Plant cream

Plant cream is an imitation of dairy cream made without dairy products, and thus vegan. It is typically produced by grinding plant material into a thick liquid to which gums are added to imitate the viscosity and mouthfeel of cream. Common varieties are soy cream, coconut cream, and cashew cream. It is used as a dessert topping and in many other dishes and beverages.

Some imitation cream contains a mixture of non-dairy and dairy ingredients. For instance, Cool Whip includes some milk; Elmlea sells both fully plant-based and mixed imitation creams.

As of 1998, plant cream was similar in price to double cream but more expensive than single cream.

Whipped toppings are 'fat foams'; usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Upon whipping, some fat is released from the fat globules. This fat 'glues' a network of fat globules. Air is entrapped in this network thus creating the foam. They differ from whipped cream dessert toppings due to containing very little to no dairy whatsoever.