A while back I posted a recipe for vegan chocolate buttercream frosting. I never expected a recipe so simple to be such a big hit, but wow, was it ever! I’m happy to report that you guys seem to love frosting just as much as I do. I had a few people ask if the recipe could be adapted to make a vegan vanilla frosting, and while I was confident that it could, I wasn’t able to provide the exact amounts of the ingredients. To be honest, when I make vegan buttercream frosting I usually skip measuring and just eyeball everything! With the holidays coming up (as well as a few holiday-themed recipes I’m working on that could benefit from a good buttercream frosting), I decided it was time to come up with an actual recipe that I could share. Get ready for the richest, creamiest, best ever vegan buttercream frosting!
Ingredient Notes
The ingredients for this one are identical to those in my chocolate frosting, except for the omission of (surprise!) cocoa powder. Here’s what this recipe does include: Vegan butter. What’s this, you ask? It’s basically margarine that’s totally dairy-free (not all margarine is). Look for brands like Earth Balance, Melt, and, my favorite, Miyoko’s. Vanilla extract. This is where that delicious vanilla flavor will come from. Non-dairy milk. Just a few splashes are all you need to get your frosting smooth and creamy. Since we’re using so little, you can use almost any variety, though I prefer to go with something unsweetened and unflavored. Soy milk, almond milk, and cashew milk are all great choices for this recipe. Powdered sugar. Look for powdered sugar that’s organic, to ensure it’s vegan.
How It’s Made
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe! First your vegan butter needs to be brought up to room temperature, so you can whip it. Try to remember to take it out of the fridge a couple of hours in advance. If you forget, use this butter softening method to warm it up in a hurry. Beat the butter it until it’s smooth and creamy. I’m using an electric hand mixer, but a stand mixer works totally fine as well! Now add the vanilla and beat it in, followed by the non-dairy milk (which you also want to be at room temperature). Now it’s time to add your powdered sugar. You’ll need to do this in increments, adding a bit at a time and beating each addition in before adding the next. I find 1 cup increments to be the perfect amount — much more than that and I’ll usually end up covered in powdered sugar! Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl every so often so you work in all of the powdered sugar. After you’ve added about 4 cups of powdered sugar the mixture should start to resemble frosting. At this point you can start adding in smaller increments, stopping when you’re happy with the texture. More powdered sugar will give you a thicker, stiffer frosting, while less will give you a creamier vegan buttercream. Enjoy your vegan vanilla frosting! Slather it on cakes, pile it on cupcakes, or pipe it onto cookies. Or be like me and eat it with a spoon!
Shelf-Life & Storage
Store any leftover frosting in a sealed container. It will keep in the fridge for about 2 weeks, or in the freezer for about 2 months.
Vegan Cake Recipes
Need something to smother in this delicious vegan buttercream? Try a few of these!
Vegan Vanilla CupcakesVegan Chocolate CakeVegan Chocolate CupcakesVegan Spice CakeVegan Carrot CakeVegan Red Velvet Cake
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