Vegan Buttercream Frosting

Vegan Buttercream Frosting

Whether it’s your birthday, you have company coming over, or you’re going to host a party, you’ll probably want to frost your favorite vegan cake, cupcakes, or cookies with some vegan buttercream frosting.

Try this frosting on Vanilla Cupcakes or a Hummingbird Cake.

Buttercream frosting is a really versatile frosting. It works well in piping onto your cupcakes, or it can be used as an icing or filling between cakes.

If you’re vegan and also crave traditional buttercream frosting from time to time, this recipe is a great option. This vegan buttercream frosting is creamy, buttery, sweet, delicious, and incredibly easy to make. This recipe is also egg-free and contains just the right amount of sweetness. With a little touch of vanilla extract!

The taste and texture are almost similar to real buttercream frosting. This frosting can be spread on cakes, cupcakes, donuts, or any other desserts in need of toppings that are dairy or gluten-free. Although the chocolate cake is a perennial favorite, this vegan buttercream frosting will even turn your chocolate cake into the ultimate indulgence.

You can flavor it with any extract. I’ve made vanilla here, but you could use chocolate, coconut, lemon, etc.…

Vegan buttercream frosting recipe:

This is an incredibly tasty treat that can be whipped up in a matter of minutes, with only a few easy ingredients!

• Organic powdered sugar
• Vegan butter
• Non-dairy milk
• Vanilla
• Pinch of salt

How to make vegan buttercream frosting?

1. Add the powdered sugar, vegan butter, plant milk, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Process the mixture until the frosting is thick and smooth.
2. If your frosting is too thick, add a little non-dairy milk a teaspoon at a time. If the frosting is too thin, add from 2 tablespoons up to ¼ cup of additional powdered sugar.
3. Pipe onto cupcakes or spread on cakes.
4. Store the leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.

How to store frosting?

• Room Temperature:

At room temperature, this frosting will melt very quickly. I recommend using the frosting right away or storing it in the refrigerator.

• Refrigerator:

It will keep for a few weeks in the refrigerator. Therefore, if you want to prepare it for a cake ahead of time, you may refrigerate it. There is a possibility that it will get too hard in the fridge. If that happens, let it sit on the counter for a few minutes, allowing it to come to room temperature before you are ready to start.

• Freezer:

It can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. When ready to use, let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then beat it again in the stand mixer.

Recipe tips and tricks:

The texture is the most major aspect of a good vegan buttercream. It should be silky smooth and spreadable, but stiff enough to pipe. So, you need a thick and velvety consistency.

Therefore, the vegan butter you use becomes very crucial. Your vegan butter should have a fairly solid texture.

If you have access to it, you can use Earth Balance buttery sticks, but any vegan butter in a tub will do; it just needs to be fairly firm.

You get some vegan butter tubs that are very soft right out of the fridge as if they are never firm. That’s not going to work well in this recipe. If that’s all you have, you may need to add another ¼ to ½ cup powdered sugar to achieve the desired consistency.

If all you can find are those rock-hard vegan margarine bricks, it will work, but you may need to add a few additional tablespoons of soy or almond milk.

The variation in the texture of vegan butter comes due to water content. If it’s incredibly soft, it has a lot of water; if it’s really firm, it has less water content. Because of this, it affects your final outcome.

So, if the recipe as described doesn’t offer a thick enough consistency, don’t be afraid to add additional powdered sugar.

If it’s too thick, add a small amount of non-dairy milk at a time until it’s the right consistency.

Expert success tips

• Use softened vegan butter: Before using, make sure the vegan butter is softened enough to beat. However, it should not be too runny!
• Sift the powdered sugar: Before making the frosting, sift the powdered sugar to ensure a smooth, creamy texture.
• If it’s thick, add milk: The perfect frosting isn’t runny, but it’s also not too thick. If it’s too thick, add a drop of milk until the proper consistency is achieved.
• Play with other flavors: You can change the flavor of this frosting by using different extracts. For example, almond, lemon, orange, chocolate, strawberry works well. There’s no limit to what you can do!
• Add food color: I prefer gel or powder food coloring. You may use liquid color, but it will change the consistency of the buttercream and affect the flavor.

Keep in mind that your colored buttercream will darken and become more vibrant over time. Make your buttercream one day ahead, a few tones lighter than you require, and let it “develop” overnight in an airtight container.

• Cool cakes and cupcakes completely before frosting: They will crumble if you frost the cake or cupcakes too quickly. If you want lovely cakes and cupcakes, wait until they have cooled completely before frosting.

It should be noted that the frosting won’t be as fluffy as traditional buttercream frosting; it’s more of a mousse-like consistency. But don’t let that stop you from trying this recipe out—I promise it’s delicious!

As always, I would love to hear from you. Feel free to leave any feedback or share your own experience with us in the comments section below!!!

More gluten-free vegan dessert recipes:

1. Vegan Marble Cake
2. Carob Cake
3. Vegan Pistachio Cake
4. Coconut Poke Cake
5. Cranberry Orange Bread
6. Pineapple Upside Down Cake
7. Orange Almond Cake

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