Name: Vegan Chocolate Buttercream - Pani Reka Tiakarete Karohuarere
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 130 g tiakarete parauri (dark chocolate, 50%); 150 g olivani (or normal softened butter if you are happy with dairy); ¼ C (25 g) kōkō (cocoa); 1 tsp (5 ml) wanira (vanilla); 1 C (165 g) puehu huka (icing sugar)

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

This Vegan Chocolate Buttercream is one of those simple toppings that always delivers. It takes 15 minutes to make and completes cakes and baked goods with simple elegance. This buttercream or icing (as I call it) is so easy to make and suits those of your loved ones who cannot have dairy.

A chocolate vegan cake is on a pink plate, that has a blue tea towel under it, on a brown stone bench. Naomi is smearing the cake with vegan chocolate buttercream using a knife.

Whip this delicious buttercream up and either pipe or spread it on to cakes, slices or muffins for a chocolatey good time. This is perfect for adding on to my Vegan Chocolate Cake, paired with chocolate petal decorations.

Are you Gluten-free?

Kāore he raru – no worries, I have you covered. Check out my Gluten-free Chocolate Hazelnut Cake, made with you in mind. You can also cover it keke (cake) in this vegan buttercream. Then it will be a dairy-free, gluten-free keke (cake) due to the absence of pata (butter) in the cake itself.

Videography and photography by Sarah Henderson.

Ingredient Tips for this Vegan Chocolate Buttercream:

On a table sits a dark cloth with a wooden board on it. On the board is small vintage objects holding ingredients. There is butter, salt, icing sugar and vanilla in view. Behind the board is an amber candle and a bunch of pink and purple flowers.

Chocolate: I use 50% tiakarete paruari (dark chocolate) in this recipe but use your preference.
Olivani: Olivini or any olive oil based spread works perfectly in this vegan buttercream. If you are happy with dairy, swap it for the same amount of softened butter.
Cocoa: Use any type of kōkō (cocoa) you have on hand.
Vanilla: Use your favourite wanira (vanilla) in this recipe.
Icing sugar: This helps whip up the pani reka (buttercream) in to a smooth cream and no other huka (sugar) will do.

Expert Tips:

When making the buttercream, take the time to whip the Olivani and icing sugar for 4 - 5 minutes until it is light and fluffy in colour and texture. This simple tip is the difference between a smooth or grainy buttercream.

Be careful if you are using a microwave to melt the tiakarete (chocolate) because it can easily burn. Check it after each 10 second increments and stir it regularly.

Make sure the tiakarete (chocolate) has cooled down enough before adding it to the pata tāwhiuwhiu (whipped butter). If you can't hold your finger in the mixture, it is too hot so give it ten minutes more minutes to cool.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE VEGAN CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM:

Note: The full recipe card with the full list of ingredients, instructions and step by step video are found at the bottom of this page.

A ceramic bowl sits on a silver pot on a black stove top. In the bowl is a melted chocolate ganache mixture that is being stirred by Naomi with a fork.

1. Prepare the Dark Chocolate:

Chop the tiakarete parauri (dark chocolate) roughly in to chunks and add it to a heat-proof bowl.

Gently melt it in a bowl sitting over a pot of barely simmering water (around 3 cm deep), making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Stir occasionally until smooth.

You can also do this in 10 - 20 second bursts in the microwave, stir gently after each 10 - 20 seconds.

With both melting methods, once the tiakarete (chocolate) is 90% melted, remove it from the heat and stir it gently until it is all melted. Leave it to the side to cool slightly for 5 - 10 minutes.

A glass vintage bowl sits on a wooden board, on brown stone bench. In the bowl is butter and sugar being whipped with a white hand mixer. There is baking utensils around the bowl and behind it.

2. Whip the Butter and Sugar:

Add the olivani (or butter), kōkō (cocoa), wanira (vanilla) and puehu huka (icing sugar) to a large bowl.

Whip it all together on high for a 3 - 4 minutes until light and fluffy in colour and texture.

A close up shots shows the vegan chocolate buttercream whipped to perfection in a glass vintage bowl with silver trim. Behind it is a wooden board with small empty vessels on it.

3. Whip in the Cooled Chocolate:

Add the warm chocolate mixture, a couple of tablespoons at a time to the ranunga pata (butter mixture) as you whip continuously.

It is now ready to use for whatever deliciousness awaits you!

4. Use the Vegan Chocolate Buttercream:

Use it to decorate my Vegan Chocolate Cake or my Gluten-free Chocolate Hazelnut Cake.

A freshly decorated vegan chocolate cake sits on a pink plate on top of a white table cloth. The chocolate cake is wrapped in dark chocolate decorations and has blackberries and pink flowers arranged on the top.

Store the Vegan Chocolate Buttercream:

This can be put in to a sealed container and be kept in the fridge for up to five days.

If it has been sitting in the fridge longer than four hours, bring it to room temperature for 20 minutes. Then whip it for a minute or so before using it.

Take a look at these other

Toppings

These simple recipes pack a big punch in the baking game.

Browse all Toppings

Naomi Toilalo is at the table laden with baking. There is lamingtons, lemon meringue pie, custard slice and cream buns. She is decorating a cake in front of her and smiling.

DID YOU ENJOY THIS RECIPE?

It would be so awesome if you could please leave a review/comment by clicking the “leave a comment” section at the top of the page.

I love seeing you all make my creations, so send a whakaahua (photo) or kiriata (video) to my Instagram and show me what you made. Let me know if you have any pātai (questions) too, I would love to help.

A small chocolate cake is being spread with vegan chocolate buttercream with a knife. The cake is on a pink plate.

Print Pin

5 from 1 vote