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AIP “Chocolate” Ganache Frosting is a wonderful topping, filling, frosting or spread. This versatile treat features nutrient-dense carob and healthy fat. You’ll love how easily this recipe whips together and the smooth, creamy outcome!
Pipe onto cupcakes, slather on cake for frosting, or even fill strawberries with the creamy rich decadence.
Ingredients in AIP “Chocolate” Ganache Frosting
You actually get to choose between two sets of ingredients for this recipe! The main recipe is a very traditional ganache recipe that uses carob in place of cocoa powder. Very traditional means cocoa/carob, sweetener and fat! That’s it.
But I wanted to provide a variation for those who prefer, so below the main recipe itself, in the recipe Notes section, you’ll see the variation with a photo. The variation is made with banana and avocado as the base, has less sweetener and no coconut or arrowroot.
SO many of us have food sensitivities or intolerances, so the second version is my effort to meet more people’s needs. Also, the AIP Banana-Avocado Ganache is excellent, can be eaten with spoon or used to fill berries or top cakes and cupcakes. So, just as versatile and good.
Now, on to the main AIP “Chocolate” Ganache Frosting recipe! This 5-ingredient recipe contains:
- carob powder
- palm shortening, or coconut oil — Palm shortening is a bit easier to work with, so if you choose to use coconut oil, I’ve given more details about that in the recipe instructions below.
- maple syrup
- coconut milk (See Notes below if you need a coconut-free variation.)
- arrowroot powder — This addition is important for creating the smooth texture.
Plus a couple pinches of sea salt.
How to make AIP “Chocolate” Ganache Frosting
Amazingly, this recipe whips up quickly and easily in a mixing bowl.
But there’s one step to do first: In a small saucepan, whisk together the coconut milk and arrowroot. Whisking the whole time, cook for a little less than 2 minutes, until the milk just begins to thicken. Remove it from the heat, and whisk in the maple syrup.
Now, in the large mixing bowl: Add the carob powder, palm shortening, then the warm arrowroot mixture. Beat with electric mixer for about 1 minute.
You now have smooth, creamy AIP Chocolate Ganache Frosting.
The cooked arrowroot mixture helps the ingredients to fully homogenize, or incorporate — so this whole food treat can be smooth, billowy, light, creamy and delicious.
The maple syrup, palm oil and carob create a rich, decadent ganache.
What to serve with AIP “Chocolate” Ganache Frosting
This recipe is pretty fun and super versatile! After whipping the ingredients together, you might get a little excited!
Try it on my incredible and delicious AIP Chocolate Cake and Cupcakes recipe! THAT’s where you’ll want to start with this recipe. Together, the duo makes a special dessert for birthdays and special celebrations. My boys and husband have LOVED eating many cakes and cupcakes as I’ve repeatedly made this recipe. TOTAL satisfaction. 🙂
But, AIP Chocolate Ganache (in the meantime) is also WONDERFUL on and in everything fruit or bread. Try
these ideas that we love:
- Fill strawberries or raspberries. It’s really easy to pipe AIP Chocolate Ganache in and tastes delicious!!
- Spread on waffles (or these), then garnish with fresh berries and coconut whipped cream.
- Top AIP Sourdough Bread for a French bread and chocolate favorite.
- Use on any cake, cupcake or cookies.
- Eat it straight off a spoon or spatula.
- Top ganache with AIP-compliant chocolate chips or other decorations.
AIP Chocolate Ganache Frosting (Paleo)
Equipment
- electric beaters
- small saucepan and stove top
Ingredients
- ½ cup carob powder
- ½ cup palm shortening OR coconut oil: It's important that this fat is "warm-room temperature". If your coconut oil is just too cold at room temp, you can melt it, and then there are more instructions below in the recipe.
- ¼ cup maple syrup (or smooth [not grainy] honey may work great, but I haven't tried it yet)
- ¼ cup coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
- 2 pinches sea salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, place carob and palm shortening (or coconut oil).
- In a small saucepan, whisk together coconut milk and arrowroot. Whisking constantly, heat over medium-high heat until the milk JUST BEGINS to thicken (a little less than 2 minutes), then immediately remove it from the heat and keep whisking for another minute.
- Add maple syrup, and whisk well to combine. Allow this mixture to cool for 10 minutes before proceeding to next step.
- Use a spatula to scrape the arrowroot mixture into the bowl with carob and fat. Use electric beaters on medium-high speed to combine the arrowroot mixture, carob and palm shortening for about 1 minute. Once fully incorporated, increase speed to high, add sea salt, and continue to beat for about 20 more seconds. Ganache will be light in texture and smooth. If there are fine white streaks or the frosting looks opalescent instead of opaque, it's likely your fat was/is just a bit too warm. In this case, refrigerate the frosting for about 10 minutes and then beat again. If necessary, repeat (another 5 to 10 minutes in the refrigerator and then beat again), until your frosting is brown and opaque.If you want to make this recipe with coconut oil, it's best to use room temperature to slightly warm coconut oil. If your oil is too melted and there is any separation when you beat all of the ingredients together, refrigerate the mixture for 5 minutes (or up to 10), then beat again. The mixture should be completely smooth with all the ingredients fully incorporated. If it's too warm (or cold), there will be fat separated. If necessary, repeat (another 5 to 10 minutes in the refrigerator and then beat again), until your frosting is brown and opaque.
- AIP "Chocolate" Ganache Frosting is now ready to use or eat. Slather on AIP bread, waffle, cakes, cupcakes, brownies etc, or pipe into berries.
Notes
Recipe variation
If you want a ganache with more produce in it or can't have the original version for any reason (including the need for coconut-free), here is another AIP Ganache that's banana and avocado-based. It's completely delicious, smooth and also works great to fill berries or top cakes and cupcakes. You can also eat this one straight, like pudding. This variation has very little sweetener, as most of the sweet comes from the banana.
Nutrition
AIP “Chocolate” Cake and Cupcakes recipe here! 🙂
Uma Srinivas says
I am always looking on to healthy treats for kids:) This looks super fun and delicious. Love to try this soon…
Megan says
Great, Uma! Yes, AIP Chocolate Ganache made with carob is a great healthy option for kids. Mine have always loved chocolate so it was fun to see how much they LOVED this carob version! 🙂 I hope your kids love it! I’m sure they will. And … so little sweetener, plus it’s pure maple syrup. 🙂
Jane Saunders says
I love finding recipes where I can use coconut oil. This looks dreamy, especially with those strawberries.
Megan says
Great Jane, I’m so glad you found it! Me too. I love coconut oil recipes. My family LOVED the ganache-filled strawberries! 🙂
Choclette says
I got so excited when I saw this recipe for carob ganache. I often make ‘chocolate’ cakes with carob, but never thought about making ganache with it too. Arrowroot is a fabulous ingredient which I’m always keen to incorporate where I can. Lovely recipe.
Megan says
Thank you, Choclette, for your kind words. I’m so happy the recipe will fit well into your kitchen and with what you enjoy cooking. Carob has so much richness, depth and great flavor, as well as being healthy!; it is often under-appreciated. 🙂
Amalia@ahousewifewrites says
I made this today for a Valentine’s Day treat. I can’t have chocolate but who cares anymore? I’d happily eat this by the spoonful! I love that it’s only lightly sweetened. Thanks so much for sharing!
Megan says
Great, Amalia! I’m so glad you love the recipe, and thank you for sharing your lovely sentiments! 🙂
Valerie Walton says
My Ganache did not turn out too well, no matter how many times I put it back in the refrigerator and beat it again, it is completely separated from the oil and looks like wet coffee grounds. I double checked and triple checked the ingredients and the recipe and I did everything it says to do. I wonder if altitude plays a roll on how this recipe works out. I live in the hot desert dry locations of California, could this be a reason?
Megan says
Hi Valerie, I’m not experienced with different altitudes with cooking. I’m sorry yours didn’t turn out. It sounds like that’s the only variable, so maybe. Otherwise, the recipe shouldn’t be tricky.
Cheryl says
Same thing happened to me and I live in Southern California too. It’s the palm shortening. So I’m going to give it another whirl and see what happens. Putting it back in the frig and rebeating it didn’t improve it in the least.
Megan says
Hi Cheryl, I’m not convinced it’s the palm shortening. Rather, arrowroot can be finicky when it’s overheated and no longer thicken or emulsify. When too hot for too long, it simply dissolves and would then no longer play its role in this recipe. I suspect the source of arrowroot or overheating the arrowroot has happened. I should test this recipe with tapioca flour/starch which does not lose its thickness when heated for long periods, as it would be more stable. Thank you for sharing your process.
Cheryl says
Thank you so much for the feedback. It’s very appreciated. Actually we put it back into the fridge and just left it. That seemed to do the trick. Once it got cooled down, it whipped up great.
Megan says
Yay!! You’re welcome! 🙂 SO great to have your feedback and experience, too! The palm shortening should really be reliable! 🙂
Rita says
Hi Megan. Have you tried it with tapioca flour? Am curious about the result 🙂
Megan says
Hi Rita, I haven’t. There’s such a little bit; it may work …?
Robin says
I’m new to AIP baking and I’m wondering if cakes with these two ganaches need to be refrigerated to keep ganaches from melting on a warm day. Would it make a difference if you used palm shortening instead of coconut oil?
Megan says
Hi Robin, good question. Should be fine with palm shortening or probably coconut oil, too. Perhaps ideal to refrigerate until your event, and then fine to take out and leave out on a warm day until you’re ready to serve. Very hot weather would be different.
Shinon says
I’ve made this and the cake twice now! SOOOOO GOOD!!! Thank you!
Megan says
YAY!!!!, Shinon! I’m SO glad, and thanks so much for sharing!! 🙂 You’re welcome! 🙂
Jessica says
I made this to put on AIP brownies and it was INCREDIBLE!!! Best AIP frosting recipe I’ve ever tried! (Actually, it is the only AIP frosting recipe I’ve ever liked!) Now I want to put it on AIP key lime pie! How do I make a plain white (non-chocolate) version of this?
Megan says
Great to hear, Jessica! Thanks so much for sharing. I’m not sure about the white chocolate; we’d need white carob!? 😉 Wouldn’t that be lovely?
Jennifer E says
Hi, I just now made this and I feel like it turned out pretty well, but I’m not sure where I was supposed to add this two pinches of salt! But I couldn’t wait, I went ahead and put it on a still warm G. A. N. G. S. T. E. R. cupcake and scarfed it. Hit the spot! Thank you!
Megan says
Awesome, Jennifer, so glad you loved the frosting!! I’m sorry, and thank you! for making me aware that I left out when to add the sea salt. It’s in Step 4 with the carob, and I’ll add it. 🙂
Hanna J. says
I have a cake to make for a friend who doesn’t do grains and doesn’t do sugar, and thought I’d give this frosting a shot. Someone ripped out the recipe for the frosting in my copy of “Eat Beautiful” (the one between the cake recipe and the cupcake recipe), which was just so convenient since she wanted chocolate on chocolate…but not the point.
So she doesn’t do sugar, so I had to substitute the maple. I used Stevia, and I found that with the container I bought, I have to use double the amount the substitute ratio calls for – this woman wanted chocolate and I didn’t have any carob, so I used cocoa powder. Undoubtedly, the frosting was super thick, but it was strangely salty…and I didn’t even add the salt. And it wasn’t even all that sweet…
I know I changed the recipe, and that’s not why I’m writing in the comments – should I use a little more coconut milk than the recipe calls for? or just the full 1/4 cup to replace all the maple? I thought about it, but worried the addition of more fat might add a bit too much slack or stiffness to the frosting. Any advice?
Megan says
Hi Hanna, I’m not sure I can accurately change the recipe here without trying it in my kitchen. If you’d like, you can privately email me, and I’ll send you the ganache recipe from the cookbook that you lost. 🙂 This recipe, here on the blog, shouldn’t be changed if you make it. It needs to be made as-is to work.
Traci says
I made this using coconut oil and honey. I did have to refrigerate and beat a few times but it turned out absolutely perfect! I slathered it on top of my sweet potato carob brownies that are vegan and gf! So excited to have at our up coming fellowship meal!
Thanks for a simple and delicious recipe. It’s a keeper. I plan to try the banana and avocado version as well!
Megan says
Great, Traci! Thanks so much for sharing, and so happy you loved it! 🙂
Liza says
Hi there. I desperately want to try both of these recipes but I do not own an electric mixer. I do have a nutribullet. Could I use that or would hand mixing be sufficient?
Megan says
Hi Liza, I think the Nutribullet could work. If you’re extra dedicated, the hand mixing might work. I can’t say for sure on either one. You kind of want a whipping effect as you mix.
Ashley says
Hello! I just made your cake and it turned out really well! I have the two pieces set aside and I’m excited to serve this to the family but I have a question for you first: I’m planning for the next day so should I make and ice the cake the day before, or wait to make my icing the day of serving the cake?
Megan says
Hi Ashley, great! You can do either. If you frost the day before, then refrigerate it overnight. You can bring to room temp or not before serving. Or partially, like leave it out for one hour before serving. 🙂 I like the stress-free the day of an event having already baked the cake and frosted it, so I’d probably do the day before, but I’m not sure if you needed to know that yesterday. You’ll be good either way.