Vegan Almond Buttercream Frosting – Easy & Simple!

This simple vegan almond buttercream frosting is irresistibly fluffy, smooth, and full of nutty almond flavour! Made with just 4 main ingredients, it’s perfect for frosting cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and more. It’s incredibly easy to make, whips up in minutes, and holds its shape beautifully for piping. It’s the ultimate frosting for almond lovers!

*This post may contain affiliate links. For full disclosure visit our Affiliate Disclosure page.

Do you love almond flavour? Say hello to your new favourite addition to your recipe book! This vegan almond buttercream frosting is rich, fluffy, creamy, and has the most beautiful nutty sweetness. I added freshly ground roasted almonds to enhance almond flavour on top of some almond extract. I have to say it worked out pretty amazingly!

I paired this frosting with vanilla raspberry cake and it was mwah! So good. It’s the perfect pairing for vanilla, chocolate, berry, or almond-flavoured cakes for a double almond goodness. Pipe this dreamy almondy frosting on your cupcakes or layer a celebration cake for any special occasion, it’s sure to make your bakes extra special at any event! And as always, it’s incredibly easy to make and only needs a handful of ingredients. 

Main ingredients and substitutions

*Use room temperature ingredients unless otherwise instructed.

Vegan butter: The base of this buttercream is vegan butter, I used one from Flora and it works perfectly every time! You can use any block-style vegan butter but avoid plant-based buttery spreads as they are a bit too soft for this recipe.

Almond extract: A teaspoon of almond extract is all you need to get a lovely almond flavour! If you don’t have almond extract, just use ground almonds and it will add a more nutty roasted flavour to the buttercream.

Soy whipping cream: I always add whipping cream to buttercream to make it light and fluffy. This is my personal preference, though I love the texture it gives to buttercream. I think I like my buttercream light and airy because that’s how it is in Japan in most cakes. If you can’t find plant-based whipping cream, just omit it entirely or use plant milk if your frosting is stiff.

Ground almonds (optional): This is optional, but I added some freshly ground almonds to add a bit more natural roasted almond flavour to the buttercream. You can totally skip it if you prefer a silky-smooth buttercream.

Other ingredients: Icing sugar

Note: Substitution may change the final taste and texture of this recipe.

*I use bone char-free sugars for all of my recipes. I cover the topic in my article Vegan Baking 101. Go to the “Is sugar vegan?” section to learn more!

Recommended equipment for this recipe

Stand mixer with paddle attachment: I used my stand mixer to make this buttercream frosting, it makes the process seamless and helps achieve that ultra-fluffy texture. You can use your hand mixer with 2 balloon attachments and a bowl too.

Silicone spatula: Use a silicone spatula to scrape down the sides and fold everything together at the end.

Sifter: I always use a sifter, it helps avoid lumpy bits in the frosting and creates a smooth finish.

*The ingredient list and measurement for this recipe can be found in the recipe card at the bottom.

How to make vegan almond buttercream frosting

Step 1: Beat the vegan butter

The first thing to do is add vegan butter to your stand mixer and beat on medium to high speed for a few minutes until it becomes light, fluffy, and pale. This is key to a dreamy texture, so keep beating! Don’t forget to scrape the sides if butter sticks to the bowl.

Step 2: Add ground almonds and icing sugar

Once you get a lovely whipped butter, add in the ground almonds (if using) and half of the icing sugar. Beat again on low speed until smooth.

Pour in the rest of the icing sugar and continue beating. It might look a bit crumbly at first but don’t worry, it’ll become a nice and dreamy frosting in the end!

Step 4: Add cream and almond extract

Finally, add the soy whipping cream and almond extract, and beat again on high speed for a few minutes until the frosting is silky smooth, fluffy, and spreadable. Scrape the sides as needed to ensure everything is incorporated very well. Here you have your almond buttercream ready to be used on anything! Enjoy.

Expert tips and tricks

Start with slightly softened but still cold butter

I’m going to make a post or video about this once I have moved to my new flat, but this is very important –  use vegan butter that is slightly softened but still cold to the touch.

When you hear “room temperature,” you would think it means skin temperature, and that makes sense, room temperature should feel comfortable for humans, right? Well, I don’t know about you, but I keep my flat at 21 – 23°C (70 – 73°F), and that’s way too warm for making vegan buttercream frosting.

So here’s the trick: aim for butter that’s just slightly softened but still cool. I usually let mine sit on the kitchen counter for about 30 minutes, and that does a perfect job of prepping the vegan butter.

Don’t skip the beating time

Especially with vegan whipping cream. Beating for a full few minutes at each stage ensures your frosting is as fluffy and light as possible. Underbeating can result in frosting that is too soft to frost or pipe.

Adjust the consistency

If your frosting is too thick, add a teaspoon more of plant cream or plant milk. Too soft? A bit more icing sugar or resting the frosting in the fridge will firm it up nicely!

Use a digital scale to weigh ingredients

Always use a digital scale rather than measuring cups when you are baking. It’s so much more accurate and measuring correctly is very important to achieve the best result.

How to store

• Room temperature: Vegan buttercream frosting is delicate, I don’t recommend keeping it at room temperature as it can spoil the quality.

• Refrigerator: Yes, you can keep it in your fridge safely though! Keep it in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days. Let it come to room temperature and use straight away or re-whip before using to bring back that fluffy texture. 

• Freezer: If you are planning to use this recipe for the future, freeze it in a freezer-friendly sealed container for up to 1-2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then re-whip to restore the beautifully fluffy and creamy texture.

*Although you can store this recipe in the fridge or freezer, it’s always best to consume it fresh and as soon as possible.

Q and A

Want to master the basics of vegan baking?
Check out Vegan Baking 101 – the beginner’s guide to vegan baking for you to become an excellent vegan baker and familiar with the basics of vegan baking, ingredients, and techniques with useful tips!

You will LOVE these almond buttercream because it is:

• super easy to make
• rich and creamy
• perfect for any cakes and cupcakes

Want more recipes like this?

Try my other delicious frosting and dessert recipes you might enjoy!

• Cookie dough frosting
• Banana cream frosting
• Coconut frosting
• Peanut butter frosting
• Cream cheese frosting

Visit the dessert page and recipe page for more delicious recipes!

Please leave a comment and rate this recipe with 5 stars in the comment section below if you like the recipe! Let me know and tag me @thechestnutbakery on Instagram too. Thank you for making my recipe, friends!

Recipe Card

Print