Parve Buttercream or Frosting

[DanM]

I have been asked to make a cake or two for this upcoming weekend. The catch is that it has to be parve, or dairy free. I have never found a non dairy buttercream or frosting formula that actually tastes good. Does anyone have a good recipe that they are willing to share?

Thanks,

Dan

[JeanneCake]

When asked (or forced, depending on how you want to look at it! ), I've used margarine in place of butter in my Italian Meringue Buttercream. I don't like it (it tastes greasy to me), but to meet the requirements, you do it. It's been a while, but I want to say that I used Fleischmann's margarine at the customer's request. If you do this, make sure you use the unsalted variety.

I've found that if I fill the cake with a flavored version of this buttercream (raspberry or strawberry for example), it's much better - that way you're only using the "plain" stuff on the outside of the cake. I really don't care for veg shortening or margarine in buttercream, but this works for the pareve requirement.

ETA: check this out for a chocolate version. I can't vouch for it, as I've never tried it, and don't even know where I could find tofutti cream cheese, but ... Pareve Chocolate Buttercream

Edited February 15, 2009 by JeanneCake (log)

[Pam R]

Use Earth Balance instead of Fleischmann's. It has a better flavour.

[chefpeon]

Ok, so let me get this straight......dairy free, doesn't mean egg free? I always associate eggs with "dairy products". Meringue is ok when someone asks for a pareve product?

[Pam R]

Eggs are considered pareve or neutral. They are neither meat nor milk and can be used with either. So, yes, meringue works.

[DanM]

When asked (or forced, depending on how you want to look at it!  ), I've used margarine in place of butter in  my Italian Meringue Buttercream.  I don't like it (it tastes greasy to me), but to meet the requirements, you do it.  It's been a while, but I want to say that I used Fleischmann's margarine at the customer's request.  If you do this, make sure you use the unsalted variety.

I've found that if I fill the cake with a flavored version of this buttercream (raspberry or strawberry for example), it's much better - that way you're only using the "plain" stuff on the outside of the cake.  I really don't care for veg shortening or margarine in buttercream, but this works for the pareve requirement.

ETA:  check this out for a chocolate version.  I can't vouch for it, as I've never tried it, and don't even know where I could find tofutti cream cheese, but ... Pareve Chocolate Buttercream

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I have made buttercream with parve margarine, but agree with the greasy quality. I might make it with chocolate and see if it masks the flavor.

Thanks,

Dan