When I first saw Cakes and Cooking’s video transforming applesauce into a vegan cream, I knew I had to see if what I watched was true by making it, and it was!
This recipe makes a lovely cream that’s a perfect vegan buttercream substitute. It pipes beautifully, holding its shape at room temperature, and has a consistency and mouth-feel very much like buttercream. With its light aroma of apple and vanilla, it’s not as sweet as traditional buttercream which I find refreshing.
Non-Dairy Apple Cream
A vegan buttercream made with applesauce that's stable and pipes beautifully.
Equipment
- hand mixer
- saucepan
Ingredients
- 4 oz applesauce
- 1/3 C. cornstarch
- 1 C. granulated sugar
- 1 packet vanilla sugar You can substitute 1 tsp. of vanilla extract and use a full 100 grams of sugar.
- a pinch Kosher salt
- 1½ C. non-dairy milk (almond, rice, oat, etc.)
- 18 tbsp. margarine 1 C. + 2 tbsp.
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add the applesauce, vanilla sugar, sugar, and salt. Whisk until the sugar is dissolve. Add the cornstarch, mix well.
- In a medium saucepan, add non-dairy milk and bring it up to a scald. You should see bubbling around the edges of the pan.
- Remove the saucepan from heat and whisk in the applesauce mixture. Once incorporated, return to saucepan to the burner and on medium heat whisk continuously until thickened and a few big bubbles pop, like the hot mud pits at Yellowstone.
- Pour the mixture into a bowl, press plastic wrap onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Allow to cool to room temperature.
- To a large bowl, add room temperature margarine. Use a hand mixer on medium-high speed and beat until fluffy and light in color ~8 minutes.
- Add the cooled applesauce mixture to the margarine in 3 batches, mixing well with each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl.
- Pipe on to cupcakes using a 1M tip for easy and lovely rosettes.
Notes
- If you’re find the vanilla flavor of the vanilla sugar too subtle, you can add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- https://youtu.be/5-Bp0c1bBM8
Nutrition
Calories: 280kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 1gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 221mgPotassium: 17mgFiber: 1gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 796IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
I think if you creamed the margarine in a stand mixer with a paddle and then incorporated the apple mixture as you did, also in the mixer, it would likely result in a smoother buttercream. I don’t have experience with vegan buttercream, but with meringue buttercreams usually when the texture is like that the butter was either too cold or added too fast and more time in the mixer usually smoothes things out.
Margarine ? Really? Is it possible to substitute?
I wonder if I could use plenty based butter instead of margarine.
Yes, margarine is so bad for you, can you try this with butter and post results?
The point is that it is supposed to be “vegan.” Dairy free is the goal with a dairy allergy. Margarine, in many instances has dairy in it. So be aware when choosing a butter replacement.
I’m going to try this with really butter and see how it turns out ! i’ll keep everyone posted
Thank you for this! I’m allergic to dairy and butter – being able to make a vegan buttercream is amazing!!!!
Sweet!:) Please let me know what you think.
Mmm…butter is the best.
As far as vegan butter replacements go I like Earth Balance spread, it’s non-hydrogenated contains no trans fats and it bakes decently.
I don’t see why not.
This would be awesome on spice cake !
I’ll have to try this with a sugar substitute as my non-dairy hubby is also a diabetic. Fingers crossed
I’m a little confused. If I substitute vanilla extract am I using an additional 1/2 c of sugar (for the 100 grams)? So the recipe would be 1 1/2 c sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract?
Sorry for the confusion, just use the 1/2 C. of sugar + 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
I just tried this and it tastes lovely. Made the applesauce too. My child has dairy allergies so I mixed earth balance and shortening.
I wonder what the shelf life would be? With applesauce I would think it wouldn’t keep like a regular buttercream… I wonder x2 if it freezes well. Will experiment!
I’m so glad you liked the recipe and that it suits for your child’s needs.🧁 I would guess a few days in the refrigerator and I’m not sure how freezing would affect the consistency. Definitely sounds like some experimenting is in order. Please report back with your findings. 😊
My grandma used to make a frosting with apples. Similar to what you’ve made here. I wish I could remember how she did it? It was so delicious!
I made this today, to fill eclairs, and I used regular butter and milk. I realized after the first three steps that the consistency was already like pastry cream, so I stirred in two tablespoons of melted butter and let the mixture chill in the fridge, then piped it into the eclairs without adding the additional 1 cup of butter. The consistency was perfect – the only thing I would change would be to use less sugar and a touch less vanilla, since it didn’t need so much sweetness without the added butter. You could use it to fill a donut instead of custard, or on a fruit tart.
Thanks for sharing your tips.
Can one use artificial sweetener or honey in place of the sugar?
I imagine doing so will affect the consistency.🤔 Sounds like an experiment is in order.
Feh. I found the taste of applesauce over whelming. I wasn’t expecting a butter cream taste but I was hoping not to taste the applesauce.
I used Smart Balance sticks and maybe that was the issue.
I’m glad I tried the recipe, but won’t use it again.
I’m so curious to make this. It sounds delicious. Only one thing, does it matter what kind of applesauce you use? Say if you made your own homemade. I wouldn’t want to mess up the consistency or add too much sugar or something.
I used unsweetened plain applesauce. Feel free to use what you like, but a flavored (cinnamon, strawberry, blueberry etc.) applesauce will definitely change the flavor and perhaps even the color of the finished cream.
Hi Emmy,
Thanks for this interesting recipe. I try to avoid cornstarch and am wondering if this recipe would work with one of the many binders available for gluten-free cooking and baking, such as xanthan gum, guar gum, chia seed gel, arrowroot, potato starch, or tapioca? Has anyone else tried these binders? Also wondering if you — or anyone on this thread has tried monkfruit sweetener in place of sugar?
Thanks!
Miyoko’s Vegan Butter is fantastic! Pretty pricey, so I look for sales and buy a few and freeze them (works great). Got to watch for soy and palm oil in a lot of vegan butters. Soy not great and palm oil is environmentally devastating.
Thanks for the recommendation. 🙂
Just made it for my apple-pie cupcakes. Used real butter. Probably should have either upped the apple content for it, or used less butter or perhaps creamed some avacado in there for a boost. All in all though, it is really good. It will be a nice balance for how much sweetness is in the cupcakes themselves, and since I have a mascato syrup shot that will be drizzled on it as well, I think the acidity and buttery contrast will hit all the notes. Thank you so much for sharing. Can’t wait to give it another go.