They say you are supposed to save the best for last, so here it is!
The best Aquafaba Italian Meringue Buttercream Recipe you will ever meet.
I have to admit I surprised myself with this one. I guess I was skeptical how the hot sugar syrup would work in that whipping aquafaba since aquafaba is notorious for being sensitive to high temperatures.
But not here! It was a dream!
You may have heard that Italian Meringue Buttercream really is the best in terms of strength, stability and of course overall taste.
The cooking of a sugar solution to 240°F and then pouring that hit syrup into the whipping meringue makes the most beautiful, glossy, stiff peaked meringue you will ever see.
So I already knew this to be true from my earlier days before I transitioned to vegan.
But since then I have been using my Aquafaba Swiss Meringue Buttercream and my newest AquaFLAXA Swiss Meringue Buttercream (for those sensitive to chickpeas) and when I am feeling super lazy I make my best vegan American Buttercream recipe. All with wonderful results!
I’m not sure what took me so long to get to making this recipe for Italian Buttercream in vegan form though, but I am so glad I finally did!
Introducing the silkiest, smoothest, most pipeable, most stable recipe for buttercream, the Aquafaba Italian Meringue Buttercream will fast become your new favorite!
The sweetness of this one is right on the money, not too sweet but definitely not bland either. I use earth balance buttery sticks and a mix of shortening for added stability and the buttery taste comes right through.
I find that this recipe compared to all the rest has the highest yield too.
Coming in at 6 cups versus the scant 5 cups that the other recipes yield.
This recipe also has less tendency to “break” during mixing due to the ultra stable meringue from that sugar syrup.
So I apologize for waiting so long to show you this one, but once you try it, let me just say in advance, you’re very welcome 🙂
And by the way, if all this buttercream talk has you confused as to which one is best for you and your projects? Click here to read about Choosing the Best Buttercream Recipe
- Aquafaba or Aquaflaxa 1½ cups (355ml)
- Granulated Sugar 2 cups (400g)
- Water ¾ cup (180ml)
- Cream of Tartar ¼ teaspoon
- Softened Vegan Butter 3 sticks (336g)
- Solid Vegetable Shortening ¾ cup (170g)
- Vanilla Extract 2 teaspoons (10ml)
- First reduce the 1½ cups of aquafaba by bringing it to a boil then simmering for about 20 minutes until it is to 1 cup volume
- Refrigerate until cold
- Once the AF is cold you will start whipping it with the cream of tartar on medium to high speed while you cook the sugar syrup at the same time
- Combine the water and sugar together in a heavy bottom sauce pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Attach a candy thermometer and cook to 240°F
- It should take about 10 minutes to reach temperature which is approximately the same time it takes to get the AF to stiff peaks.
- Slowly pour the hot sugar syrup into the whipping meringue as shown in the video.
- Once all the sugar syrup is added continue whipping to cool down the meringue and you can help it cool faster by placing a bowl of ice water under the mixer bowl.
- Add the vegan butter and shortening only once the meringue has cooled to below 100°F
- Whip smooth then add the vanilla extract
For longer storage keep refrigerated CLICKHERE for how to rewhip a cold buttercream
For Chocolate Buttercream: Add 4ounces of melted cooled chocolate at the last stage of mixing OR 8 Tbs of Cocoa powder dissolved in 7 Tablespoons of boiling water, be sure to cool the coco paste before adding to the buttercream
For Mocha Buttercream: Half the amounts listed for chocolate buttercream above, but also add 2 Tbs of Instant Coffee Powder dissolved in 3 Tbs boiling water. Cool before adding to the buttercream
Hi Gretchen thank you soo soo much for this recipe. Iam from Germany and we dont have cream of tatar what can I use instead of that?
You can leave it out, it won’t make or break the recipe, it just helps to make a stringer more stable meringue
Hi Gretchen, love your recipes and looking forward to your new book. How can i make the chocolate version of this recipe please?
Hi Thank you! yes you can! I have an updated post at the bottom of the recipe here for how to make chocolate buttercream
1) would this work with a stand mixer that only has regular style beaters, not a balloon whip?
2) I find the buttery sticks to be rather salty, how is this recipe’s ratio for saltiness?
thanks.
I agree that the Earth Balance is a bit salty and why I dont add salt to my recipes when Im using it (or at least I cut back on it.. I need to remember to add that as a note for those who dont use the EB)
As for hte beaters, it is really a bonus to have the balloon whip, that being said it is not impossible to do it with the regular beaters, but it will take considerably longer 🙁 Like really long……
so then regarding the saltiness, the recipe is okay as is?
yes I do not add salt at all so it is good (in my opinion)
I made this recipe during my holiday break. Great great recipe I am not a vegan but have a baking business I am offering vanilla and chocolate vegan cupcakes. This icing is amazing
awesome! thankyou!!
Hi 😃
I’m going to attempt my first vegan cupcakes for a friend’s wedding. But I was wondering,can this vegan buttercream take colour well?
Thanks 😃
Great! good luck! I have a great cupcakes recipe here
and yes this will color just fine
Wonderful, thank you 😃
Good one. I am a cottage baker and starting to add vegen to my baking list. Looking forward to more great recipes from you.
excellent! thank you! You may be interested in my course coming out early Spring CLICK HERE
Hi, I live in France. I am really interested in your recipes that look enchanting ! Could you explain what “shortening” is as I am not sure where I can find that item here (Crisco maybe ?). Also, when you speak of vegan butter, all we can find here is rather soft whereas your vegan butter seems to have the same consistency as traditional butter. Mine is more like margarine. Will it be ok to do the recipe properly ? Thank you for your great blog and for your help.
HI! Thank you ! Yes CLICK HERE for more info
Yes my vegan butter (the Earth Balance brand) is similar to butter, it is the best, however many use margarine (which may have slightly more water content that the EB) but you can use it for sure!
Hi! This is such an amazing recipe and Ii can’t wait to try it! However I don’t really want to use shortening and I don’t have cream of tartar. I saw earlier that the cream of tartar wasn’t required, but can I use more butter instead of shortening? Also I am vegetarian, but not vegan, so can I use regular butter? Thank you so much!
Yes you can use all butter in place of the shortning
Can I make cupcakes with this buttercream to be eaten bout 35 hours later. Will they still be ok ?
The cupcakes may be slightly stale but the buttercream will be fine
Hi! I live in Ireland and am making a vegan wedding cake for my cousin this summer.. Do you think cocoa butter would work in place of vegetable shortening? The only similar thing we have here would be shredded vegetable suet which I don’t think would work..or taste very nice!!
the problem with cocoa butter or any oil – is that is is OIL, it wont work because the solid shortening is when gives stability to the buttercream
Click here for more SUBSTITUTIONS
Stephanie, can you get Trex where you are? That’s 100% vegetable shortening 🙂
Hi Gretchen- thank you for this recipe.
I am trying to get ahead for my first three tier cake I will be constructing in a months time. Two questions:
Can this recipe be frozen? I will be using room temperature (softened not melted) copha as that seems to be the most natural shortening I can find here in Australia, in combination with nuttelex (the one made from coconut oil not palm oil).
Also I want to turn it into a lemon buttercream. Can I just add zest or limoncello at the end?
Thank you
Naddie
Hi Naddie, since the Vegan Buttercreams are softer to begin with it is best to add extracts rather than alcohols since you would need much more alcohol than extract to achieve a lemon flavor. I have frozen the buttercream before, just be sure to rewhip it before using again to bring it back to a workable consistency CLICK HERE
Gretchen thank you so much. I have made it today and it’s such a beautiful smooth light but strong buttercream. Shame not to use it straight away. It’s in the freezer now and I will use your method to bring it back to consistency after defrosting. Thanks again.