Vegan Buttercream Frosting

by Steph Sunshine at StephSunshine.com

Yield 2 cups

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time a minute

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup vegan butter sticks, softened at room temperature (I used Earth Balance)
  • 3 cup vegan powdered (icing/confectioner's) sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp. sea salt
  • 1 tbsp. cashew cream* or plain, unsweetened non-dairy milk
  • vegan food coloring (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed (or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer), mix up your vegan butter until it's soft and creamy. While your butter is being mixed, sift your powdered sugar to eliminate clumps. Turn off the mixer, then add 1 cup of powdered sugar, and slowly turn the mixer back on. (If you start mixing too quickly, your powdered sugar may be kicked out of the bowl). Repeat with the remaining powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
  2. Add your vanilla, salt, and food coloring (if using) to the bowl and mix until well-incorporated. Add additional food coloring if needed to achieve your desired color.
  3. Add your cashew cream (or non-dairy milk) a little at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Your frosting shouldn't be too stiff or too runny. It should be spreadable, but it should also be thick enough to stay put when spread on the cake. You may need to use more or less than 1 tablespoon of cream, especially if you added liquid food coloring in the previous step. If you accidentally add too much cream or milk, you can thicken the frosting with additional powdered sugar.
  4. To get a light and fluffy texture, turn your mixer to high speed and let it whip the frosting for a few minutes.

Notes & Hints

Cashew cream is thicker than non-dairy milk and makes a creamier frosting. To make cashew cream, blend 1/2 cup soaked raw cashews with 1/2 cup water until smooth.

When adding cashew cream or non-dairy milk, keep in mind that you may want your frosting to be a bit thicker for layer cakes than for cupcakes, because it needs to hold the weight of the cakes above it.

Because vegan butters can vary in their consistency and ingredients, you may need to adjust the powdered sugar or cashew cream amounts to reach the desired consistency.

If you make too much frosting, it can be frozen in a freezer bag or airtight container. Before using the leftovers, let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then whip it in your stand mixer.

For frosting instructions and more FAQs please see the post above.

StephSunshine