I wanted to create a coffee frosting recipe that was fluffy and lighter than American buttercream but a little less complex than Italian buttercream. So this was the perfect opportunity to put together a coffee version of my vegan Swiss meringue buttercream for you!
The result is quite similar to my vegan Italian meringue buttercream recipe but this Swiss meringue method takes a little less preparation making it much easier to whip together. Plus, it only uses 4 ingredients!
This fluffy frosting makes the perfect accompaniment to my vegan coffee walnut cake.
What makes this vegan frosting so good?
- Made with brown sugar giving it a slightly caramelized flavor! You can also use regular white caster sugar (superfine).
- Tastes like buttery whipped coffee
- Light and airy consistency
- Not overly sweet like most American buttercream recipes
- Fully customizable, you can mix up the flavors or just keep it plain and simple
- Easier to make than Italian meringue buttercream but still follows a somewhat traditional Swiss meringue buttercream method (with a vegan spin!).
- Doesn't require a candy thermometer
- No need to reduce the aquafaba.
What is Swiss meringue buttercream?
Swiss meringue buttercream (SMBC) is a meringue-based frosting that involves heating egg whites and sugar over a double boiler. The mixture is then whipped to stiff peaks before slowly incorporating the butter.
What's the difference between Italian and Swiss meringue buttercream?
Italian meringue buttercream is a little more technical in terms of cooking temperatures and methods in general. It involves making a sugar syrup which is then slowly added to whipped egg whites (or in our case, aquafaba) before incorporating butter and flavoring. I do find that my vegan Italian meringue buttercream is a little less dense in comparison to this vegan Swiss buttercream, yet it is very stable.
Ingredients overview
Aquafaba: This is the viscous liquid left over from cooking chickpeas or other white legumes. It works as an alternative to egg whites in many ways. You can use it to make cakes and brownies, marshmallows, meringues, and many other vegan-friendly versions of classic desserts and treats.
Light brown sugar: I find that brown sugar gives a nice "caramel" flavor to this vegan frosting which compliments the coffee really well.
Vegan butter: There are many brands of vegan-friendly butter available these days, it's important to note that this recipe calls for stick butter, not the spreadable kind from a tub, I use flora unsalted plant butter.
Coffee: You can't have coffee buttercream without coffee lol. Make sure it's a good quality one that you don't mind drinking as the flavor will shine through in this recipe.
How to make vegan Swiss meringue buttercream
(Full ingredient quantities and instructions are in the recipe card at the end of this post)
Add the aquafaba and sugar to a large bowl and place the bowl on top of a saucepan with a few inches of water in the bottom - this is known as a bain-marie (water bath).
Bring the temperature up to medium and heat for a few minutes until the sugar dissolves. The mixture will be dark brown in color, but don't worry! It will become lighter once whipped up later.
Remove the bowl from the heat and use an electric whisk and beat on high speed for about 20 minutes. Keep whisking until the mixture is completely cooled and combined. You can also use a stand mixer. It should be thick and glossy, and thick enough to stay in the bowl if you turn it upside down (carefully!)
Start slowly adding the chunks of butter to the meringue, one at a time, allowing the mixture to incorporate for about 5 seconds between each one. The mixture will flatten as you add the butter, just continue to add the butter as it will stiffen when the full amount of butter is incorporated.
Once all the butter has been added the mixture be thick like buttercream, continue to whisk on low for 5 minutes. If the mixture looks split, don't worry it will come together with enough blending.
Lastly, add the cooled coffee mixture to the buttercream and continue to whisk for a couple of minutes until combined. You can make the coffee flavor as strong or weak as you like, however, I don't recommend adding more liquid as this will affect the texture of the buttercream. Just increase the coffee strength if you want a stronger flavor.
Ways to use vegan coffee buttercream
- To frost cakes such as my vegan coffee walnut cake.
- To frost vegan cupcakes.
Variations
- Plain vegan Swiss meringue buttercream: You can skip the coffee flavoring and keep this buttercream plain. I recommend adding a half teaspoon of vanilla instead to give a creamy vanilla flavor.
- White sugar: You can use caster sugar (superfine) instead of soft brown sugar for this recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sometimes in warmer, more humid environments, it can take a bit longer to whip the mixture to stiff peaks. Place the mixture in the fridge for an hour and then whisk it again, it should come together with some patience!
Generally, this can happen if the butter you used was too soft. The vegan butter should be room temperature and firm to the touch (not soft!).
If your buttercream appears to be split once all of the butter has been whipped in, continue adding some chilled vegan butter in small amounts and the mixture should emulsify.
You can store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It will harden when chilled, so before use, allow it to come to room temperature until it comes back to a creamy consistency.
More vegan frosting recipes
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ★★★★★ rating in the recipe card below and consider leaving a comment as well, thanks!
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Coffee Buttercream (Swiss Meringue Buttercream)
Ingredients
- 9 tablespoons (133 g) aquafaba *see recipe notes
- 1 cup (220 g) soft brown sugar or caster sugar (superfine)
- 8.8 oz (250 g) vegan block butter room temperature, cut into 1" chunks, *see notes
- 1 ½ tablespoons (7.5 g) instant coffee granules plus 1 tbsp boiling water
Instructions
- Mix together the instant coffee and boiling water and set aside to cool.
- Add the aquafaba and sugar to a large bowl and place the bowl on top of a saucepan with a few inches of water in the bottom - this is known as a bain-marie (water bath). Bring the temperature up to medium and allow the mixture to heat for a few minutes until the sugar is dissolved.
- Remove the bowl from the heat and use an electric whisk (or transfer the syrup into your stand mixer) and beat on high speed for 15-20 minutes until the mixture is completely cooled and glossy. The mixture should be stiff and glossy and should stay in the bowl if you turn it upside down (carefully!).
- Start slowly adding the chunks of butter to the meringue, one at a time, allowing the mixture to incorporate for about 5 seconds between each one. The mixture will flatten as you add the butter, just continue to add the butter as it will stiffen when the full amount of butter is incorporated.
- Once all the butter has been added the mixture be thick like buttercream, continue to whisk on low for 5-10 minutes until the mixture is fluffy and lightened in color. If the mixture looks split, don't worry it will come together with enough blending.
- Lastly, add the cooled coffee mixture to the buttercream and continue to whisk for a couple of minutes until combined.
Storage
- You can store this coffee buttercream in an airtight container in the fridge. It will harden when chilled, so before use, allow it to come to room temperature until it comes back to a creamy consistency.
Notes
- Aquafaba: The liquid part from tinned chickpeas.
- Vegan butter: I use flora plant butter, I have not tried Earth Balance, therefore, cannot personally recommend it. It should be room temperature and firm to the touch (not soft!).
- Room temperature butter should be firm to the touch, not soft. If you live in a warmer environment then take the butter out of the fridge 15-20 minutes before using.
- Plain vegan Swiss meringue buttercream: You can skip the coffee flavoring and keep this buttercream plain. I recommend adding a half teaspoon of vanilla instead to give a vanilla flavor.
- White sugar: You can use caster sugar (superfine) instead of soft brown sugar for this recipe.
- Sometimes in warmer, more humid environments it can take a bit longer to whip the mixture to stiff peaks. Place the mixture in the fridge for an hour and then whisk it again, it should come together with some patience!
- If your buttercream appears to be split once all of the butter has been whipped in, continue adding some chilled vegan butter in small amounts and the mixture should emulsify.
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Can you make vegan lemon swiss meringue buttercream?
Amazing perfect and wonderful. Thank you again Christina! Definitely a labour of love but worth it if you have the time and inclination! First time I’ve done this and indeed I met some obstacles but just keep whipping!
P.s. can I freeze the leftover frosting?
Thank you! X
Hello!
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! Yes you can freeze it, then let it come to room temperature and whip it until smooth 🙂
Soo Perfect 🤩
So happy you loved it Sarah!
Can we replace the aquafaba with another ingredient to make the buttercream ?
Hi Catherine,
It can't be replaced I'm afraid, sorry!
Just made this to put on snickerdoodles, and it came out great! Used the soy-free Earth Balance and it worked just fine.
Hi Jamie,
Thanks so much for the lovely feedback, your snickerdoodles idea sounds delicious!
Lovely recipe! I took a chance using coconut sugar because that’s what I had on hand. It gave it an almost salted caramel flavor with hints of coffee and a bit of ginger. I didn’t use the coffee, after all, but I will be making this again with brown sugar and the coffee!
Hi Novia,
That sounds wonderful! I will need to give that a go for caramel frosting some time, thank you for sharing 🙂
Hey Christina
I know the recipe says it's for 16 servings, but do you know about how many cups of frosting it yields?
Thank you!
Hi Matt,
Sorry I don't have an exact cup measurement but it should sit somewhere between 3.5-4 cups. I hope this helps!
Great recipe
Thank you so much, Michelle!
linda tarde !!
Hola te platico que ya volvi hacer el betun y compre la mantequilla vegana , pero la verdad le puse mas mantequilla de la que dice la receta , per ahora si me salio salio muy sedoso y facil deuntar al pastel , muchisimas gracias por tus deliciosas recetas , gracias por compartirlas . alegre dia!!!
Fantastic Hortensia, so happy you loved it!
Is there a way to just use already brewed coffee? For example, just get a cup of a plain brew from Starbucks? I don't use instant coffee or have grounds at home.. What would the measurements be?
Thank you!
Hi Samantha,
Absolutely, however, make sure you get an espresso as it needs to be super strong. You can only add a small amount of liquid to the buttercream as too much will break the emulsion - that's why I recommend granules as you can get it super concentrated. I would go with a max of 20-30ml, just adding it in a drizzle at a time and incorporating it until you're happy with the flavor.
Hi there,
My aquafaba and brown sugar mix didnt stiffen. What can I do to fix it? I left it in the fridge for now.
Hello,
How long did you whip it for? Sometimes it can take a little longer, so just keep whisking until you have soft peaks. I think it may be down to differences in humidity/room temperature. I have also made this buttercream once the aquafaba and sugar are just at the ribbon stage and it worked for me. It should all come together once you incorporate the vegan butter.
I whipped it for ~15 mins and it didn't get to soft peaks. I only saw bubbles. Maybe I'll try again today since it was now refrigerated.
The mixture does appear to be splitting. Is there a way to fix this?
Hi Hiral,
You can add some more vegan butter and it will come together.
Are you working in a warm or humid environment? If so, try adding chilled butter and whipping, it should come together!
por que me queda como gotitas de agua al estarla poniendo en el pastel tengo que batirla otra vez , pero al estarla ponindo en el pastel se vulve a ver gotitas de agua de color cafe , batallo mucho para ponerlo en el pastel el betun
I hope that I've been able to translate this properly! Did you refrigerate the buttercream before frosting the cake?
thank you very much for answering. And thanks for sharing your recipes. how long should it be refrigerated? and then I beat it again? thank you thank you thank you .
si no lo refrigere o lo hice pero tal vez muy poco , por cuanto tiempo lo refrigero? , gracias por responder a mi duda . gracias me encantan realmente tus recetas , gracias por compartir, el cima aqui donde vivo es muy caluroso como 35 grados a 40 grados .
You shouldn't need to chill the buttercream before using it, but it's likely that won't do too well in that climate. You can try chilling the bowls/equipment beforehand next time. It shouldn't appear to be split and you will know when it's ready once it's smooth - if it doesn't come together just add more vegan butter until it emulsifies.
Hope this helps!
muchisimas gracias .. que linda lo hare , la verdad me encantan tus recetas , y muchisimas gracias por que las compartes . Gracias!!!
This frosting is light and beautiful. So good!
So happy you loved it Sandra!
I guess it’s unlikely, but Is it possible to make this with a food processor or a blender? Thank you 🙏
Hi Dana,
I'm afraid not, the blades in a blender or food processor will end up splitting the mixture so it's important to use either an electric whisk or stand mixer.
Will Becel margarine work for the vegan "butter"?
Hi Monika,
I' not familiar with that brand. But it needs to be vegan block butter, not spreadable margarine.