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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Desserts

    Easy Vegan Maple Bourbon Buttercream Frosting

    Published: Aug 5, 2023 · Modified: Dec 1, 2023 by Megan Calipari · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments

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    This Vegan Maple Bourbon Buttercream Frosting is easy, fluffy and delicious. And this recipe only requires 10 minutes and 4 ingredients!

    Simple and reliable frosting recipes are a must-have in any baker's arsenal and I have plenty of them. My most used recipe is my Vegan Vanilla Buttercream Frosting. Its perfect in every way and I use it for just about everything. And I also love to use Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting for all of my chocolate recipes.

    Vegan Maple Bourbon Buttercream frosting in a white bowl with a gold spoon.
    This buttercream is super light and fluffy.

    But today, I'm sharing a more unique buttercream flavor. This buttercream Vegan Maple Bourbon Buttercream Frosting is just as easy as all of my other frosting recipes. It only requires 4 ingredients and 10 minutes.

    The maple and bourbon give the frosting a warm and rich flavor which is perfect for Autumn desserts like my Vegan Apple Spice Layer Cake!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Method
    • Top Recipe Tips
    • Bourbon Picks
    • Vegan Butter Recommendations
    • Uses
    • Special Equipment
    • Storage
    • Looking for Recipes to Pair with the Frosting?
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Ingredients

    You only need four ingredients to make this frosting recipe. Here is what they are:

    Vegan Butter: Vegan butter lends the creaminess to this frosting.

    Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar for structure and fluffiness.

    Maple Syrup: Maple syrup adds a warm flavor flavor as well as spreadability.

    Bourbon: Bourbon adds another layer of warm and rich flavor and rounds the flavor out.

    Overhead shot of a bottle of bourbon and maple syrup.
    Here are my maple syrup and bourbon picks. But use what you have on hand!

    Method

    This Vegan Maple Bourbon Buttercream Frosting is super easy! Here's how to make it.

    First, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the non-dairy butter. Scrape the bowl down regularly, and cream until the butter is smooth and creamy.

    Sifted powdered sugar in a marble bowl.
    Sift the powdered sugar.
    Overhead shot of vegan butter creamed in a mixing bowl.
    Cream the vegan butter.

    Next, add the sifted powdered sugar. Start the mixer on the lowest speed setting. It will look crumbly here and that's okay.

    Then, add the maple syrup one tablespoon at a time and you will see the frosting start to come together.

    Finally, add the bourbon and mix on medium speed until smooth and fluffy and thats it!

    Adding the powdered sugar into a metal bowl.
    Mix the powdered sugar into the creamed butter. The mixture will look crumbly and thats okay!
    Finished vegan maple bourbon buttercream frosting in a metal bowl with the mixer paddle in it.
    Add the maple syrup and bourbon and mix until smooth and fluffy.

    Top Recipe Tips

    Be sure to sift the powdered sugar to avoid a lumpy frosting.

    Also, scrape the bowl down a lot!

    Hard bits can get stuck to the sides of the bowl and need to be scraped into the mix or you will be left with a lumpy Vegan Maple Bourbon Buttercream Frosting.

    Bourbon Picks

    I used Makers Mark 46 for this frosting because its my favorite bourbon.

    My other recommendation is Woodford Reserve.

    But use what you like or what you have on hand.

    Vegan Butter Recommendations

    Whatever vegan butter you choose to use, make sure it comes in stick form, not in a tub. The formulas are different and butter that comes in a tub is way softer.

    I used Country Crock Plant Butter here which I really like.

    I also like Earth Balance Soy-Free Buttery Sticks.

    Uses

    This Maple Bourbon Buttercream Frosting is perfect for:

    Filling sandwich cookies

    Building and frosting cakes

    Spreading onto cupcakes

    Overhead shot of vegan maple bourbon buttercream frosting next to cake layers.
    It is perfect for cake making, cupcake decorating and more!

    Special Equipment

    You will need a stand mixer or hand mixer for this recipe.

    My pick is a stand mixer. I have had this KitchenAid mixer for 10 years and absolutely love it.

    Storage

    Store this buttercream frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

    Or freeze for up to two months.

    When you're ready to use the Maple Bourbon Buttercream, allow to sit at room temperature for a couple of hours, then add to a stand mixer and mix until its light and fluffy again.

    A cake frosted with vegan maple bourbon buttercream frosting decorated with maroon and yellow flowers
    Here is how it looks on a cake!

    Looking for Recipes to Pair with the Frosting?

    Vegan Chai Whoopie Pies

    Cardamom Vanilla Cupcakes

    Vegan Spiced Apple Cake

    Vegan Snickerdoodle Cupcakes by: The Pretty Bee

    📖 Recipe

    Vegan Maple Bourbon buttercream frosting in a white bowl

    Vegan Maple Bourbon Buttercream Frosting

    Megan Calipari
    This Vegan Maple Bourbon Buttercream Frosting is easy, fluffy and delicious. This recipe only requires 10 minutes and 4 ingredients!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 10 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 20 Servings
    Calories 159 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 Stand Mixer with paddle attachment
    • 1 Sifter
    • 1 Spatula
    • Measuring Cups and Spoons

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 Cup Dairy-Free Butter Use a butter that comes in stick form
    • 4 Cups Powdered Sugar, Sifted
    • 3 tablespoon Maple Syrup
    • 2 tablespoon High Quality Bourbon I used Makers Mark 46

    Instructions
     

    • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the non-dairy butter, scraping the bowl down a couple of times through the process.
      1 Cup Dairy-Free Butter
    • Add all the sifted powdered sugar and mix on low until combined. It will look crumbly here and thats okay.
      4 Cups Powdered Sugar, Sifted
    • Add maple syrup 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing the syrup in and scraping the bowl down between each tablespoon.
      3 tablespoon Maple Syrup
    • Next, add the bourbon 1 tablespoon at a time.
      2 tablespoon High Quality Bourbon
    • Mix on medium speed until light and fluffy.

    Notes

    This recipe makes about 4 cups. It is enough to frost:
    1 dozen cupcakes
    A 6 inch 3 layer cake
    An 8 inch 2 layer cake

    Nutrition

    Serving: 0.25CupsCalories: 159kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 0.02gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.05gSodium: 73mgPotassium: 10mgSugar: 26gVitamin A: 432IUCalcium: 3mgIron: 0.004mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Let me know how you like this recipe!

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    Comments

    1. Alison says

      September 05, 2022 at 2:28 am

      5 stars
      I didn't have bourbon so I substituted it with my homemade vanilla extract.
      It came out beautifully! My first buttercream and my first vegan buttercream! Thank you!

      Reply
    2. Spencer says

      July 02, 2024 at 3:12 am

      I made this recipe as well and it is phenomenal! Excellent on my banana bread!

      Reply
    3. Ali says

      November 18, 2024 at 3:32 am

      5 stars
      Made this with regular butter and (aside from my own mistakes) it turned out AMAZING!!!

      It didn’t get ‘crumbly’ after adding the powdered sugar like I was envisioning it would, so I added another cup of powdered sugar (bad idea, it’s super sweet after that). Turns out I just needed to trust the process, the texture is phenomenal! I also splashed in too much bourbon, but honestly still really good despite my mishaps! Saving this recipe and adding it to the all time faves!

      Reply
    5 from 2 votes

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    Headshot of me in a white shirt

    Hi, I'm Megan! I'm a trained pastry chef who is passionate about creating vegan desserts and meals for everyone. My recipes use simple ingredients and methods to create delicious results.

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