Description
This Vegan Italian Meringue Buttercream is a luscious, dairy-free frosting made by whipping aquafaba (chickpea water) into a meringue and combining it with vegan butter. Perfectly smooth and fluffy, it mimics the classic Italian meringue buttercream texture without any egg ingredients, making it ideal for vegan and allergy-friendly baking.
Ingredients
Scale
Syrup and Meringue
- 250 g caster sugar (separated into 200g and 50g)
- 60 ml water
- 234 g aquafaba (chickpea cooking liquid)
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
Buttercream
- 250 g vegan block butter, room temperature, cut into 1″ chunks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Reduce aquafaba: Pour the aquafaba into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and continue simmering until the liquid reduces to half a cup (about 5 minutes or longer if needed). Check volume by measuring; continue simmering if more than half a cup remains.
- Chill reduced aquafaba: Transfer reduced aquafaba to a jar and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.
- Prepare sugar syrup: Combine 200g caster sugar and water in a saucepan, stir gently to form a paste, then let sit for one minute to dissolve.
- Cook syrup: Place saucepan over medium-high heat and allow mixture to simmer without stirring. Insert candy thermometer and cook until syrup reaches 116°C (240°F), about 10-12 minutes.
- Whip aquafaba: In a large, clean, dry bowl, whisk chilled aquafaba and cream of tartar on high speed for 5 minutes until soft peaks form.
- Add remaining sugar to aquafaba: Gradually add remaining 50g caster sugar one dash at a time while whisking continuously. Continue whisking for 3 more minutes until sugar is fully incorporated.
- Combine syrup and aquafaba: Slowly drizzle the hot sugar syrup into the whipped aquafaba while whisking continuously to incorporate fully.
- Cool meringue: Whisk the meringue mixture for 10-15 minutes until it cools to room temperature and becomes glossy.
- Add vegan butter: Gradually add chunks of vegan butter one at a time, mixing well and allowing about 5 seconds of incorporation between additions. The mixture will initially flatten but will thicken as more butter is added.
- Whisk buttercream: Once all butter is incorporated, whisk on low speed for 5 minutes to achieve a smooth, thick consistency.
- Flavor with vanilla: Add vanilla extract and whisk on low speed for another 2 minutes to combine.
- Storage: Store the buttercream in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will firm up when chilled, so allow it to come to room temperature before using to return to a creamy texture.
Notes
- Reducing aquafaba intensifies its ability to mimic egg whites and improve meringue stability.
- Ensure the bowl and whisk are completely dry and grease-free to achieve maximum volume when whipping aquafaba.
- Cream of tartar helps stabilize the aquafaba meringue.
- The butter should be room temperature for easy incorporation and to achieve a smooth buttercream.
- Allow refrigerated buttercream to soften to room temperature before piping or spreading for best results.
- This buttercream is vegan, egg-free, and dairy-free, suitable for allergy-sensitive diets.
