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    Recipes » Recipes » Baking & Desserts

    Vegan Buttercream Frosting

    Last updated - July 13, 2021; Published - June 2, 2019 By Rhian Williams 6 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Photo of a fruit cake sponge on a pink plate with a silver palette knife spreading white frosting on top of it

    This Vegan Buttercream Frosting is silky-smooth, luxuriously creamy and super versatile. It's perfect for frosting cakes, cupcakes and cookies!

    Photo of a fruit cake sponge on a pink plate with a silver palette knife spreading white frosting on top of it

    I've experimented with lots of different types of vegan frosting recipes, from cream cheese frosting made using coconut whipped cream to chocolate frosting and peanut butter frosting made using sweet potatoes, but for a plain buttercream frosting there's nothing better than blended cashews, as they become melt-in-your-mouth silky and have the most neutral flavour.

    Why you'll love this Vegan Buttercream Frosting:

    • it's undetectably vegan
    • it's rich and creamy
    • it's melt-in-your-mouth
    • it's velvety
    • it has a neutral flavour
    • it's easily spreadable
    • it's super easy to make
    • it's gluten-free
    • it's refined sugar free
    • it's oil-free
    • it's paleo
    • it's easily customisable
    • it's perfect for cakes, cupcakes and cookies!

    How to make this Vegan Buttercream Frosting

    Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe.

    • Place soaked cashew nuts, maple syrup, almond milk and vanilla in a food processor.

    Tip: Make sure the cashew nuts are soaked to make them easier to blend. Soak them overnight in cold water or in boiling water for at least 15 minutes.

    Photo of cashew nuts in a food processor against a marble background
    • Whizz until completely smooth.

    Tip: You will have to mix it around a few times to make it easier to blend up.

    • Taste and adjust flavour if necessary, adding more maple syrup for sweetness.
    Photo of white cashew buttercream in a food processor against a marble background
    • The blending process will make the buttercream warm, so it's best left to cool before using to frost cakes.

    How long does this Vegan Buttercream Frosting keep for?

    This Buttercream Frosting keeps well covered in the fridge for up to a few days.

    Substitutions you can make to this recipe:

    • you can use any type of plant-based milk: almond milk, cashew milk, soy milk, rice milk, oat milk etc
    • you can use any type of sweetener: maple syrup, agave syrup, brown rice syrup etc.

    Ways you can adapt this Vegan Buttercream Frosting recipe

    There are lots of different ingredients you can add to this buttercream frosting to flavour it for different types of cake:

    • cocoa powder
    • matcha powder
    • beetroot powder
    • orange extract, orange zest or marmalade
    • lemon zest
    • lemon juice for a cheesecake flavour
    • cocoa butter for a white chocolate flavour
    • strawberry, raspberry, cherry or blueberry jam.

    Tip: Add any of the above to the food processor with all the other ingredients before blending.

    Photo of three bowls with green, brown and pink frosting on a marble background

    Ways to use this Vegan Buttercream Frosting

    Tip: To spread this buttercream over a sponge layer cake or cupcakes, use a palette knife for frosting.

    This Vegan Buttercream Frosting can be used for anything from frosting layer cakes...

    A sponge cake with white buttercream frosting topped with clementine segments on a green cake stand against a grey background

    ...to cupcakes...

    Photo of a golden brown circular cookie with pink frosting being applied to the top with a silver knife

    ...and even cookies!

    Photo of a circular cookie topped with pink frosting and brown cacao nibs with a bite taken out of it on a blue plate

    More vegan dessert recipes:

    • Strawberry Trifle
    • Madeleines
    • Chocolate Truffles
    • Blueberry Cheesecake
    • Chocolate Mousse
    • Cream Cheese Frosting

    If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, I’d really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo @rhiansrecipes #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.

    Photo of a fruit cake sponge on a pink plate with a silver palette knife spreading white frosting on top of it

    Vegan Buttercream Frosting

    This Vegan Buttercream Frosting is silky-smooth, luxuriously creamy and super versatile.
    5 from 9 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: vegan baking recipe, vegan buttercream, vegan frosting
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 12 cupcakes or 1 layer cake
    Calories: 57kcal
    Author: Rhian Williams

    Ingredients

    • 100 g (⅔ cup) raw cashew nuts soaked in cold water overnight or in hot water for 15 minutes
    • 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
    • 4 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk (or sub water or any other plant-based milk)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Instructions

    • Drain soaked cashews and add to a food processor along with all the other ingredients
    • Whizz until completely smooth - you will have to mix it around a few times to make it easier to blend up
    • Taste and adjust flavour if necessary, adding more maple syrup if you wish
    • The blending process will make the buttercream warm, so it's best left to cool before using to frost cakes
    • Keeps covered in the fridge for a few days

    Notes

    There are lots of different ingredients you can add to this buttercream frosting to flavour it for different types of cake:
    • cocoa powder
    • matcha powder
    • beetroot powder
    • orange extract, orange zest or marmalade
    • lemon zest
    • lemon juice for a cheesecake flavour
    • cocoa butter for a white chocolate flavour
    • strawberry, raspberry, cherry or blueberry jam.
    Add any of the above to the food processor with all the other ingredients before blending.
     
    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Buttercream Frosting
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 57 Calories from Fat 36
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 4g6%
    Saturated Fat 1g5%
    Sodium 8mg0%
    Potassium 63mg2%
    Carbohydrates 5g2%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 3g3%
    Protein 2g4%
    Calcium 13mg1%
    Iron 0.6mg3%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Made the recipe?Tag @rhiansrecipes on instagram and use the hashtag #rhiansrecipes!

    Disclosure: This posts contains affiliate links to Amazon. If you purchase any of these products, a small percentage will come to me with no extra cost to you! This income will go towards the running of this blog – thank you.

    More Baking & Dessert Recipes

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    • 35 Vegan Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes (Gluten-Free)
    • Vegan Baked Pumpkin Cheesecake (Gluten-Free)
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      Recipe Rating




    1. Karik

      June 10, 2021 at 6:12 am

      Thanks for the recipe. May I ask can this cream using for frosting the whole outside cake with using scrape to smooth the cake and can this cream consistency suitable for piping?

      Reply
      • Rhian Williams

        June 10, 2021 at 10:47 am

        Yes you can use it to coat the outside of a cake. It should be ok for piping if you keep it in the fridge overnight after making it (so it can firm up).

    2. Brianne Lynn

      October 21, 2021 at 2:57 am

      Hi, I notice some browning / oxidation on the cashew buttercream after some time in the fridge. Do you also get that and how can you prevent it?

      Reply
      • Rhian Williams

        November 09, 2021 at 11:45 pm

        I only ever keep this in the fridge for up to a few days, but a bit of browning can happen during that time. Are you keeping it covered? If you are and the browning is still happening, you could try sealing the top with cling film, which may help!

    3. Wanni

      November 06, 2021 at 10:11 am

      5 stars
      I loved this frosting a lot! It's so easy to make and yet so delicious. Thanks so much for the recipe and I definitely recommend others to try!:)

      Reply
      • Rhian Williams

        November 07, 2021 at 11:39 pm

        Thank you so much, so happy to hear that!

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    Photo of Rhian Williams from Rhian's Recipes

    Hi, I'm Rhian! I make easy, undetectably vegan + gluten-free recipes, including healthy comfort food and naturally sweetened desserts using plant-based ingredients.

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