This low-sugar chocolate frosting is a rich and delicious alternative with a texture similar to traditional fudge frostings. It’s made without powdered sugar and is subtly sweet yet totally satisfying. Give it a try if you’re looking for nutritious toppings for cakes or cupcakes, like this sweet potato frosting, which is another yummy option.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Melted dark chocolate gives this frosting a firm, fudge-like texture when chilled. If you prefer a softer texture, allow your frosted cake or cupcakes to come to room temperature before serving.
I recommend using a brand of dark chocolate with approximately 70-75% cacao solids. This range usually has just enough sweetness to be delicious while still keeping the frosting low in sugar.
Alternatively, you can use dark chocolate sweetened with a sugar-free option such as stevia. I don’t recommend using entirely unsweetened chocolate such as baker’s chocolate, as the frosting would not be sweet at all.
How to Make Low-Sugar Chocolate Frosting
Start by adding the chopped dark chocolate to a small pot on the stove set to low heat. Stir constantly until melted, then immediately remove the pot from the heat. Next you’ll add the peanut butter to the pot, then mix well.
Add the salt and vanilla extract to the pot, then mix well (it’s important that you don’t add the vanilla before the peanut butter, otherwise the chocolate might seize).
Chill the pot in the fridge for 10 minutes, then mix well. Continue to chill for another 10 minutes or until it has a thick, spreadable consistency.
If the frosting becomes too firm after chilling, reheat briefly on the stove until spreadable. Use immediately to frost a 9-inch single layer cake or 12 cupcakes. Alternatively, store in the fridge for up to five days and reheat until spreadable before using.
Low-Sugar Chocolate Frosting Recipe (Without Powdered Sugar)
Equipment
- Small pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped dark chocolate (approximately 5.6 oz or 160g)
- 1 cup creamy natural peanut butter (or substitute any other nut or seed butter, see notes below)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add 1 cup chopped dark chocolate to a small pot on the stove set to low heat.
- Stir constantly until melted, then immediately remove the pot from the heat.
- Add 1 cup creamy natural peanut butter to the pot, then mix well.
- Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the pot, then mix well (it’s important that you don’t add the vanilla before the peanut butter, otherwise the chocolate might seize).
- Chill the pot in the fridge for 10 minutes, then mix well.
- Continue to chill for another 10 minutes or until it has a thick, spreadable consistency.
- If the frosting becomes too firm after chilling, reheat briefly on the stove until spreadable.
- Use immediately to frost a 9-inch single layer cake or 12 cupcakes. Alternatively, store in the fridge for up to five days and reheat until spreadable before using.
Notes
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I recommend using a freshly opened and stirred jar of nut butter. Older nut butter stored in the fridge can be quite dry and may cause the frosting to firm up too much.
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If you store your frosted cake or cupcakes in the fridge, the texture of the frosting will be firm and fudge-like. If you prefer a softer texture, I recommend allowing your frosted cake or cupcakes to come to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition
Did You Try This Recipe?
Let me know how it turned out in the comments!
