does anyone have any suggestions or recipe for chocolate frosting that has no dairy or at least not spoil. We are leaving sat for the beach and making an engagement cake but wanted to have cakes baked and icing made before arrival to beach and then can decorate down there for sun. I know with butter the icing will spoil or become runny. Looking for class buttercream from wilton but chocolate. I was even thinking of doing class frosting and adding cocoa

I think ganche would work. Although it contains whipping cream, it is in the way it's prepared that prevents spoilage. You can use ganache as a glaze if you let it stand for about 1/2 hour to get more of a "running" consistency for pouring over the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides, but this is usually done on an iced cake. In this case let it stand for about 3 to 4 hours to achieve a soft spreading consistency. Hope this helps!

Here is the Wilton recipe. I have not tried it though. You're decorating the cake on the beach in the hot sun? You're brave! lol
http://www.wilton.com/recipes/recipesandprojects/icing/chocobutter.cfm

Ganach would probably melt, and with all that cream and heat from the sun I'd be very concerned about bacteria.

In the Course books for Wilton it has the Chocolate Class Buttercream Rec. (no dairy) I have used it before and everyone loved it. I did use the cocoa and not the melted chocolate. It wasnt too sweet, but I do think I added a tad more water than what it called for to make it smooth, but I do have well water, so that makes a difference too. Good luck, and I cant wait to see your pic, and know how your cake did in the heat! Brave Woman!!

Ganache will melt big time in the heat. I would not recommend using it unless the party is indoors and air conditioned.

Thank you everyone for the imput. I actually meant we were leaving for vacation (outer banks, NC) but I would be in the beach house where it was cool decorating. I made marbled seashells (in my photos) for the cake. Bottom layer yellow with reg buttercream and middle tier chocolate on chocolate and top marble with reg frosting. I molded a oyster shell out of white chocolate and I purchased pearl earrings for the bride to be which will sit in the shell. Hoping it will turn out ok. Also, it will have a hibiscus on it

I see now. This is another recipe you could try.
http://www.baking911.com/recipes/cakes/frosting_chocolate_buttercream.htm


Personally I would not use class buttercream for a wedding. Just my opinion though.

At least at the very most use 1/2 butter 1/2 shortening. I could not imagine a wedding cake with class buttercream though.