This thick and creamy vegan cinnamon buttercream is the perfect sweet and warmly spiced topping for you favourite cakes and cupcakes.
Based on my popular vegan vanilla buttercream, this variation is perfect for all your holiday baking, especially paired with my vegan gingerbread cupcakes!
Now don’t get me wrong I love the classics of vanilla and chocolate but if you made me pick a favourite flavour for desserts, it’s always going to be something spiced. Carrot cake, chai, gingerbread, Biscoff – they are all just so delicious!
And the common thread to all this deliciousness is of course cinnamon. Cinnamon is a sweet, woody and aromatic spice that adds so much flavour to baked goods.
The addition of cinnamon in this buttercream is the perfect warming and subtle flavour that is perfect to finish off all your delicious baked goods, plus it’s dairy free and vegan!
Key Ingredients
This vegan cinnamon buttercream is uses the same key ingredients as all of the vegan buttercream recipes on my site, with the base being my go-to vegan vanilla buttercream flavoured with cinnamon.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Dairy free butter -this is the key ingredient to make this the best frosting. Use a quality dairy-free butter substitute here for the best flavour and texture. I love and always use Nuttelex Buttery which is an Australian product. In the US, the closest alternative is Earth Balance which I understand to be very similar.
- Icing sugar – I use the icing sugar mixture from the supermarket, not the pure icing sugar. The only difference is the mixture has a little bit of cornflour added which means it’s less likely to clump together and turn rock solid.
- Dairy free milk – just a splash of milk keeps the frosting super smooth and creamy. You can use any you prefer but I usually use oat or almond milk.
- Ground cinnamon – the key flavour for this buttercream frosting!
- Vanilla extract – adds a delicious sweet, vanilla undertone to the frosting. Make sure you’re using vanilla extract, not imitation or essence.
- Pinch salt – optional, but a little bit just cuts through the super sweetness and balances out the flavour.
Equipment and Tools
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- Electric mixer – I find that a stand mixer is the best way to make buttercream as it makes the process very quick and easy however a handheld mixer will also work if that’s all you have.
- Spatula – for scraping down the bowl and ensuring the buttercream is properly mixed.
- Measuring cups and spoons – accurate measurements are crucial for baking, as even small differences can affect the texture and taste.
Step-By-Step Instructions
To make the buttercream, start by beating together the vegan butter and vanilla for 1-2 minutes until creamy and combined.
Add 2 cups of icing sugar and beat on medium speed until well combined. Incorporate an additional cup of icing sugar and continue mixing.
As the mixture thickens, gradually add the dairy-free milk in small increments until you achieve a thick, creamy consistency. If the frosting appears too thin or tastes too ‘buttery’, add an extra ½-1 cup of icing sugar. Conversely, if it’s too thick, add a small amount of dairy-free milk.
Finally, add in the cinnamon and salt and mix through. Taste and adjust based on your tastes.
Store the covered frosting in the refrigerator or proceed to pipe it directly onto cooled cupcakes or cake.
How to use this cinnamon buttercream
This amount will generously frost a batch of 12-14 cupcakes or a 2 layer, 8 inch cake. It goes well with lightly spiced cakes or with lighter flavours such as vanilla. Try it with;
Recipe FAQs
Yes once you pipe it onto your cakes you can leave them out for a couple of days in an airtight container without issue. The amount of sugar acts to preserve the butter.
Yes! As dairy free butter tends to be softer than regular butter, for the best results you need to use cold dairy-free butter. If it’s a warm day and your buttercream is getting too warm, pop it in the fridge for about 30 minutes to firm up for piping. Before using, mix it back together with a spatula.
When stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, this buttercream can typically be kept for up to a week. Just make sure to give it a good whisk with your electric mixer before using it to restore its creamy consistency.
More vegan buttercream recipes:
Vegan Lavender Buttercream
Vegan Chocolate Buttercream
Vegan Biscoff Buttercream
Vegan Strawberry Buttercream
Vegan Lemon Buttercream
Vegan Cinnamon Buttercream
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup (125 grams) dairy-free butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3-4 cups icing sugar
- 1 tablespoon dairy free milk
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch salt to taste
Instructions
- Using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment fitted, beat dairy-free butter and vanilla for 1-2 minutes until creamy.
- Add in 3 cups of icing sugar and beat on medium until combined. As mixture thickens, add in the dairy free milk a little at a time until the mixture is smooth and creamy but still thick enough to stand up on its own. If it’s a bit thin, add the additional cup of icing sugar until the desired consistency is reached.
- Finally, add in the ground cinnamon and salt to taste and mix through.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
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