This paleo vegan maple cream frosting is cashew-based, maple-sweetened and super creamy! The perfect frosting for pumpkin cake and other fall treats.
After making the vegan vanilla sauce I posted last month, I knew I had to turn it into a frosting. It was too delicious to just use as a sauce!
It was an easy recipe to adapt. Add more cashews and omit almost all the water. The result is a super delicious maple cream frosting that’s quite soft, kind of like a whipped cream frosting. So you definitely can’t pipe it.
I’m sure you could add a bunch of palm shortening or something to firm it up, but that just didn’t sound appetizing to me. Nor did coconut oil. Or coconut butter or anything coconutty. No coconut products were allowed in my maple frosting. :D
You’ll want to make sure to use raw cashews. I first tried it with roasted salted cashews and just like the vanilla sauce, I think it tasted peanut buttery the next day. But don’t go using roasted salted cashews on purpose, thinking you’ll be making something that resembles peanut butter frosting. Mr. didn’t agree that it tasted peanutty.
Mr. T did make me promise to tell you something about this maple cream frosting recipe. He thinks that spreading it on anything is a total waste because, “It tastes best from the spoon.”
Well. Cakes and cupcakes need frosting. So I’m happy to use this and don’t think it’s a waste at all!
Autumnal paleo treats!
So yeah. They’re actually all muffins but throw this maple frosting on top and they become cupcakes. :D
One last thing – don’t omit the lemon juice! It’s a small amount but is necessary to make the other flavors pop. And make sure to use the darker Grade B kind of maple syrup so that the maple flavor is more intense. You could also add a bit of maple extract (if you’re not paleo).
The below cake is this paleo pumpkin cake and they’re perfect together!
Paleo Vegan Maple Cream Frosting
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Ready in:
- Yield: slightly less than 1 1/2 cups
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (198 grams) raw unsalted cashews, soaked1
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon maple syrup (I recommend using the darker Grade B kind so that the maple taste is more intense)
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/16 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
Directions
- Drain the cashews and place all the ingredients in a high speed blender jar (I don't think this would work in a food processor).
- Process on high speed for about 40 seconds or until totally smooth and no chunks remain.
- Add more lemon juice, vanilla and salt, if desired. Refrigerate for about 2 hours before frosting your cake or cupcakes.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. I like to use 1 cup (about 2/3 of the batch) on a 1-layer 9" cake.
Notes
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53 comments on “Paleo Vegan Maple Cream Frosting” — Add one!
what is that cake in the photo ( with the pecans>)
Hi! It’s this paleo pumpkin cake. :)
Hi. I am just wondering if I could sub store bought cashew butter for the raw cashews? And if so, how much? Thanks!
Hello! I think that’d be fine. Use the same amount by weight – 198 grams. Hope you’ll enjoy it!
Erin, you said it is really soft. Is it too soft to use on cookies as icing?
I am wondering if it will harden?
It unforunately doesn’t harden. You can kind of see how soft it is in the first picture. I think it’s much too soft for cookies. Sorry about that!
No problem! Looks amazing! Will be used for other things :)
Great! Hope you’ll enjoy it. :)
Good sub for Maple syrup in this frosting recipe!
Was that meant to be a question? Or a response to someone else confirming that something was a good sub for maple? You could try honey but then it’s not vegan (in case that’s important to you) and the frosting will probably taste quite strongly of honey. I personally think maple is a much better option for this recipe. :)
I’ve tried with maple and with honey as well. I like it equally. It did not taste very strong using honey but I cut down the amount. It was delicious both ways so you will not be making mistake If you try with honey
Good to know! I guess it depends on the type of honey. I tried it with honey and didn’t like that it tasted so strongly. But I didn’t reduce the amount! Thanks for the tip.
hi there! this recipe looks so good! I was hoping to use it on a layer cake. do you think it’s firm enough to frost the sides of a cake? ty!
Hi there! Thanks. :) I’m not very hopeful about it being firm enough to frost the sides of a cake. Or to be put in between layers. It’s really soft!
This recipe looks soooo good!! Erin, I would LOVE to share your recipe with my followers. Would you mind if I share this for a round up of delicious healthier Thanksgiving dessert options over on my fitness blog? I’d love to use a picture with your permission and of course link people over to your site :) Thanks!
Sure! Thanks so much for asking and for wanting to including my recipe. :)
We can just eat this a spoon right?
It is the best way!
Oh my goodness! This frosting looks amazing on your cake! Can’t wait to try!
I hope you’ll enjoy it! :)
I bet this does taste best from the spoon! However I think I need to spoon this over EVERYTHING just to make sure hahaha
Haha. I love your style. :D
Wow, this would be the perfect topping for so many desserts! Sounds fantastic!
Thanks! It really is yummy. :)
Love that you turned that amazing vanilla sauce into a frosting! Now I have to think of ways I can use this because it looks too good to be true!
All you need is a spoon. ;)
WOW! This looks so creamy and yummy. If you didn’t tell me, I’m sure I’d never know it was vegan. I want to slice into that amazing cake ASAP!!
It definitely doesn’t taste vegan! It just tastes… magical. ;)
Can I just use a spoon for this? Looks amazing!
That’s the recommended way. :D
Just hand me a shovel, this looks so amazing…love anything maple!
Haha. A shovel is definitely more efficient than a spoon!
I’m always amazed at the ways cashews can be utilized. I love eating them raw, roasted, toasted, and salted. This is a new way I’ve never tried. Who knew you could use them to make frosting?
Thanks for the recipe. I need to give this a try!
Cashews are just amazing!
Love that you used cashews in this frosting! I bet this tastes amazing. :)
It really does. :)
This is definitely going in the saved category… looks delicious!!
Yay! Hope you’ll enjoy it. :)
Such a great idea. I have never seen anything like this before. Keeping this recipe so I can actually make it next time I need frosting in a cake!
I hope you’ll love it! :)
YES, please!!! This frosting is absolutely amaaaazing!!!
Haha. I think so, too. :D
Wow, that looks so creamy! I’ve always been intrigued at the idea of using cashews as the base for sauces, dips and frostings – I really need to give it a try!
I think you do, too! :)
It amazes me that someone thought of using cashews for frosting and as cream cheese sub I think I read somewhere. My brain doesn’t think like that. Haha!! It looks very tasty.
Haha. Right?! That’s exactly what it is here – a cream cheese sub! A few years ago I thought it was SO weird but now that I’ve tried it, I love it!
I love that the ingredient list is so simple. Never would’ve thought to make frosting out of cashews :)
You should give it a try!
Ohhhhh, printing. I need to make this for my pecan banana loaf!
It’d go perfect with it! :)
I just want a big spoon and face plant into that bowl!
Haha. YES! I approve. :D