Finally a separate blog post for my vegan fudge icing recipe
I use it in so many building on recipes projects
The problem though was that I never made a specific post for just this icing!
So I found myself constantly directing people to other recipes that just happened to have the fudge in or on them!
Like my Fudge Cupcakes or The Chocolate Fudge Cake or my awesome fudge brownies!
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- Fudge Cupcakes
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- Fudge Cake
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- Fudge Brownies
It may seem like so many ingredients at first glance
However all those ingredients really do play a role in the final smooth outcome and stability of this rich silky fudge icing
This is the same recipe I used when I owned my bakery and it does help to keep cakes iced with fudge in the refrigerator in the hotter months.
But it’s actually really simple to make
Updates:
Since it’s original recreation here for home use, I have adjusted the amount of confectioners sugar used
It used to be 8 whole cups for this recipe!
That’s insane!
Perhaps I was much sweeter in my younger years! LOL
I have scaled it back to only 3 cups total! That’s almost 2/3 less sugar!
Wow!
For those who want it sweeter though you can obviously increase the amount all the way back up to the original 8 cups
You may have to add a few tablespoons of warm water though to get it to a spreadable consistency
Oh yeah before you ask, this icing is also a filling and I sometimes use it to make my buttercream chocolate
Just by adding about a cup or less to the recipe at the last stage of mixing!
CLICK HERE FOR MORE ABOUT HOW TO FLAVOR YOUR BUTTERCREAM
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE 2 MIN YOUTUBE VIDEO TUTORIAL FOR HOW TO MAKE THIS ICING
One Hour Chocolate Cake Recipe
NOTE:
Many people remind me that they cannot get vegetable shortening where they live!
That’s no problem!
Just substitute that small amount listed in my recipe below with more vegan butter or coconut oil!
For more recipes using fudge icing click the links below!
- Granulated Sugar 5 Tablespoons (63g)
- Water 5 Tablespoons (75ml)
- Corn Syrup 2 Tablespoons (40g) (30ml)
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder 1 Cup (90g)
- Vegetable or Coconut Oil 2 Tablespoons (27g) (30ml)
- Solid Vegetable Shortening 2 Tablespoons (25g) *see note above for substitute
- Corn Syrup 4 Tablespoons (80g) (60ml)
- * you can sub glucose or golden syrup here
- Vegan Butter softened 8 ounces (2 Sticks) (226g)
- Vanilla Extract 2 teaspoons
- Confectioner's Sugar or Icing Sugar 3 cups (360g)
- In a small pot on the stove, combine the first 3 ingredients and bring to a boil for about 2-3 minutes then pour into a bowl and allow to sit in the freezer to rapid cool while you gather the other ingredients.
- In the bowl of your Kitchen Aid mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl with a hand blender, add the cocoa powder and cooled but still warm simple syrup and mix until it forms a firm mass.
- Add the vanilla extract
- Add the Vegetable Oil and Solid Vegetable Shortening and mix well.
- Add the other measure of corn syrup and the softened butter, mix smooth.
- Add the sifted confectioners sugar a little bit at a time and mix until smooth.
- ** Optional::: Slowly add some of the cold water about 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency
For longer storage keep refrigerated for up to 1 month
Freeze for 3 months
How well does it freeze?
Fine, just thaw it in the refrigerator overnight then let it get to room temperature for an hour or so before rewhipping, you may need to add another tbs or two of warm water to get it smooth and creamy
Sweet Baby Jesus! Your website,videos,and recipes are the real dream come true. Thank you for sharing and for going vegan!
awe thank you too!!
This is terrific Fudge Frosting. First Vegan attempt on my part. Super easy.
They never knew it was Vegan.
I’m glad I found your site! Thank you
Christi
awesome! thanks Christi!
Hello!
Is it ok to use agave instead of corn syrup in this recipe?
yes!
Hey Gretchen, so proud to find out you became a vegan and also very relieved, because I could never find a vegan version of brownies as good as your non vegan brownie XD Literally EVERYONE that has eaten your non vegan brownie here in Brazil was stunned!
I’m wondering, how many cupcakes or brownie pieces do 6 cups of icing cover? I’m planning to sell these here in Brazil! <3 Thank you for the wonderful recipes.
Hi Great thanks! Well it depends on how much you want to ice them! 😀
This recipe makes 6 cups- so you will have to estimate how much you will put on each one, then do a little division to get an accurate yield
Hello Gretchen! Is this recipe similar to the fudge that you had years ago? I made that one and loved it. I’m making a cake and I want to use it as a filling
YES! it is exactly the same recipe!
Hi Gretchen – a while ago I think I remember you talked about using chocolate chips in frosting. Can you say again what the problems might be? thanks
Chocolate chips are not meant to melt. They have added ingredients in them to keep them from melting away in (specifically) cookies which is what they were designed to do.
So, especially on the lower grade brands they have waxes and such.
It would probably be OK here, but again a more expensive chip will be the same as buying some real deal couverture. I get Baker’s Brand Chocolate bars (4oz bars for like $2.50) in my local ShopRite (and walmart has it too)
thanks Gretchen – really appreciate all you do
What else can we use apart from corn syrup? You mention agave but could you use for example xylitol? What liquid would you mix it with & what quantities? What else might we be able to use? Thank you
Hi Cathy, I have not personally used xylitol, but I am pretty sure it would work as a replacement for the cornsyrup here. I’d just add a bit more liquid (water) at the end as I show in the video to adjust the consistency.
But if you are trying to make this a low sugar recipe, I wouldn’t recommend that. There is such a large amount of confectioners sugar here, that even replacing JUST the cornsyrup part, what is that really going to do? Not much in the grand scheme of things.
For a lower sugar, WAY HEALTHIER version of a chocolate icing, you can use ganache instead. It’s easy, 2 ingredients- low sugar in comparison to this recipe. CLICK HERE
i love all your recipes. Have been following you since non vegan days 🙂
which icing recipes are perfect to create a fondant cake?
Hi Thank you!! CLICK HERE for the best buttercream options!
Hi Gretchen!
I wonder if this recipe is enough to frost an 8inch cake without to much leftovers. im making a birthday cake and wanted to have as little leftover frosting as i can, I always make to much.
If you are just frosting and NOT filling? It’s going to be extra, but you could HALF the recipe OR freeze excess 🙂
Is there any type of vegan butter you recommend. I was looking in the store and saw Becel for 2.50 and then earth balance for 5.50. Would it matter in this recipe?
It wouldn’t matter here, the only time I am sure to use Earth Balance with no subs in in a buttercream recipe- Earth Balance is the lowest moisture and will get hard in the fridge, no other one will do that (that I know of)
Hello Gretchen, your recipes are simply amazing! You have so much talent in you, and i am so glad you decided to share it with the world. I made your peanut butter fudge brittle cake a few days age, and , i was simply shocked. It was so good!! I made it for my dad for fathers day because he loves peanut butter so much, and he was so happy! thank you so much! I do have a question though. I love your fudge icing and i make it a lot, it is so rich and chocolaty and i make it at least once every week, but every single time i make it, if i put it into a piping bag and start piping, or if i leave it in the mixer bowl, it get white streaks in it. and not pretty streaks. every time i pipe with it, the first few look great, but then the white appears and i don’t know what to do. I follow the recipe exactly! Do you know what’s wrong? If you do, please tell me. Thank you!!!
Hey great thanks!!! That has happened to me before too, and I think it is from the shortening addition? Because I now use all vegan butter (earth balance specifically – lowest moisture) and this has not happened
hey. What can i substitute for vegetable shortening?
Love your channel and website. I am a vegetarian (will soon turn vegan) and i am excited to make these for my non-vegetarian family and friends
Great! More vegan butter in same quantity as listed
I read above that I can substitute more vegan butter for the veg shortening.
Why does the recipe call for shortening? Is it to firm up the icing?
Thanks
Yes to both, Shortening is only ever used as a stabilizer for icings, lots of people like to stay away from using it, so you can use all vegan butter in it’s place. I do it all the time, the amount here is so little that it really doesn’t change anything at all. This was a recipe I converted from my bakery that was GIANT! So when I scaled it down, the shortening that started out at like 2lb for the entire recipe, ended up being so small, so I probably just should have omitted it from the start
Hello, Gretchen
Pretty sure I’ve lost weight from all the salivating I’m doing just looking at your amazing desserts!
I have a question I’m hoping you can help with:
It was recently pointed out to me that a lot of sugar is filtered with bone char. Obviously, if it’s certified organic, or certified vegan, that wouldn’t be the case.
Do your recipes factor that in?
Thank you for taking the time to read, and hopefully, answer. Thank you also for these tremendous ideas and inspirations!
🕊
Tim
Hi Tim thanks! And you are welcome too! 🙂
Yes that is correct most sugar (in the US) is processed through animal bone char. I use Zulka brand sugar in all my recipes, so yes~ I guess you can say I factor that in
For the powdered sugar you can make your own, since the store bought ones are super expensive!
CLICK HERE for simple vegan blog powdered sugar recipe
Not sure what went wrong here. I followed the instructions to a T. I made two batches, one the way you make it in the video and one the way the recipe is written. They both refused to come together, it looks curdled and oily and there is a white milky substance that accumulates on the surface. I guess I will need to try another recipe in the morning. Such a shame. Any idea what could have gone wrong?
Oh no! Sounds like an emulsion problem (*oversaturation of fats: other ingredients) that is the #1 reason recipes like this & buttercream “break” aka Curdle.
I would suggest to warm up some of it (just like a 1/2 cup, not to the point it is melted, but then add it back to the main bowl and mix
Sometimes I take a blow torch to the sides of the bowl as it is mixing which is effectively the same thing.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE ABOUT FIXING A BROKEN RECIPE