Description
This Vegan Italian Meringue Buttercream is a smooth, fluffy, and creamy frosting perfect for decorating cakes and cupcakes. Made without eggs or dairy, it uses aquafaba as an egg-white substitute and vegan butter for richness, achieving a classic Italian meringue texture suitable for vegan diets. The recipe requires careful syrup-making and whipping techniques to create a stable and luscious buttercream that can be stored in the fridge and softened before use.
Ingredients
Scale
Syrup Ingredients
- 200 g caster sugar
- 60 ml water
Meringue Ingredients
- 234 g aquafaba (liquid from cooked chickpeas), reduced
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 50 g caster sugar
Buttercream Ingredients
- 250 g vegan block butter, room temperature, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Reduce Aquafaba: Add the aquafaba to a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Then reduce the heat and let it simmer until the volume decreases to half a cup, checking after about 5 minutes. Continue simmering if needed until you reach the required volume.
- Chill Aquafaba: Pour the reduced aquafaba into a jar and refrigerate it. This step can be done the night before or at least one hour before making the buttercream.
- Prepare Sugar Syrup: In a saucepan, combine 200 g of caster sugar and the water. Gently stir and let it sit for a minute until sugar forms a paste.
- Cook Sugar Syrup: Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a simmer without stirring. Attach a candy thermometer and let the syrup cook until it reaches 116°C (240°F), which takes about 10-12 minutes.
- Whip Aquafaba: Make sure a large bowl is clean and dry. Add the chilled aquafaba and cream of tartar, then whisk at high speed for 5 minutes until soft peaks form.
- Add Sugar to Aquafaba: Slowly add the remaining 50 g caster sugar to the whipped aquafaba, a little at a time, continuing to whisk and incorporate the sugar for another 3 minutes.
- Combine Syrup and Meringue: When the syrup reaches the right temperature, slowly drizzle it into the whipped aquafaba while whisking continuously to combine fully.
- Cool Meringue: Whisk the mixture for 10-15 minutes until it cools down to room temperature, forming a glossy and stable meringue.
- Add Butter: Begin adding the vegan butter chunks one at a time, whisking to incorporate each piece before adding the next. The mixture may appear flat initially but will thicken into buttercream as you proceed.
- Whisk Buttercream: Once all butter is added, whisk on low speed for about 5 minutes until the texture is thick and smooth like traditional buttercream.
- Add Vanilla: Stir in the vanilla extract and whisk on low speed for another 2 minutes to fully blend the flavor.
- Storage: Transfer the buttercream to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. It will harden when chilled; before using, bring it back to room temperature and whisk lightly to restore a creamy consistency.
Notes
- Use aquafaba from canned chickpeas or the liquid from homemade cooked chickpeas for best results.
- Reducing aquafaba concentrates proteins for better whipping and stability in the meringue.
- Do not stir the sugar syrup while cooking to prevent crystallization.
- Make sure all utensils and bowls are clean and grease-free to achieve optimal meringue volume.
- Room temperature vegan butter is essential to ensure smooth incorporation.
- This buttercream is vegan and suitable for plant-based diets.
- Allow buttercream to soften at room temperature before spreading or piping when taken from the fridge.
