I am a firm believer that having a go-to vanilla buttercream recipe is essential for cake making, and this Vegan Vanilla Buttercream is the one I reach for when I’m in need of a trusty vegan frosting. Not only does it frost like a total dream, it also holds its shape beautifully when piped and can be easily tinted any color under the sun. Oh, did I mention it tastes amazing too? Cause that’s pretty important!
There’s nothing complicated about this Vegan Vanilla Buttercream recipe, but the powerful vanilla flavor and silky texture make it seem complex. The truth is, I simply swapped out the dairy in my favorite (non-vegan) Vanilla Buttercream Recipe with vegan friendly ingredients and the results ended up being so perfect. It’s just four ingredients: a good vegan butter (I love Earth Balance sticks), powdered sugar, a quality vanilla extract, and your favorite unsweetened dairy-free milk.
One of the secrets to success with this recipe is making sure your ingredients are room temperature before starting. That means you’ll need to take the non-dairy milk and vegan butter about an hour ahead of time so they can come to room temperature before you start the recipe. Want to really knock this recipe out of the park? Invest in a great quality vanilla for flavoring. You can use any kind of vanilla extract or paste, but I always use bourbon vanilla (I get mine from Trader Joe’s!) to give it a rich vanilla flavor.
This Vegan Vanilla Buttercream is extra versatile in the sense that it can be used for filling cakes, frosting cakes extra smooth, piping cupcakes and intricate decorations, and any other kind of dessert that calls for buttercream. It’s as easy to work with as it is to make. It can be paired with any cake flavor (everything pairs well with vanilla!), but if you’re looking to make an all-vanilla cake be sure to check out my Vegan Vanilla Cake recipe! It’s a tried and true crowd pleasing combination. Enjoy!
Vegan Vanilla Buttercream
A silky smooth, flavorful vanilla buttercream that's dairy-free and vegan! Perfect for pairing with cakes, cupcakes, and any dessert that pairs well with vanilla buttercream.
Ingredients
- 1 Cup (227g) vegan butter, softened to room temperature I use Earth Balance sticks
- 3 1/2 Cups (420g) powdered sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp unsweetened dairy-free milk, room temperature
Instructions
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With a hand mixer or paddle attachment on your stand mixer, cream the vegan butter on medium-high until it’s creamy and light in color. About 7 minutes.
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With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, scraping down after each addition and making sure each cup is fully incorporated before adding the next one.
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Add the vanilla and unsweetened dairy-free milk and mix on low for another minute until fully incorporated.
Recipe Notes
Make Ahead Tips: This buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip in your stand mixer to bring back to smooth buttercream consistency.
Dairy-Free Milk Suggestions: My favorites to use with this recipe are unsweetened coconut milk and unsweetened soy milk. You are free to use any dairy-free milk you’d like, but make sure you like the taste of whatever milk option you choose, as it will end up flavoring the buttercream.
To Make It Extra White: After all ingredients have been incorporated, add 1-2 tsp of Americolor Bright White or icing whitener of your choice.
Did you make this Vegan Vanilla Buttercream? I want to know what you think and how you used it! Let me know in the comments below and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco in your Instagram photos to show me. I love seeing what you create!
could this be made with less powdered sugar?
Hi there! You could try, but the less powdered sugar you add the more runny in consistency it will be. If you do add less, I would try to balance it out by adding a little less of the dairy-free milk.