Rich Vegan Buttercream Frosting

Use this smooth, creamy Rich Vegan Buttercream Frosting recipe for decadent vegan cakes where you want some buttery flavor to shine through. In my search for a truly decadent frosting that is also resistant to melting in warmer temperatures, I utilized the power of soy milk powder.  (not to be confused with soy flour). Soy milk powder adds extraordinary creaminess while still allowing the frosting to remain firm. This allowed me to use a simple syrup (sugar and water) for a sweetener so the frosting is silky smooth. This vegan frosting also takes advantage of caramelizing sugar to the thread stage of 230F (110C) where it contributes a smooth velvety texture. Finally, I used Vegan Butter or margarine as the main fat due to it's affordability and availability.

The firmness of this frosting can be customized to your preference easily by adding or subtracting 1 Tablespoon of water.

Find more Birthday recipes on Veganbaking.net

Rich Vegan Buttercream Frosting

2 cups granulated white sugar
½ cup water
2 Tablespoons soy milk powder
2 Tablespoons amber agave syrup or corn syrup
½ teaspoon salt

1 cup (215 grams) or 2 sticks Regular Vegan Butter or non-hydrogenated stick margarine (not tub margarine, room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1) Caramelize your sugar mixture

In a small saucepan, add the sugar, water, soy milk powder, agave syrup, salt and place over medium heat while whisking frequently until it starts to simmer. Insert a candy thermometer and bring the mixture to 230F (110C). Once the candy thermometer is inserted you don't need to worry about whisking because natural heat convection currents will do the mixing for you. Transfer to a heat proof bowl and let it cool in the refrigerator until it's near room temperature, about 1 hour.

2) Beat in the rest of the vegan frosting ingredients

Beat in the Vegan Butter and vanilla extract until fluffy. Store the frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Make sure the frosting is at or near room temperature for optimum frost-ability. This recipe makes about 2 cups of Rich Vegan Buttercream Frosting or enough for about one layer of an 8 inch diameter cake