This simple yet decadent “ganache” frosting features virgin coconut oil which gives it a great “mouth” feel, smooth and silky. Honey sweetens it for a classy natural taste. So simple, yet so good! If you use raw cocoa powder, coconut oil, and honey you will have a raw frosting!
It’s recipes like this one that explains why I can go through a gallon of coconut oil so quickly! It’s a frosting you won’t feel bad about eating.
UPDATE: Check out the new Carnival tab on the top of my hope page! Don’t forget about the Simple and Nourishing Recipe carnival this Thursday! Hope to see you there.
It’s also a great recipe for those allergic to eggs. For a honey sweetened delicious frosting that does use egg whites for a super fluffy frosting, check out this frosting.
This would probably ice one batch of cupcakes or the top of a cake. I used it to frost some walnut cookies, recipe to come soon.
Oh, and this recipe is dairy, gluten, egg, and grain free, so there are many people on many special diets who can indulge without guilt.
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
Because this frosting is based off of coconut oil, it may start to melt in warm weather. Keep that in mind if bringing it on a picnic on a hot day. Since the frosting is more like the texture of a ganache, it makes a rustic frosting. Many use ganache for the filling between two layer cakes, and a fluffier frosting on the outside.You could definitely play around with the ratio of sweetener to make it less sweet for a more bittersweet chocolate ganache.
1 cup of cocoa powder
3/4 cup of virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup of honey
dash or two of sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)1-Gently melt the coconut oil in a saucepan (you don’t want to heat it, just melt it)
2-In a food processor, combine all of the ingredients and pulse until well combined.
3-Scrape into a small bowl and place in the freezer or refrigerator until it has hardened to desired consistency. It took about 15 minutes in my freezer.
4-You can use a hand mixer to fluff the frosting up (you may need to do this if the frosting has become too stiff as well).
Spread on desired baked good and enjoy!
Chocolate Orange Ganache Variation: Add 1 tablespoon orange zest with the rest of the ingredients. Continue on with the rest of the directions.
This post is part of Real Food Wednesday! Check it out for more recipes and tips.
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Jessica O.
Kimi, Thank you for this great recipe! I can’t wait to try it. Right now we have two of your muffin recipes going for a little tea party we are having tomorrow with some friends. Thanks again for the great recipes & all your hard work.
Blessings to you,
Jessica O.
spencer
This looks soo Yummy! I just want to thank you again for your healthy fudge recipe I make it quite often. I have started to add hemp powder in to make brownies and now it looks like I have a raw frosting to try with my raw brownies! Hopefully I don’t get heart palpitations from all the chocolate, but I’ll risk it:0)
KimiHarris
Jessica,
I hope your muffins turn out well! 🙂 Thanks for the sweet comment.
Spencer,
Glad to know you have liked the fudge so much. It’s one of our favorites as well. This frosting is actually very similar to the fudge, and I am sure it would go great with some “raw brownies”! If you try it, let me know how it turned out. 🙂
Jenny @ NourishedKitchen
Wonderful! I’ve been looking for healthier alternative to traditional chocolate ganache. I bet this would make a perfect addition to a chocolate coconut cake recipe I like to use for birthdays.
KimiHarris
Jenny,
Yum, Sounds good!
CHEESESLAVE
Ha! Love the teethmarks!
Thanks for posting this recipe. I will definitely be trying this one.
Where do you buy raw cocoa powder?
Janet sawyer
A good food co-op has raw organic cacao powder.
Hadley
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it.
Meg
No fair… I was all set to be extra healthy ! 😉
I showed this recipe to my mother, who said “So THAT’S why you like her site so much!” 😉
gilliebean
How quickly do you use up your gallon of coconut oil? And how quickly does it go bad? If at all…
Debra
Kimi, this looks wonderful. My son will thank you too!
Charity Grace
What a delight to find good icing recipes! I have a dairy and corn free child, which makes our special-occasion treats a challenge (like birthdays). This will help a lot.
Rosy
This looks great! Now all I need to do is think of something to put it on….
Kimi Harris
Meg,
There is nothing wrong with some healthy frosting every once in a while, right? 😉
That’s so funny, what your mom said!
Gilliebean,
It depends. I’ve used a gallon in one month before! But usually I try to limit it using one in at least several months. Coconut oil can last up to two years, so it lasts a long time!
Julie
Thanks for this recipe. I’m with you on being able to eat it straight. By the way, what is the cookie in the picture that has the ganache on top?
Nurturing Wisdom
Kimi, this ganache sounds and looks perfect for my quinoa muffins that I plan to bake soon. It’s great finding a good and healthy frosting.
KimiHarris
Julie,
It’s a walnut cookie! A perfect foil for the frosting. I will be sharing the recipe soon. 😉
Nurturing Wisdom,
Yummy! I bet it would pair well with your muffins.
Kimberly
As always, you’ve posted a yummy looking recipe:) I’m in need of more coconut oil but can’t wait to try this. I would LOVE to have a healthy cupcake!
Kimberly
By the way, where is the awesome fudge recipe that Spencer mentioned? Searched and didn’t see it:(
Kimi Harris
Kimberly,
Here is the link, http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2008/12/easiest-healthiest-most-scrmptious.html. Yummy goodness. 🙂
Local Nourishment
Whew! I’m quite relieved to hear you go through as much coconut oil as I do! I thought maybe I’d lost some when I last looked and my gallon was almost empty! Can’t wait to try this frosting.
Peggy
Kimi,
I was wondering if in your research you have stumbled across anyone who ships coconut by the gallon to Alaska? We’ve been wanting to use more but it gets pretty pricey when you buy it by the pint or have to pay more for shipping than the coconut oil cost itself…
Thanks! Can’t wait to try this out w/ merengue cookies, or maybe add a bit of ground hazelnuts in order to spread on toast.
Skye Wensing
That looks fantastic! Do you think agave would work just as well as honey?
LaDonna
I will definitely be adding this recipe to my collection! It sounds wonderful…already thinking of everything I can frost with this!
Thank you for sharing it with us!
Elana
Hi Kimberly,
This looks AMAZING! Yum 🙂
Elana
KimiHarris
Skye,
I am sure that Agave would work (though I no longer use it, so I haven’t tried it). 🙂
LaDonna and Elana,
Thanks for the comments! It’s amazing how much more excitement we all have over frosting, then say a bowl of soup isn’t it! *smiles*
Jen
I love the raw cacao powder from Navitas! I’ve used it to make your homemade chocolate “chips”, and brownies from the Heavenly Homemaker website. YUM!!! My husband tells me it’s the best brownie he’s ever had… gourmet.
I will definitely be making this frosting. Thank you so much!
Amanda
Hi! I am here because someone has nominated you for an Awesome Blog 2009 Award!
Stop by and see what category they thought you should win!
http://awesomestblogs2009.blogspot.com/
God bless-
Amanda
Cori
WOW! I am loving your site. My 6 month old son has recently been tested and found allergic to Peanuts, Wheat, Dairy, Egg and Soy (mold and our dog too). From this new diet and the elimination diet I was on before I went to the allergist I have lost weight and nutrition. I am enjoying your posts very much and I am awaiting the delivery of coconut oil. Yeah! Thanks for your great recipes!
Jen
Oh my, that looks wonderful…………….. gonna have to make some soon – with or without cookies or cake! 🙂
gilliebean
Awesome! Thanks! I’m gonna buy bulk now! I’ve been buying the $7 2-cup jars at Whole Foods. $37 for a gallon is a much better deal. Thanks!
Elena
Kimi,can I use carob powder instead of cocoa? Also,how long will this ganache keep in refrigirator? Thank you for the recipe!
KimiHarris
Amanda,
Thanks for letting me know! I’m honored.
Cori,
I am so glad that my blog has been helpful to you! It can be so difficult to adjust to a new diet.
Elena,
I am sure it would work. 🙂 I would think that this ganache should be good for at least a week if kept in the refrigerator.
MKallen
The amount of carbs in honey (17g per tablespoon), combined with that kind of fat, mimics the macronutrient ratio of typical “junk” food. Your body sees the honey as sugar, whether it comes from the sugar plant gleaming white, or from a honey comb. There is a negligible difference, and very little scientific evidence to back up the “miraculous” claims of natural sweeteners. Saturated fat (yes, even coconut) combined with an insulin response is a lethal combo, to put it simply. Check out “Good Calories, Bad Calories” for more of the science behind how the carbohydrate/fat content of the diet affects health. As natural as it is, it’s not healthy. The coconut oil without the carbs is definitely good for you, though. Looks like a delicious treat, better than the transfat laden alternatives for sure. 🙂
KH: MKallen, thanks for the thoughtful comment. As with everything, there are always two ways to view things, and we are probably on different sides of this issue. 🙂 I do believe that there is a big difference between white sugar and a whole cane sugar, even though, if I remember right, whole cane sugar has the same insulin response. Insulin response is only one part of how our bodies respond to a food. White sugar strips nutrients from our body as it processes it, while rapadura has the necessary nutrients to process it. That means that rapadura is not a good choice for diabetics, but could be used in moderation for others. I think too much of anything is bad for anyone, moderation is key to sweets.
As far as fats and honey together, I always feel better when I have a high fat to sugar load. It doesn’t give me a sugar spike. For example, if I have a smoothie with fruit and not any fat, I feel like it spikes my sugar, but if I use coconut milk in my smoothie, I don’t get that. And I know that’s not just me. For that reason, I always try to combine sugar and fats together. I find it interesting that many traditional meals combined foods with a high glycemic index with fats (such as potatoes and cream).
Have you read Nourishing Traditions? I find many of her thoughts quite helpful on this issue.
Milkmaid
Kimi,
My 9-year old daughter and I made this recipe today. Wow! What a treat.
We celebrate my parents’ 40th anniversary soon. We’ll have family members present who cannot tolerate wheat and refined white sugar. This will hit the spot for all of us.
Oh. I didn’t have almonds or cashews on hand, so I used some pecan meal that I had in the freezer. The cookies turned out fine with that substitute.
Laura Green
Great cookies, I had a 1/2 kilo of walnuts to use up and this was perfect.
Laura
I just baked a wonderful cake using your ganache recipe! Just wanted to say thanks! It was wonderful. ( http://pearsandplums.wordpress.com/2009/08/03/a-double-chocolate-birthday-cake-with-chocolate-coconut-honey-ganache/ )
Coco Palm Sugar
Looks interesting and delicious!
Will try this soon with coco palm sugar or sirup instead of honey. Thanks for sharing!
diane
Hi Kimi,
We started making your ganache frosting tonight and the food processor broke so we put everything in the blender but it didn’t work very well. We love the frosting and need to make it again next week for a birthday. Do you have any suggestions since we no longer have a food processor?
I recently found your site and can’t wait to try more of your recipes. Thank you so much.
KimiHarris
I bet a hand mixer would do the trick. 🙂
CarolJoy
WONDERFUL! I made the frosting tonight and it is delicious. I even did a dance in the kitchen it was so good. I used dutch chocolate and Agave instead of honey. I did add the vanilla.
Mindy
Kimi,
I just wanted to thank you for posting this recipe. It really saved me (in a culinary sense) this weekend. I unexpectedly needed to make frosting, and I was almost out of butter. I was so upset until I found this recipe again…and it was perfect. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Sarah
I just made a “vanilla” version of this a few days ago (all your ingredients except the cocoa, since we were out) and it was so delicious and so satisfying! I need to avoid dairy while breastfeeding my newborn, who gets gassy and fussy otherwise. Googling for a dairy-free frosting brought me to your website. I love it! Thank you for posting all these great recipes. I can’t wait to try the original chocolate version of this frosting. Or should I make the fudge first. . . .
Erin
Thank you for this recipe! I found this recipe when searching for a chocolate icing for a chocolate coconut flour cake for my son’s birthday party. I love ganache, and this was AMAZING! I just mixed by hand and then used a hand electric mixer to fluff after it cooled in the fridge. It was so good and I can’t wait to try it with orange zest!! We are doing GAPS and it was so helpful to find a recipe like this that uses honey as sweetener. Thanks!
Anna
Amazing!! I made this with butter instead of coconut oil (I used the last of ours in the chocolate sourdough cake) and then just poured it on top of the cake while it was still hot and liquid. I’m so excited to eat it. I “sampled” a spoonful … or two … before topping the cake, and then of course cleaned the bowl. 🙂 Thanks for another excellent recipe!
Heather
Thanks so much for this recipe. I’m dairy free for the baby and it was nice to have a cake and icing that I could eat for my son’s birthday tonight. We added a couple tablespoons of almond milk to make it a little creamier. It was divine!
Tasty Veedu
Is it possibe to use this along with a fondant covered cake instead of buttercream??
Tasty Veedu
Is it possibe to use this along with a fondant covered cake as crumb coat instead of buttercream??