A classic vegan vanilla buttercream frosting for cakes and cupcakes. Best with Madagascar vanilla (rich, creamy, classic); any pure vanilla works. Makes about 3 cups; frosts 24 cupcakes or a two-layer 8-inch cake.
Vegan Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Baking
Frostings fillings toppings
Origin: Madagascar
Vanilla: Extract
Easy
A classic vegan vanilla buttercream frosting for cakes and cupcakes. Best with Madagascar vanilla (rich, creamy, classic); any pure vanilla works. Makes about 3 cups; frosts 24 cupcakes or a two-layer 8-inch cake.
Prep
10 min
Cook
—
Total
10 min
Yield
24 cupcakes
Diet
Vegan, Dairy free
Ingredients
Adjust yield
cupcakes
Ingredient amounts change with yield. Follow the recipe instructions for times, temperatures, and equipment.
- 1.0 cup (227.0 g)plant-based butter, stick-style, softened
- 4.0 cups (480.0 g)confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 3.0 tbsp (45.0 ml)oat milk, plus more as needed
- ⅛ tspfine sea salt
- 2.0 tsp (10.0 ml)VanillaGoods pure vanilla extract
Make it at home
- Must-have Piping Bags & Tips Set Fill and pipe neatly, no ziplock-bag mess. View on Amazon › (opens in a new tab)
- Makes it easier OXO Bent Icing Spatula Smooth, even frosting and filling with a flick of the wrist. View on Amazon › (opens in a new tab)
- Worth the upgrade KitchenAid Artisan 5-Qt Stand Mixer Does the beating and kneading for you, hands-free. View on Amazon › (opens in a new tab)
As an Amazon Associate, VanillaGoods earns from qualifying purchases. We only suggest tools that fit this recipe.
Instructions
- Beat the plant-based butter on medium-high until creamy, about 2 minutes.
- On low speed, add the confectioners' sugar and salt, then the oat milk and vanilla. Beat on medium-high until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add more oat milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed.
Tips
- Tub-style vegan spreads are too soft for frosting; use sticks. Some confectioners' sugar is processed with bone char, so choose one labeled vegan if that matters to you.
- Vanilla swap: use vanilla bean paste 1:1 in place of the extract for visible specks, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean for each tablespoon of extract.
- Best vanilla for this: Madagascar (rich, creamy, classic), or Mexican (spiced, warm, woodsy). Any pure vanilla works.
- Storage: Refrigerate for up to 1 week; bring to room temperature and rewhip before using.
Recipe FAQ
How long does it take to make vegan vanilla buttercream frosting?
Plan on 10 minutes of prep. It makes about 3 cups; frosts 24 cupcakes or a two-layer 8-inch cake.
How should I store vegan vanilla buttercream frosting?
Refrigerate for up to 1 week; bring to room temperature and rewhip before using.
Can I use a different form of vanilla?
use vanilla bean paste 1:1 in place of the extract for visible specks, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean for each tablespoon of extract.
Estimated · per serving
Nutrition
Per serving = 1 of 24 servings this recipe makes.
147
Calories / serving
7.6g
Fat
20.2g
Carbs
0.0g
Protein
19.7g
Sugar
Whole recipe (24 servings): ~3528 cal · 182g fat · 485g carbs · 0g protein · 473g sugar
Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.
Per serving · 147 calories
What it takes to burn one serving
- Brisk walking 28 min·1.6 mi·~3300 steps
- Walking uphill or incline treadmill 20 min·1.0 mi·~2000 steps
- Moderate cycling 15 min·3.0 mi
- Swimming laps 21 min
- Jogging 14 min·1.2 mi·~2250 steps
- Stair climbing 14 min·~1250 steps
- Dancing 24 min
- Bodyweight circuit training 15 min
- Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 34 min
Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.
Made with VanillaGoods
Recipe Rating
0 commentsNo comments yet — be the first to share how this turned out for you.
Leave a comment