01
Olive Oil
10.0best for frosting1 cup : 1 cup
Adds slight coconut flavor, good for sauteing
10.0
coconut oil substitute
in frosting.
Coconut-oil whips a vegan-style frosting that pipes firm at 65°F — its 100% saturated fat sets a tighter consistency than soft butter when chilled, and beats fluffy when softened to creamy.
top substitutes
adjustment for this dish
Swap Olive Oil 1:1 by volume only with caution — Olive Oil stays liquid at all temps and won't pipe firm. For a thick spreadable consistency, blend 1/2 cup Olive Oil with 1/2 cup softened butter, beat 4 minutes, and chill 60 minutes before spreading on cake.
02
Almond Oil
10.0best for frosting1 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Refined type is neutral; unrefined adds flavor
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Swap Almond Oil 1:1 by volume only as a partial blend — Almond Oil stays liquid and won't pipe alone. Mix 1/4 cup Almond Oil into 3/4 cup softened butter, beat 4 minutes for fluffy consistency, and chill 30 minutes before spread for a smooth nutty buttercream.
03
Palm Oil
7.5best for frosting1 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Solid at room temp, similar texture
7.5
show 12 more substitutes
04
Avocado Oil
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Good for high-heat cooking, neutral taste
6.7
05
Shortening
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Same solid texture, works well in baking
6.7
06
Margarine
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Dairy-free, solid at room temp, slight coconut taste
6.7
07
Grapeseed Oil
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Light flavor, high smoke point, good for baking
6.7
08
Peanut Oil
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Use refined for neutral taste at high heat
6.7
09
Lard
5.01 cup : 1 cup
Solid at room temp, dairy-free option for baking
5.0
10
Butter
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Similar solid-at-room-temp texture, adds richness
6.7
11
Butter Oil
6.71 tbsp : 1 tbsp
High heat stable, slightly sweet
6.7
12
Ghee
6.71 cup : 1 cup
High smoke point, adds nutty richness to baking
6.7
13
Whipped Butter
6.71 cup : 3/4 cup
Whip softened coconut oil; solid at room temp
6.7
14
Vegetable Oil
3.31 cup : 1 cup
Use melted coconut oil amount, neutral flavor
3.3
15
Sunflower Oil
3.31 cup : 1 cup
Neutral flavor, works for frying and sauteing
3.3
technique for frosting
technique
Soften 1 cup refined coconut-oil to a creamy 70°F (firm but smearable, not pourable) and beat with a paddle for 4 minutes at medium-high until pale and fluffy. Add 3 cups powdered sugar in 1/2 cup additions, beating 30 seconds between, then whip in 2 tablespoons coconut-cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla for 90 seconds — the cream pushes consistency toward pipeable while the sugar holds shape.
Coconut-oil sets firmer than butter when chilled below 65°F, so a 30-minute fridge rest before piping locks the shape on the cake. Unlike a buttercream that spreads soft at 72°F, this frosting holds the rosette tip cleanly above 70°F because the saturated fat content creates a tighter network.
If the kitchen runs warm, chill the bowl 5 minutes mid-beat to keep the whip from collapsing into a sweet pourable glaze.
pitfalls to avoid
watch out
Beat the coconut-oil at 70°F, never above 75°F — too warm and the firm whip collapses into a thin pourable glaze that won't pipe a clean rosette tip onto the cake.
watch out
Add the powdered sugar in 1/2-cup increments over 4 minutes; dumping all 3 cups at once chokes the whip and the consistency turns gritty instead of smooth and fluffy.
watch out
Chill the piped frosting 30 minutes at 38°F before serving so the saturated fat re-firms and the rosette holds shape against room-temperature plates.
watch out
Don't whip past 6 minutes — extended beating warms the fat above 75°F by friction, the firm structure loses pipeable hold, and the buttercream-style consistency goes slack.