosting Healthy?
Sweetened with whole-food, all-natural dates, this sugar-free frosting recipe is healthy and not-fattening. Dates are a great source of antioxidants, magnesium, fiber, and other important nutrients that help keep your blood sugar levels stable and help with weight loss.
Most sugar-free frosting recipes you see on the internet are made with low-calorie sweeteners, zero-calorie sweeteners, artificial sweeteners, alternative sweeteners, or other sweeteners that are not healthy. Some studies show that low-calorie and zero-calorie sweeteners promote weight gain and contribute to other health problems.
And we use carob in this recipe instead of chocolate. Carob is much healthier than chocolate as it does not contain theobromine, a component of chocolate that can be addictive and can cause insomnia and fatigue, or methylxanthines (also in chocolate), a cellular toxin.
It is also a great source of B vitamins niacin, vitamin A, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, and calcium.
(Here are some more delicious recipes using carob).
How to Store this Sugar-Free Frosting
This sugar-free frosting will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it tastes better! It’s richer and, oh, so much more flavorful! It’s luscious!
Yes, it’s very freezer-friendly.
Can be made ahead of time and kept in freezer until ready to use.
Sure do! It’s a fun to make and fun to eat sugar-free, oil-free, vegan cake recipe. You’re going to love it.
One batch of frosting is enough to frost a 2-layer 6-inch cake or 18 cupcakes.
Sugar-Free, Oil-Free, Non-Dairy Carob Frosting
We eat far too much sugar. But there really is no good reason for this if we have delicious and healthful alternatives.
This sugar-free, dairy-free, oil-free frosting is the perfect sub for regular sugar-laden frosting.
Lusciously rich and sweet, we think it’s the best healthy sugar-free frosting ever.
Sugar-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan Cake
Looking for a sugar free cake recipe to put this luscious sugar free frosting on? You’re gonna love this one.
Sugar-Free, Oil-Free, Carob Frosting
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup roasted carob powder
- 2 cups whole, pitted dates
- 2/3 cup almond butter - See note.
- 3/4 cup full-fat, canned coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon salt - (Omit or reduce if almond butter is salted.)
- 1 teaspoon Teeccino Vanilla Nut Naturally Caffeine-Free Herbal Coffee Granules
Instructions
- Place carob powder and water in saucepan, heat over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a low bowl.
- Add dates, cover, and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and allow to sit covered for 4 minutes or until dates are soft.
- When dates are soft, transfer mixture to blender. Add almond butter, coconut milk, vanilla, salt, and coffee sub (if using). Blend until smooth.
- If a thinner frosting is desired, add additional coconut milk until desired consistency is reached.
- Store in refrigerator.
Notes
>> One quick request: if you like this recipe, please leave a rating and a comment. Ratings help more people find these healthy recipes!
Want More?
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This is a wonderful alternative to the normal sugary frosting we’re used to using.
It would be great on bars and cupcakes and even for a sandwich spread. Thank you Jennifer for sharing this recipe.
You are very welcome, Janene.
It is a great alternative. We really like it.
Thank you for your comment! 🙂
I use Dandy Blend and will use that for the coffee substitute. Thank you for this recipe!
Hi De,
You are welcome!
You could use Dandy Blend, and it would be good, but it won’t be quite the same. The Teeccino definitely have a unique, luscious flavor.
I hope you enjoy!
This is by far the best frosting I’ve ever tried. I actually gave up making it because I couldn’t find a good confectionery sugar substitute. I’m going to make blondie brownies for my church potluck in a couple of weeks and frost them with this recipe. I think they’ll be a hit.
Aw, thanks, Lori. So glad you liked it.
I hope everyone enjoys the frosted brownies 🙂 Thank you for your comment.
I just made this! The flavor is amazing. I doubled the recipe, because when I make cakes I usually use two tubs of icing. But I think I used to much coconut milk because it is very thin. Any pointers on how to thicken it up? Add more dates?
Hi Megan. So happy you like the frosting. 🙂 Thank you for the rating.
I’m not sure the best way to thicken it. It does thicken some as it chills, so depending on how thin yours is, maybe that would help.
Adding either carob or dates would help too, but, of course, the end flavor would be different. I think the best option would be to make another batch without the milk and mix it with the thin frosting.
Another thought – If your almond butter is thin, that will also make the frosting thin.
Sorry I’m not more helpful. … Not sure what to suggest. I hope it works out for you.
Thank you Jennifer! I’m going to chill it overnight and check it in the morning. It isn’t super thin, and the flavor is so good. ☺️
Sounds good! I hope it thickens up to your liking. I’m so delighted to hear you like the flavor of the frosting.