How To Make The Best Vegan Buttercream Frosting

People asking me often how to make the best vegan buttercream frosting. I have heard it won’t get thick enough, it won’t stand up to decorating. I have made this vegan buttercream recipe thousands of times. So much so that I have it memorized, no matter what flavor I want. I thought it would be great to share with you guys, this back pocket frosting recipe. That way you always know how to frost a cake whenever you are in need! This recipe starts with a base that is the perfect vanilla buttercream. Then with a few additions to that base recipe, you can make peanut butter, strawberry or chocolate frosting!

What You Need For This Fluffy Vegan Frosting:

• Vegan Butter: I like to use Country Crock Plant Butter, it needs to be room temperature.
• Vegetable Shortening: This is very necessary. While normal buttercream is just made with butter, vegan butter doesn’t hold up and needs this extra ingredient.
• Powdered Sugar: Most organic powdered sugar is vegan. I usually get mine from Trader Joe’s.
• Non-dairy Milk: I like to use oat milk, this is just as needed to thin out the frosting.
• Vanilla: I add this no matter what flavor I am making.
• Salt: A pinch of salt makes this recipe so much more amazing.
• Peanut Butter, Freeze Dried Strawberries, Cocoa Powder: These are the optional add ins for different flavors.

I have been teaching kid’s cooking classes recently! A few weeks ago, we made mini berry cakes and I showed them how to make this vegan buttercream frosting. Just in a large bowl by hand. It was so simple, they even remembered how to do it when I was done and one of them was 5. I suppose that is all to say, this is fool-proof.

Step 1:

You want to whip the vegan butter and vegetable shortening together. I recommend doing it with a hand mixer or stand mixer. Using a whisk attachment. Whip together until smooth.

Step 2:

Start to add the powdered sugar, a little at a time. Continuing to whip together.

Step 3:

When the frosting starts to get thick, begin adding the non-dairy milk. Then continue to whip, adding the rest of the powdered sugar until it is fully incorporated.

Step 4:

Add the vanilla and salt. Whip for another minute until the frosting is totally smooth and fluffy!

Step 5:

If you’re making vanilla frosting, you’re done. For making peanut butter frosting, you add that in with the vegan butter and shortening. If you are making chocolate or strawberry, at this point you can whip in the cocoa powder or a freeze dried strawberry powder. Then you’re done!

This vegan buttercream is balanced in flavor, so fluffy and creamy. You’ll never need another frosting recipe again. You can honestly use this base recipe to make any flavor you want. Add different extracts and powders, you can replace the vanilla with other extracts or the cocoa or strawberry powder with other fruit powders!