Vegan Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting! No need to cook sugar and eggs for this creamy, thick and irresistible frosting. It whips up like magic before your eyes, thanks to a secret ingredient!
Perfect for piping tall on cupcakes, sandwiching between chocolate chip cookies or decorating your favorite vegan cake, this Vegan Swiss Meringue Frosting will be your new go-to frosting.
It’s unbelievably fluffy, smooth and wonderfully sweet. If you have ever attempted to make swiss meringue frosting with eggs and sugar, you might remember it’s quite a difficult process. Well, rejoice! My vegan version is not only free of animal products, but it’s super easy to make!
How do you make it?
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
- Add the vegan butter to a large bowl of a stand mixer (or you can use a hand mixer.) The butter should be barely softened to room temperature, but not at all melted. I like Country Crock brand best for frosting, but Earth Balance, Melt and other brands work as well.
- Beat until smooth, then slowly add in the powdered sugar until mixed in.
- Add the aquafaba (literally the liquid from a can of chickpeas!) and vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed for 5 minutes. Do not cut this time short, it needs that long to fluff up!
- When it’s done, it will be thick and perfectly pipeable. If it’s too thin, add a little additional powdered sugar until it thickens up.
How to use aquafaba?
If you haven’t heard of aquafaba before, it will blow your mind! It’s just the liquid from a can of chickpeas, and it works similar to egg whites. It can be whisked and added to cakes, or turned into whipped cream. You can make lemon meringue pie or meringue cookies, even marshmallows!
For this frosting, it works like magic to fluff up the frosting and make it thick and creamy. Don’t worry, you can’t taste even a hint of beans!
Can I make it sugar free?
I haven’t tried it myself, but if you need a sugar free frosting, try a powdered sugar alternative. Lakanto has a monk fruit sweetened sugar, as does Swerve and several other brands.
But you definitely need some sort of powdered sugar for it to work. Granulated or liquid sweeteners will not work here.
Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
For a chocolate version, add 4 ounces of melted and cooled vegan chocolate, when you add the aquafaba and vanilla. Yum!
Other flavor variations
Try adding a teaspoon of peppermint extract for a minty frosting, to go with Vegan Peppermint Mocha Cake.
Or add some freeze dried strawberries for strawberry frosting to go with Vegan Strawberry Cake.
You can add lemon extract and lemon zest for lemon frosting. Or coconut extract for coconut! The possibilities are endless.
What recipes go with swiss meringue frosting?
- Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes
- Vegan Funfetti Cake
- Vegan Chocolate Cake
- Vegan Ginger Cookies (make cookie sandwiches!)
- Vegan Carrot Cake
- Vegan Boston Cream Donuts (pipe in the frosting instead of custard)
Recipe inspired by Gretchen’s Vegan Bakery.
Vegan Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) vegan butter, slightly softened to room temperature*
- 2 cups powdered sugar + more as needed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas)
- Optional: vegan friendly food coloring, if desired
Instructions
- Add the vegan butter to a large bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment (or you can use an electric hand mixer.) Beat the butter until creamy and smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time so it doesn't jump out of the bowl, until all the powdered sugar is mixed in.
- Now add the vanilla and aquafaba to the bowl, and beat on medium-high speed for 5 minutes. Don't cut the time short, it really does take that long to get perfectly creamy and silky smooth. If after 5 minutes the frosting is not thick enough, add more powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until the frosting is thick, fluffy and creamy.
- If adding color, mix in just a few drops of vegan friendly gel food coloring, or more until you have your desired color.
- Use Swiss Meringue Buttercream to frost cupcakes, cakes or in between cookies. The recipe makes enough for about 12 cupcakes or a double layer cake.
Notes
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Vegan butter: Don’t let your butter get too soft or at all melted, or the frosting will be too soft for piping. It should be just barely softened. If you leave the stick at room temperature for 20 minutes or so, that will be perfect. Vegan butter tends to be softer and less stable than dairy butter. I like Country Crock brand best for frosting, but Earth Balance and Melt both work great for me as well.
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Sugar free: To make a sugar free frosting, use a sugar free powdered sugar. Lakanto has a monk fruit sweetened powdered sugar, and there is also Swerve and other brands.
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You don’t need to first whip the aquafaba. Literally drain a can of chickpeas and use 4 tablespoons of the liquid. It fluffs up as it mixes.
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Chocolate version: Add 4 ounces vegan chocolate, melted and cooled, when you add the vanilla and aquafaba.
I used vegan margin and had to add a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and around a cup of oat flour to get it to the right consistency. It ended up being perfect. Truly impressed with this recipe.
This was a great frosting recipe! It was amazing when first made but I let it sit in the fridge for maybe an hour and when I got it back out to ice the cake, it totally separated. It’s a bummer because I used the exact ingredients and only waited 20 minutes for my country crock butter to sit out. This current batch I am only using as a Crumb coat so hopefully my second batch goes better
How odd, I have not had that happen, in fact I freeze it quite often and it does not separate. I wonder if the butter got too melty and soft when you started. It should be softened but not at all melted, or the frosting could separate.
I used Myoko’s butter (unsalted) and Eden brand no salt added chikpeas for the aquafaba. Wondering if maybe a brand like progresso would have been better for the aquafaba since this brand didn’t seem very “jelly-like”. Also I think maybe myoko’s wasn’t a great choice for butter. It works well in baked goods, but not as smooth as most V butters. I may try this again with some different brands. The taste is good.
Hi Elaine, that’s too bad the frosting didn’t turn out how you expected. I had great results with Country Crock vegan butter, but also like Earth Balance and Melt. Give another brand of chickpeas a try as well but it sounds like the type of butter was the real problem here.
How long will this stay good in the fridge for?
The frosting can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Hope this helps!
This whips up nicely and I like that the recipe didn’t ask me to whip the aquafaba first. A delightful and smooth filling for my vegan macarons! For flavor I used lemon extract, vanilla bean paste, and powdered hibuscus for “pink lemonade”. I used cornstarch to cut back on sugar and to thicken.
Your frosting sounds so delicious! Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback and ideas!
This recipe looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it, but I have a question. Does it make for a super smooth finish on cakes?
I suppose it could be quite smooth depending on the tools or techniques you use to frost the cake. But, generally, this is a very fluffy and creamy frosting.
I’ve always wondered how does it taste? It doesn’t taste like chickpeas? Does it take on the flavor of what you add to it? Have always shied away from using aquafaba because I was worried it would taste like chickpeas.
Hi Michele. It does to taste like chickpeas!
I usually have great results with your recipes but am having similar issues to what some others reported here in terms of the frosting being too runny/too loose to pipe.
I used Earth Balance sticks — they’d been out of the fridge for about a half hour, so they were still very firm and not at all melty. After adding the aquafaba I whipped it for probably double the time, as it still wasn’t firming up at that point, and then have added quite a bit of powdered sugar trying to get it to firm up more.
I’m currently chilling the bowl in the fridge but am worried about whether it’ll be able to hold its shape on a cake. Have you noticed any difference in aquafaba types, for example between different brands of chickpeas? Trying to troubleshoot for future baking.
I added around a cup of oat flour to thicken it, it worked perfectly
I was wondering if anyone had veganized Swiss meringue buttercream and was not at all surprised to find a recipe on noracooks.com! This whipped up and frosted like a dream! I was concerned it wouldn’t be stiff enough to pipe, but I had no trouble with that and no melting issues. I made a 1.5 batch and added unsweetened melted Baker’s chocolate to make a deep, not overpoweringly sweet chocolate frosting. Will be using this recipe again.
Hi Becky! I’m so glad the frosting turned out great and met all your frosting needs! Thank you very much for taking your time to share your wonderful review and comments!
Amazing! Thank you so much, this recipe saved me from having my 100th failed attempted at frosting haha
Yay! I’m so glad to hear that!
Nora, how long is this frosting stable? Can I make ahead and refrigerate and few days or will the frosting begin to melt or weep from the Aquafaba?
Thank you so much.
Hi Raina. The frosting can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. The frosting is very sturdy and does not melt easily. Hope this helps!
Haven’t tried yet, but I’m wondering which Country Crock sticks you use? There are so many! Do you use the one they call “plant butter”? Would love a photo if you have one.
Yes, it’s called plant butter! I use the one with avocado oil or olive oil base. Both are good. Just note that the sticks get super soft if left at room temperature for long, so don’t let them get too melty and soft before making the frosting. Hope that helps!
Hi…I’m making 3 cakes for a wedding and one is a vegan one. I need to make them a head of time so I was wondering if a vegan cake can be frozen once its frosted with your Swiss Buttercream. Thanks!
Yes, it can be frozen with this icing. Thanks and good luck!
Hi Nora,
Would this be as soft and creamy if your vegan butter is used instead?
Trying to omit the palm oil and after taste of most available vegan butters.
Thanks
I haven’t tried this particular recipe using my butter, so it’s hard to say. It might work.
AMAZING! after struggling for years with melting, unstable and too greasy vegana frosting, this is a perfect recipe : ) thank you so much!
I’m thrilled to hear you are loving it! Thanks for sharing your fantastic review! I appreciate you!
Would margarine work well for this? or would it be too soft? Also, would it make a difference if the chickpea can is salted water? :/
I’m not sure how margarine would work, it may be too soft and also vegan butter truly tastes a lot better than margarine. Salted water does not make a difference.
Margarine works well but you need to add around a tablespoon of vegetable oil to have it solidify
Hi from Australia – I’m hoping to make this but would love to know if it can be refrigerated once made? Then used later?
Yes, it keeps well in the refrigerator for up to a week. Enjoy!
How long will this last on a cake that’s not refrigerated please
A couple of days, like any other frosted cake. The frosting is very sturdy and does not melt easily.
Hi can I make this frosting a day in advance? Will it be ok to make and refrigerate and ice cake a day later?
Yes, it will be just fine made a day or two in advance.
How many cups of frosting did this recipe make?
I believe it makes about 2 cups.
I am not sure what I am doing wrong as I followed the recipe just as is. I’ve already added quite a bit of powdered sugar (I am already at 4 cups) yet it is still very runny. What am I doing wrong!? Using earth balance, soy free
I wonder if you melted your vegan butter or made it super soft before mixing? Because that makes for very runny frosting that won’t come together. You want to start with it softened, but not at all melty.
Hey! I made this and it seems too loose to pipe. I added an extra cup of powdered sugar. Any advice? Thanks
Make sure you are whipping the the frosting with the aquafaba for long enough, don’t cut the time short at all. Hope that helps!
This was THE BEST vegan icing ever. I only made one change. I subbed half the vegan butter for veg shortening only in order to keep it from looking yellow from the Earths Best I used. Holy moly, yummy and easy to work with. Because of Nora, I started freezing Aquafaba for future uses. Your blog is a gem!
Thanks for sharing your wonderful review, comments, and ideas! I’m glad you love the frosting!
Do you know how much aquafaba is in a can of chickpeas generally?
I get about 3/4 cup out of each can.
Thank you for the recipe! It came out great, I just happened to be making a white cake today. I added a little bit of lime zest and it goes great together.
That sounds wonderful, thanks for leaving a comment!
Hi Nora,
Thank you for this! As far as I know, traditionally swiss meringue buttercream does not use powdered sugar. So I’m wondering why we are using it here. Does that have anything to do with it being vegan?
Hi Alina! Yes, I know traditional swiss meringue buttercream used granulated sugar, but for this vegan version, there is nothing traditional about it! 🙂 It very much reminds me of the traditional version though it’s so much easier to make. Hope that helps.
Hi, I have made traditional Swiss meringue buttercream before, so I know a little bit about that! In traditional Swiss meringue buttercream, you use granulated sugar that is cooked into a sugar syrup. Because it is cooked, the frosting ends up having a smooth texture rather than a grainy texture. If granulated sugar were to be used here, the frosting would have a grainy texture because there is not a step to cook it. Instead, Nora used powdered sugar, which makes this recipe a lot simpler since you don’t have to cook anything. I hope this helps!
Hi there! I live in the UK and want to make the swiss meringue vegan frosting – it looks gorgeous!
How much is 1 stick of butter in metric measurements please?
Hi Sharon. Here is the conversion as per google: 1 stick of Butter = 125 mL. I hope this helps.