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    Home » Recipes » Spring Recipes

    Published: Apr 19, 2022 · Modified: May 13, 2022 by Petra · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Carrot Cake Frosting Without Cream Cheese

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    A collage of photos of cupcakes with buttercream frosting with text overlay "Easy Carrot Cake Frosting with No Cream Cheese". A photo of a clear bowl filled with buttercream with text overlay "Easy Carrot Cake Frosting with No Cream Cheese". A photo of cupcakes with buttercream frosting with text overlay "Easy Carrot Cake Frosting with No Cream Cheese".

    This Carrot Cake Frosting Without Cream Cheese will blow your mind! It's ready in just 10 minutes and requires only 5 basic ingredients. With hints of vanilla, this icing is perfect for any cake!

    Five carrot cake cupcakes on a marble platter, topped with carrot cake frosting without cream cheese.

    A cream cheese frosting is a classic we all know and love. But this carrot cake frosting without cream cheese is just as good and so simple to make.

    It's naturally gluten-free and can be made vegan and dairy-free with just 1 swap.

    You can put this frosting on any carrot cake recipe you like. We love pairing it with our healthy carrot cake cupcakes.

    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Love This Recipe
    • Ingredients and Notes
    • How to Make Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
    • Expert Tips
    • FAQ
    • How To Frost a Cake
    • Ways to Use Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
    • 📖 Recipe

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    • Quick and easy. One mixer and 10 minutes are all you need to make this recipe. And if you have a stand mixer, it's even easier.
    • You'll need only 5 ingredients that you probably have in your kitchen already.
    • Versatile. Cakes, cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, truffles, you name it! You can put this carrot cake frosting without cream cheese on so many things!
    • SO delicious! When I was testing this recipe I asked a few friends to try it out and give me feedback. All of them LOVED it, and one even said "I can eat this thing straight out of the bowl". So yeah, it's so good!

    Ingredients and Notes

    Gathered ingredients for making carrot cake frosting without cream cheese.
    • Powdered sugar/ icing sugar: Make sure to use fine powdered sugar for best results.
    • Butter: Use one that you like the flavor of and make sure it's at room temperature. If you forgot to take it out ahead of time, you can use this quick method.
    • Vanilla extract: We're using light-colored vanilla extract to keep the color of the icing bright, but you can also use pure vanilla extract.
    • Milk: We use soy milk, but you can use other neutral-flavored milk such as cashew milk, almond milk, or cow's milk.

    How to Make Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

    Step 1: Beat the butter

    Add two sticks of butter to a large mixing bowl. Using either a handheld or a stand mixer, beat on high for 3-4 minutes. Until the butter is fluffy and light in texture.

    Beating butter in a clear bowl with an electric handheld mixer.

    Step 2: Add powdered sugar and vanilla

    Then, sift your powdered sugar and add it to the bowl, alongside the vanilla extract, and salt.

    Beat for 2-3 more minutes, while gradually adding 1 tablespoon of milk at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.

    Adding powdered sugar with a spoon to a bowl with creamed butter.

    Step 3: Frost your cake

    Next, taste and adjust the flavor if needed, adding more salt, vanilla, or milk to taste. You can add up to 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and you can also add a tablespoon of lemon juice if you want it tangy.

    Finally, transfer your frosting to a piping bag and frost your cake as desired. Make sure to refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

    Carrot cake icing without cream cheese in a clear bowl.

    Expert Tips

    • Use room temperature ingredients. This is the MOST important thing when making this recipe. Don't be tempted to use cold ingredients, because it won't work and you'll end up wasting them.
    • Beat the butter long enough. Whipping the butter for at least 2 minutes will incorporate air into it, which makes the frosting light and fluffy.
    • Don't add too much milk at once. If the frosting is too thick, you can always add more milk later. But if you've added too much milk, you can't take it back.
    • Always frost your cake when it's completely cooled down! If you frost the cake while it's still warm, the buttercream will melt and soak into the cake.

    FAQ

    Why did my frosting curdle?

    If you add cold milk (or any cold liquid) to the creamed butter, the frosting will curdle. When mixing the fat and the liquid, they both need to be at room temperature.

    Can I make this buttercream vegan?

    Yes! This recipe can easily be made vegan and dairy-free by using vegan butter and non-dairy milk.

    Does frosting need to be refrigerated?

    After you whip it up, it's best to use your frosting right away. If not, you should always refrigerate it for later.

    How do you thicken frosting?

    If your frosting is too runny, try putting it in the refrigerator first, for at least 2 hours. If that doesn't help, you can add a few additional tablespoons of powdered sugar. However, be aware of making your frosting too sweet. If that doesn't help either, try mixing in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch or cacao powder (for a chocolate frosting).

    Can you make the frosting ahead of time?

    Yes, this frosting keeps for up to 1 week if saved in the fridge. Before using it, take it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature.

    Can you freeze it?

    Yes! Transfer the frosting into a plastic bag and freeze it for up to 3 months. Before using, let it thaw in the fridge overnight. After thawing, you may need to stir in a splash of milk to loosen it up.

    Frosting a carrot cake cupcake with a white piping bag.

    How To Frost a Cake

    First, make sure your cake layers are completely cooled down, best chilled in the fridge for a few hours. Second, make sure your frosting is at room temperature.

    Using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Then, place one layer on a cake stand or a serving plate, and evenly cover the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, and cover with more frosting.

    Finally, use the rest of the frosting to cover the sides of the cake, and decorate as desired.

    If you want a more in-depth tutorial on this, you can watch this video.

    Five carrot cake cupcakes on a marble platter. On one of them was taken a bite out of it.

    Ways to Use Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

    Carrot Cake Cupcakes

    Lemon Turmeric Cake

    Blueberry Pancake Bundt Cake

    Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding

    📖 Recipe

    Five carrot cake cupcakes on a marble platter, topped with carrot cake frosting without cream cheese.

    Carrot Cake Frosting without Cream Cheese

    This Carrot Cake Frosting Without Cream Cheese will blow your mind! It's ready in just 10 minutes and requires only 5 basic ingredients. With hints of vanilla, this icing is perfect for any cake!
    4.93 from 13 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 2.5 cups
    Author: Petra
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Mixer

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, at room temperature (use vegan butter if needed, we like Miyokos and Earth Balance)
    • 2 ¾ cups (400g) fine powdered sugar
    • 6-8 tablespoons milk of choice, at room temperature or more as needed (either non-dairy milk or regular)
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt, or to taste
    • 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract*
    Step-by-step imagesScroll back to find detailed recipe photos!

    Instructions

    • To a large mixing bowl, add the butter. Using a handheld or a stand mixer, beat on high for 2-3 minutes, or until creamed and fluffy.
    • To a small bowl, sift the powdered sugar 1-2 times until no clumps remain. Add it to the butter, alongside the vanilla extract and salt.
    • Beat on slow speed until it incorporates, then beat on high speed for 2-3 minutes. Start adding the milk gradually, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.
    • Taste and adjust the flavor, adding more salt, vanilla, or milk as needed. Use immediately or store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

    Notes

    • Use room temperature butter. Cold butter won't cream as well, and melted butter doesn't work at all.
    • Beat the butter long enough. This is one of the most important parts of this recipe. Whipping butter for at least 2 minutes will incorporate air into it, which makes the frosting light and fluffy.
    • Don't add too much milk at once. If the frosting is too thick, you can always add more milk later. But if you've added too much milk, you can't take it back.
    • Always frost your cake when it's completely cooled down! If you frost the cake while it's still warm, the buttercream will melt and soak into the cake.
     
    Frosting storage
    • Fridge: Transfer frosting to a plastic bag or an air-tight container. It will keep for up to 1 week in the fridge. Before using, take it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature.
    • Freezer: Transfer the frosting into a plastic bag and freeze it for up to 3 months. Before using, let it thaw in the fridge overnight. After thawing, you may need to stir in a splash of milk to loosen it up.
     
    *If you're using pure vanilla extract, make sure to double the amount.
    **This recipe makes enough frosting for 12-16 cupcakes, or for one layer of frosting on a sheet cake. If you want to frost a 2 layer cake, you should double this recipe.
    ***Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with 8 tablespoons of milk, and without optional ingredients. The calories marked above are for the frosting of 1 cupcake, assuming you frosted a total of 16 cupcakes with it.
    ****Recipe adapted from Sally's Baking Recipes.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 203kcal

    Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with third-party calculations without including the optional ingredients.

    Tried this recipe?Leave me a rating and a comment telling me how it went. Or tag me at @sunglowkichen and hashtag #sunglowkitchen on Instagram!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Chanel says

      August 02, 2023 at 9:10 pm

      4 stars
      This recipe was great but WAY too sweet for my liking. So I put in less sugar and more butter. This ofc changed the texture of the original but I was still satisfied.

      Reply
      • Petranka says

        August 09, 2023 at 9:05 am

        Thank you for sharing, Chanel. I'm happy you found a way to modify it to your liking!

        Reply
    2. Boris says

      August 29, 2022 at 12:50 pm

      5 stars
      I am a man with a severe sweet tooth and out of all the frostings i have tried - this one takes the cake!

      Reply
      • Petranka says

        August 31, 2022 at 10:34 am

        So glad to hear you liked it!

        Reply
    3. Magda says

      May 30, 2022 at 9:00 am

      5 stars
      I made this icing for my son’s birthday party cupcakes and it was great! Thank you.

      Reply
      • Kathy says

        January 26, 2023 at 5:48 pm

        What are measurements in cups, tablespoons please & thank you !!

        Reply
        • Petranka says

          January 27, 2023 at 10:06 am

          Sorry for the inconvenience, I just update the recipe!

          Reply
    4.93 from 13 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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    Hi, I'm Petra!

    I'm a professional chef and a certified nutritionist! Sunglow Kitchen is all about easy vegan and vegetarian recipes that anyone can make at home, even if you're a beginner. Learn more about me here!

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