Silky smooth vegan Swiss meringue buttercream will soon be your go-to icing for all your cake needs. This light and fluffy icing will make any cake shine.
Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Keyword Icing, meringue
Prep Time 20minutes
Resting time 30minutes
Total Time 50minutes
Servings 950g of buttercream
Ingredients
180g(⅔ cup) previously reduced aquafaba, see step 1
350g(1 ¾ cup)white granulated sugar
¼teaspooncream of tartar
⅛teaspoonxanthan gum, optional but recommended
454g(2 cups or 1 pound)room temperature vegan unsalted butter cut into 1-inch cubes, I recommend using Becel plant-based bricks
1teaspoonvanilla extract or vanilla bean paste ,adjust to taste
Instructions
As needed, reduce your aquafaba to get a slightly slimy consistency. In a small saucepan, simmer the aquafaba on low heat until it has reduced by a third to a half. If your aquafaba is thick straight from the can, feel free to skip this step.
In a saucepan, mix the aquafaba and sugar together and bring to a boil over medium heat. Transfer the aquafaba into a container and let the preparation cool down until it is at room temperature. This is also a great time to get your vegan butter out of the fridge to let it come up to room temperature.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the aquafaba, cream of tartar, and xanthan gum. Using the whisk, whip up the aquafaba on high until you reach stiff peaks. This will take between 7 and 10 minutes.
Slowly add the vanilla and the butter, cube by cube, waiting between each addition that the previous cube is almost completely incorporated before adding the next one.
Whip the vegan swiss meringue buttercream for 10 minutes, or until it is light in color and has a subtle butter taste. Optional: As needed, swipe a blowtorch on the outside of the bowl of your stand mixer (if it is made of metal) for 20 to 30 seconds at a time, keeping the flame moving constantly if you have trouble incorporating the butter. This should be gentle heat and the butter should not melt.
Change the whisk for the paddle attachment and whip the swiss meringue buttercream on low for 2 to 3 minutes to remove any air bubbles. You can also press the buttercream against the side of the bowl with the help of a silicone spatula to get rid of any large air bubbles.
Color and use as needed, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Enjoy!
Notes
Double-check that the bowl of your mixer is extra clean before starting as fat can prevent your meringue from whipping up.