Last Updated on March 17, 2023
If you don’t have any butter to make frosting with, fear not! Because you can make equally delicious buttercream frosting with margarine!
Just because people have a misconception that this product is cheap and of bad quality, doesn’t make it true. In fact, using margarine for frosting instead of butter has many benefits. So, let’s explore why you can use it as a replacement and how it works. We have even included an amazing recipe!
What Is Margarine? And Can You Make Buttercream Frosting With Margarine?
Many people aren’t sure what exactly margarine is. And, because it looks so similar to butter, it is often used mistaken for it and used interchangeably. However, other than the resemblance in appearance, these two ingredients couldn’t be further apart.
Butter is a semi-solid emulsion made from the fat and protein components of churned cream. It has a multitude of uses because of its altering consistency. At room temperature, butter is semi-solid and is used as a spread. It can also be whipped to create cream-based whipped batters (for cheesecake) or frostings.
Butter can also be chilled to become firm and hard. This consistency works well for making scones or puff pastry, where flour needs to coat fat particles. This helps get a very specific consistency and texture in the end product.
Margarine on the other hand is the original vegan butter! It is also a semi-solid product that is made entirely from vegetable oils. The process of making margarine is more complex than making butter, and it is often criticized as being a very unhealthy ingredient. However, it still has a place in this world, especially in animal-free diets and lifestyles.
So, if you are still wondering if you can make buttercream frosting with margarine instead of real butter, the answer is a resounding yes! It too has benefits over using real butter.
Pros of using margarine (instead of butter) for frostings
- Margarine has the same consistencies that real butter has. It is semi-solid at room temperature, can be solidified in the fridge, and melted over heat. And, all of these will work in the same way as real butter.
- This ingredient is vegan, so has a much more versatile function (on top of being able to do everything butter can). It is also lower in cholesterol, making it generally healthier in that way too.
- Many kinds of margarine come without the yellow color. This is the only way you can get white frosting. When using real butter, even after creaming it to lighten the yellow color, it still comes out beige. White margarine is perfect for making wedding cakes.
- Margarine has a much more neutral flavor. While many people don’t like the texture it gives, at the end of the day it is a personal preference. Loads don’t even realize that it is margarine being used! But, the neutral flavor allows you to add essences or extracts more easily and have their flavors shine through.
What You Need To Make Our Creamy Buttercream Frosting With Margarine
Ingredients
- 1 cup margarine, softened at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted three times
- Pinch of fine salt
- 2-5 tablespoons milk, room temperature
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Electric hand or stand mixer
- Rubber or silicone spatula
- Piping bag and nozzle, optional
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Cream the margarine
Add the margarine to a large mixing bowl. Cream it until it lightens in color and becomes very fluffy in texture. This will take about 4 minutes or so.
Step 2: Add the flavoring and dry ingredients
Next. add in your vanilla extract (or other flavoring extracts) along with the salt. Mix them into the creamed margarine before adding the powdered sugar.
Next, add the sifted powdered sugar and mix the ingredients at a low speed. If you initially use a high speed, the powder will shoot out everywhere! So, only after the powdered sugar has been fully incorporated can you increase the speed of the mixer.
Find another flavor idea for buttercream frosting with margarine here
Step 3: Beat the mixture until it becomes fluffy
Now, allow the mixture to be whipped for another 4 to 6 minutes at a high speed. This will help incorporate air and get the mixture to an uber-fluffy texture.
Step 4: Add the milk to adjust the consistency
Finally, if you see that your mixture is already much thicker than you would want it to be, you can start by adding 2 tablespoons of milk. To further adjust the consistency, keep adding milk to make it softer. But, only add a little at a time.
It is much harder to make a frosting thicker once it is too soft.
Expert Tips And Tricks – An Uber Creamy And Versatile Buttercream Frosting With Margarine
- Sifting your powdered sugar three times allows it to be aerated. This makes it creates a much more aerated frosting. It is entirely optional, but your powdered sugar has to be sifted at least once to remove all the lumps.
- Even though margarine is considered to be “cheap”, still buy a good quality one. The main reason is that the flavor of cheap options is very plastic-like and they make your mouth fatty.
- Do not overmix your buttercream frosting. It will become gooey and not have the fluffy and pipeable consistency that you need. Only beat the frosting until it reaches the consistency you need.
- To store this buttercream frosting made with margarine, place it inside a ziplock bag or airtight container. If you use a container, make sure to add a layer of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the frosting. This will help prevent it from drying out. Then, store it inside the fridge for up to 7 days.
Preparations Times And Servings
Wrapping Things Up
We hope that you have enjoyed our take on buttercream frosting with margarine. These frostings are a lot cheaper to make and more versatile because of their light color and neutral flavor. So, if you have tried this recipe, let us know how your batch came out!
Buttercream Frosting With Margarine - Easy 15 Minute Recipe
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Electric hand or stand mixer
- Rubber or silicone spatula
- Piping bag and nozzle, optional
Ingredients
- 1 cup margarine, softened at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted three times
- Pinch of fine salt
- 2-5 tablespoons milk, room temperature
Instructions
- Cream the margarineAdd the margarine to a large mixing bowl. Cream it until it lightens in color and becomes very fluffy in texture. This will take about 4 minutes or so.1 cup margarine, softened at room temperature
- Add the flavoring and dry ingredientsNext. add in your vanilla extract (or other flavoring extracts) along with the salt. Mix them into the creamed margarine before adding the powdered sugar.Next, add the sifted powdered sugar and mix the ingredients on a low speed. If you initially use a high speed, the powder will shoot out everywhere! So, only after the powdered sugar has been fully incorporated can you increase the speed of the mixer.2 teaspoons vanilla extract, Pinch of fine salt, 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted three times
- Beat the mixture until it becomes fluffyNow, allow the mixture to be whipped for another 4 to 6 minutes at a high speed. This will help incorporate air and get the mixture to an uber fluffy texture.
- Add the milk to adjust the consistencyFinally, if you see that your mixture is already much thicker than you would want it to be, you can start by adding 2 tablespoons of milk. To further adjust the consistency, keep adding milk to make it softer. But, only add a little at a time.It is much harder to make a frosting thicker once it is too soft.2-5 tablespoons milk, room temperature
Notes
FAQs
Can you use margarine instead of butter for buttercream frosting?
You can use margarine instead of butter in buttercream frostings. These two ingredients have almost exactly the same consistency properties, meaning they can be used in similar ways. Margarine actually also has some benefits over butter. It will give lighter frostings which are easier to color or use for white wedding cakes. And, their flavor is more neutral.
What can I substitute for butter in buttercream frosting?
Margarine is the easiest and one of the most affordable substitutions for butter in frostings. They even have a lot more benefits. Other options include using shortening, which is different from margarine.
How do you thicken margarine with buttercream?
The best way to thicken a frosting with margarine is to add more powdered sugar or even cornstarch. However, before doing any of that, chill the frosting first. This way you can see what its consistency is when cold. It might be your saving grace.
Is margarine healthier than butter?
It depends on what you are looking for and consider as "healthy". Margarine has its pros and cons and in some ways, it is better than butter. As an example, it is made using good fats, which helps lower your bad cholesterol. On the other hand, it is super processed and contains a lot of additives.
Lindy Van Schalkwyk is a culinary specialist with a background in Advanced Cooking, Advanced Pâtisserie, Media Communications and Nutrition. She has gained invaluable experience in the culinary industry having worked in some of the top restaurants in Africa in 2016 and 2017. Her expertise in nutrition has enabled her to develop recipes for special dietary needs. In 2018, Lindy began working in the Food Media industry, focusing on recipe development, recipe writing, food writing and food styling.