Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipe
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Swiss meringue buttercream is better in flavor and texture than American buttercream. Once you try it, you will want to use it on all of your cakes, cupcakes, cookies, everything! It is silky, pipes beautifully, and is stable (scroll down to see the fun design I made for my niece and nephews puppy-themed birthday party).
Swiss Meringue buttercream is my favorite of the meringue frostings because it is not overly sweet or difficult to make, and this method pasteurizes the egg whites in the process – Hooray!! It is simple enough to use for everyday baking but the flavor is special occasion worthy. This frosting makes me think of wedding cakes every time I make it!
Swiss Meringue Buttercream keeps really well overnight at room temperature without drying out or forming a crust like American buttercream will. You can completely assemble your cake ahead of time without taking up space in the refrigerator and it will look and taste just as good the next day!
Cook’s Tip for Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
Butter should be softened at room temperature for about 1 hour (more or less depending on your room temperature). You want it to be still slightly cool to the touch and not overly soft or warm. If it gets too soft, refrigerate for 10 minutes at a time.
How to Make Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
1. In a medium pot, add about 1-inch of water and bring to a simmer.
2. Thoroughly wash and dry the stainless steel mixing bowl from your stand mixer** (you don’t want any fat touching meringue). Add 7 egg whites and 2 cups sugar and whisk together. Place mixing bowl over pot of barely simmering water, creating a seal over the pot (bowl should be over the steam, not touching water). Whisk constantly until sugar/egg white mixture reaches 160˚F (takes about 3 minutes). Sugar should be fully dissolved (you should not feel any sugar granules when rubbing mixture between fingers), and mixture will feel hot to the touch.
3. Wipe water from bottom of mixing bowl and transfer bowl to your stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff glossy peaks form (about 15-20 minutes) and the bottom of the bowl feels completely at room temperature and not warm (important: if meringue is warm, it will melt the butter).
3. Once bowl is at room temperature, switch to paddle attachment, reduce to medium speed and add butter 1 Tbsp at a time, adding it just as fast as it can be absorbed by meringue. Once all butter is in, scrape down the bowl and continue beating until the buttercream has reached a thick whipped consistency (3 min on med-high speed). If it looks lumpy or liquid at all, keep beating until smooth, thick and whipped.
4. Add 2 tsp vanilla extract and 1/4 tsp salt then mix on med-high until incorporated (about 1 min).
P.S. The tiny amount of salt at the end gives this frosting incredible depth of flavor.
**It is ok to use a high speed electric hand mixer, but it may take 5-10 minutes longer of total mixing time. Also, a glass bowl will work but meringue may take longer to whip/cool down because glass retains heat longer.
Make-Ahead Tip: If not using Swiss Meringue Buttercream frosting the same day it is made, it can be refrigerated. If it has been chilled, bring back to room temperature then re-whip until smooth in texture before using.
⬇Print-Friendly Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipe
Ingredients
- 7 large egg whites (210 grams or 7 oz)
- 2 cups 400 grams granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened (3 sticks or 340 grams)*
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt we use non-iodized fine sea salt
Instructions
-
In a medium pot, add at least 1-inch of water and bring to simmer.
-
Thoroughly wash and dry the stainless steel mixing bowl from your stand mixer* (you don't want grease touching meringue). Add 7 egg whites and 2 cups sugar and whisk together. Place mixing bowl over pot of barely simmering water, creating a seal over the pot (bowl should be over the steam, not touching water). Whisk constantly until mixture reaches 160˚F (takes about 3 min). Sugar should be fully dissolved (you should not feel any sugar granules when rubbing mixture between finger tips). Mixture will feel hot to the touch.
-
Wipe water from bottom of mixing bowl and transfer bowl to stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff glossy peaks form (about 15-20 min) and bottom of the bowl feels completely at room temp and not warm (important: warm meringue will melt the butter).
-
Once bowl is at room temp, switch to paddle attachment, reduce to medium speed and add butter 1 Tbsp at a time, adding it just as fast as it is absorbed by meringue. Once all butter is in, scrape down the bowl and continue beating until it reaches a thick whipped consistency (3 min on med-high speed). If it looks lumpy or liquidy at all, keep beating until smooth, thick and whipped.
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Add 2 tsp vanilla extract and 1/4 tsp salt and mix on med-high until incorporated (about 1 min).
Recipe Notes
*Butter should be softened at room temp about 1 hour (more or less depending on your room temperature). It should be slightly cool to the touch and not overly soft or warm. If too soft, refrigerate for 10 minutes at a time.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
And here are the puppy cupcakes I made using this Swiss Buttercream for my niece and nephews birthday party! The kids LOVED them!! Here is the vanilla cupcakes base that I used for these. I used mini M&M’s on the eyes, a Hershey’s chocolate drop for the nose, then used a rolling pin and my hands to form the ears out of tootsie rolls and the tongue out of a similar shaped pink candy (similar to an airhead candy).
If you make this frosting, let me know what you think of it in a comment below.
P.P.S. I do have another recipe coming soon for a cake using this very same frosting – can’t wait to share it with you all!
Natasha Kravchuk
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Recipe (VIDEO) 
Chocolate Cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream 
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Perfect Vanilla Cupcake Recipe (VIDEO) 
Cupcake Frosting Recipe (VIDEO) 
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
I don’t know how to add pictures but I just made this frosting and it came out perfect and delicious!!!! Best frosting I’ve ever had and I’m proud to have made it myself! Thanks for the great recipe, Natasha!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing that wonderful review with me!
Just tried this – looked great before butter and now it look looks like cellulite.. help!
Hi Kristen! I haven’t had that experience but I’m happy to troubleshoot. I do recommend reading through our tips and comments from readers that have experienced similar Also, was anything altered in the recipe?
Can you color this frosting without it changing the texture?
Hi Crystalynn, I would recommend using a gel food coloring over a liquid one. I would add the at the very end.
Can i use icing sugar instead of granulated sugar for the swiss meringue buttercream?
Hi, I haven’t tested this with confectioners sugar and I suspect it would not work the same way.
I’m wondering if I can use this under fondant? My apologies if that’s been mentioned in your threads and I missed it.
Hi Christina, I honestly haven’t tried putting SMBC under fondant to advise. If you experiment I would love to know how you like that!
Hey there ,this look like a great recipe but I’m wondering if I can half the ingredients or will that mess with the consistency
Hi Sabs, when you’re at the recipe you can click Jump to recipe and click on the number of servings to adjust the ingredients too. Hope that helps.
Hi Natasha,
I tried flavouring at the end with Nutella and it became slightly runny. I’ve been trying to salvage by refrigerating 20 mins and whipping it up again but it doesn’t seem to help. Any ideas?
Hi Pavi, I honestly haven’t tried adding Nutella yet to advise. Sorry I wish I could be more helpful!
Hi there! I sat at the stove cooking the meringue for over half an hour and it still wouldn’t reach 160F. The meringue is very thick too once I have whipped it. Is this right?
Hi Cammy, make sure you have water under the bowl and that the bowl sits snuggly over the surface of the saucepan, otherwise the steam will escape and it will take much longer to heat up.
Can you add flavoring to this buttercream, like a curd or paste, or will it affect the texture to much?
Hi Hope! That may work! Normally flavorings are added at the very end. If you try something new, I would suggest trying to add it to a small batch in a ramekin to be sure it doesn’t hurt the consistency and to see if you enjoy the overall flavor. There are so many ideas! Almond extract, lemon/ lime, liqueurs, fruit puree or preserves, the list goes on. You might google to get ideas for add-ins, depending on the type of cake you’re making.
Thank you so much
Iam doing daughters wedding cake.It will take 2 days to assemble 3 tier cake and deliver to venue the night before. Will this frosting keep and taste good till the cake cutting. wedding in feb next year
Hi Geraldine, I see buttercream more commonly used for making wedding cakes and I wonder if that is the reason – because it holds up better and can support stacked cakes. I’m not an expert in wedding cakes – you might try googling that. Sorry I can’t be more helpful.
How many cupcakes do this frost?
Hi Calli, This recipe makes maybe 5 or 6 cups? It is enough to frost a 9″ two-layer cake OR it will ice 24 plus cupcakes. One of our readers wrote, “I put a generous amount on 24 cupcakes and still had some left.” I hope that helps
Hi Natasha
I will be attempting to do this recipe. What is the best butter to use for recipe ? Appreciate your kind advise.
Hi Lina, we try to use a light butter. Some butters are more yellow in color and make this less white. I’ve tried organic unsalted by Simple truth brand and the longer sticks from Costco by Kirkland signature unsalted butter and both were very white in color.
This is so delicious and silky, I am seriously never making American buttercream again!
It is just a tad sweeter than I would prefer. Can I use less sugar or will that mess up the consistency?
Thanks!
Thank you for your good feedback! Hi, reducing the sugar will affect the texture some and make it seem more buttery.
I use this recipe all the time. It’s always comes out perfect! Thanks!
So great to hear that, Janice. Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful!!♥️
How far in advance can I make this? Will it hold in the fridge for a couple of days before piping?
If not using Swiss Meringue Buttercream frosting the same day it is made, it can be refrigerated. If it has been chilled, bring back to room temperature then re-whip until smooth in texture before using.
can you substitute the white sugar for brown sugar because i want a more caramelly taste.
Hi Ishrath, I haven’t tested that so I’m not sure how it would incorporate.
Made this and reasonably happy with result, added a bit of icing sugar and dye to it to had to play around. How did you get it do white? Once I added the butter it went a yellowy colour which was what I was hoping to avoid.
Hi Rebecca, some butters are more yellow in color and make this less white. I’ve tried organic unsalted by Simple truth brand and the longer sticks from Costco by Kirkland signature unsalted butter and both were very white in color.
Get some blue food coloring. Take a took a toothpick and tab it with the blue food coloring. I actually rubbed it on my paddle attachment and then mixed it again and the frosting was a bright white! use a very small amount. You do not need a lot. You can always add more blue if you want the frosting to be more white.
Great idea! Thank you so much for sharing that with us Nicole!
I made this tonight to use for cupcakes that I’m making tomorrow. After adding the butter it fluffed up but not enough for my liking so I added some powdered sugar and it stiffened up better. It didn’t alter the taste much either. This will be my go-to frosting recipe from now on!
Thanks for sharing that with us, Stephanie!
How much frosting should I make if I want to make a 6 inch cake with three layers?
Hi Hannah, it is hard to say without testing it myself. This recipe makes maybe 5 or 6 cups? It is enough to frost a 9″ two-layer cake OR it will ice 24 plus cupcakes. One of our readers wrote, “I put a generous amount on 24 cupcakes and still had some left.” I hope that helps
Any tips on making this recipe lime flavored? I’m debating between lime juice and extract, but I’m I don’t want to mess up the consistency. Thanks!
Hi Lola, I haven’t tested this with lime. Normally flavorings are added at the very end. If you try something new, I would suggest trying to add it to a small batch in a ramekin to be sure it doesn’t hurt the consistency and to see if you enjoy the overall flavor. There are so many ideas! Almond extract, lemon/ lime, liqueurs, fruit puree or preserves, the list goes on. You might google to get ideas for add-ins, depending on the type of cake you’re making.
I would toss in some lime zest. I don’t believe it would cause a reaction and the zest holds the best flavor any ways.
How many cupcakes could I pipe with this recipe? thank you!
Hi Jamie, this recipe makes maybe 5 or 6 cups? It is enough to frost a 9″ two-layer cake OR it will ice 24 plus cupcakes. One of our readers wrote, “I put a generous amount on 24 cupcakes and still had some left.” I hope that helps
Hi Natasha,
Can I reduce the sugar to 1.5 cups? Will it affect the texture? And also, can I use margarine instead of butter? Thanks
Hi, reducing the sugar will affect the texture some and make it seem more buttery. I have never tried making this frosting with margarine so I can’t speak to that.
I just tried this recipe for the first time and OMG, it was amazing! It did take a good 15 minutes or so for it to finally come together and get thick after the butter was added. But it was so worth the wait!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Once you get it this will be your favorite for ever!
Natasha helppp! It would stiff up. I’ve been beating for over 25 min it’s still watery. What do I do?
Hi Sandra, it can look soupy before it comes together and that is normal. If it stays soupy after a few extra minutes of mixing, it is likely due to adding butter before the meringue fully reached room temperature, or due to adding oversoftened or partially melted butter. I would suggest refrigerating 10-15 minutes at a time and continuing to mix and it should come together.
Hi, I’m trying to get stiff peaks and I can’t. I measured everything in grams, I’m using a hand mixer, made sure the bowls were clean. The only thing I can think that I did differently is I didn’t have a big enough bowl so had to set it on a strainer that I wrapped mostly in tinfoil so I wouldn’t lose much steam. Any tips besides buying aluminum bowls?
Hi Jess, if the mixture reached the desired temperature then it is probably due to using an electric hand mixer. A stand mixer with a whisk attachment is more efficient at whipping.
I made this recipe and I succeeded
But, I tasted a lot of butter, which I like less. Is it possible to put only 3/4 cup of butter? And I really like the taste of whipped cream, could it be good to add cream to it? If yes, how much and when should I add it to the recipe?
thank you
Hi Christel, I really haven’t tried adding whipped cream so I’m not sure if it would break the consistency. I also haven’t tried reducing the butter that much and without experimenting its difficult to guess if it would form properly.
Question: I can’t do dairy so butter is out. Do you think margarine would work or is it too soft?
Hi Blenn, I have never tried making this frosting with margarine so I can’t speak to that.
I love this recipe and use it a lot, but I’m having trouble with it here lately being so airy and having bubbles. When I try to smooth it on cake with a bench scraper, it pulls huge holes in the sides. I try to smooth it up and down, back and forth, filling in the holes individually and resmoothing, to no avail. Any tips on why mine is full of such huge air bubbles?
Hi Katie, it could be either too high of speed or using the whisk attachment rather than the paddle attachment. Either the whisk or high speed will incorporate more air bubbles. I hope that is helpful in troubleshooting SMBC.
I experienced the same also. What I did to fix this is, right at the end when you finish making the buttercream turn the mixer right down to your lowest setting and continue mixing for about 10 minutes. It will knock out the air bubbles. I do the same with American buttercream also and it works. Make sure you’re using the paddle attachment.
Hope that helps you.
I’ve made this recipe so many times with no issue. But today I have made 3 batches but they were halved recipes and my buttercream has just split and the consistency is just not right I’m not sure what I’ve done
Hi Kahlia, did you allow each batch to cool completely to room temperature? You may need to refrigerate for 10-15 minutes to cool the mixture then try to rewhip.
I made this frosting for a cake that I made just for fun and it was amazing! I’m making it again for my son’s birthday cupcakes and any other frosting I need to make. Delicious!
So great to hear that, Samantha. I’m sure your son will enjoy his birthday cupcakes. Happy Birthday to him!
Hiya I’m thinking of trying this out tonight but dont want as much frosting how many eggs should I use if I’m wanting to half this amount, 3 or 4? Thanks xx
Hi Isha, here is what one of our readers wrote “I halved it and used 4egg whites, large eggs. It was perfect!” I hope that helps.
Hi Natasha,
I love your buttercream. I have now made several times and I think easier and faster if you put the hot egg and sugar mixture in an ice bath until almost room temp. It will come together much faster.
I had lots of egg whites and made a batch about 1.7 times your recipe. I strongly suggest that the sugar and egg whites be weighed to make sure you get the correct proportions.
My family likes lots of buttercream and 1.5 times your recipe is perfect for a 9 inch cake with lots of icing to decorate with. 🙂
Hi Jeff, thank you for sharing some tips with us. That is helpful we appreciate it!
Hi! Just some troubleshooting/’is this normal’ questions here! My SMBC kind of reduces in volume after coming together with the butter and appears less fluffy than when I was beating the meringue, is that normal? Also, is the only way to make it more fluffy is by beating it more as my SMBC has a little bit of resistance (instead of smooth and light) feel to it when I run my spatula through it. Final question! How can I make my SMBC taste/feel less oily? (I think it not being as light and fluffy might impact this component too). Thanks so much for your recipe and response in advance!!
Hi Olivia, yes that texture change is normal. Make sure to use the same quantities and proportions of ingredients without any substitutions. It shouldn’t seem oily but it is a buttercream so it will be more like a lightened up buttercream. I hope that helps.
I found this recipe a year ago and have made a lot of cakes and cupcakes with this!! It is wonderful to use and is SO tasty and fluffy. I have tried making it ahead of time and refrigerating it on two occasions now. Both times it goes in the fridge perfect, and after re whipping the next day just goes flat, runny, and separates. It is still cool to the touch and I can’t figure out why this is happening or if I can fix it.
Hi Amanda, you may need to let it rest a little longer at room temperature the re-whip again.
I have had this same problem on using it the next day or if I add color. Makes me sad when I end up throwing it out. I was thinking I might need to try another recipe but yours is so delicious without tasting to buttery. Any other thoughts on what to do when it appears to separate?
Hi Susan, once it is at room temperature, it should re-whip. It may be either too cold or just need a little longer mixer.
This happened to me as well, I took a hairdryer and put it on full blast aimed at the bottom of them bowl to heat up the bowl while the paddle attachment was on medium. It worked perfect! It’s basically too cold. When you warm it up a bit it comes back together.
Great idea! Thank you so much for sharing that with me Sophia!
Hi,
How much buttercream does this recipe make?
Thank you!
Hi Cybel, this recipe makes maybe 5 or 6 cups? It is enough to frost a 9″ two-layer cake OR it will ice 24 plus cupcakes so doubling it would be a good idea! One of our readers wrote, “I put a generous amount on 24 cupcakes and still had some left.” I hope that helps
Will this frosting keep its shape? For example regular whipped cream goes flat when not refrigerated. Will it happen to this type of frosting?
Hi Jules, this one keeps its shape much better than basic whipped cream. I would still refrigerate overnight.
Hi Natasha!
I was wondering how could I make this a Chocolate Buttercream?
Thanks so much.
-Mackenzie
Hi Mackenzie, I haven’t tested this with chocolate but here is what one of our readers wrote “I ended up adding 3oz of melted semisweet chocolate and 3 oz of bitter 100%cocoa chocolate after adding the vanilla. I didn’t want the sweetness to go up because of the chocolate. And I also sifted about 1/4 cup of cocoa powder at the end and hand mix that in. Tastes amazing! I’ll re-whip on Friday for the cupcakes I’m making” I hope that helps.
Hi, I’m making a cake with this frosting tomorrow. do you have to store the decorated frosted cake in the fridge with? or is it OK to store overnight in a cold room? thanks
Hi Bethan, we recommend the fridge. It will be fine to cover and refrigerate for several days. I find it’s easiest to decorate the cake the day before and then refrigerate. You will want to let the cake sit at room temperature for the frosting to soften slightly.
Can I make it The day before and then just keep it in the fridge?
Hi Sofia, it will be fine to cover and refrigerate for several days, just be sure to bring it to room temperature then re-beat it to smooth and fluff the frosting
Hi Natasha.
How much does this rcipe make in cups?
i love your chanel. thank you.
Hi Anna, this recipe makes maybe 5 or 6 cups? It is enough to frost a 9″ two-layer cake OR it will ice 24 plus cupcakes so doubling it would be a good idea! One of our readers wrote, “I put a generous amount on 24 cupcakes and still had some left.” I hope that helps
This frosting was incredibly delicious! I have never made frosting before, so I was a little nervous about how this would turn out, but the recipe was very detailed and easy to follow. I will never go back to buying frosting from the grocery store, this recipe will be my go-to from now on!
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Katie! Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I’m all smiles
Hi! This sounds like a wonderful recipe and I’m planning to make it for my daughter’s first birthday in a few days. I was wondering what you think about adding a liquid based natural food coloring to this to make it less white? I read that if you make a distilled berry juice, you can use it to make buttercream frosting pink. Will adding moisture to it destroy the consistency? Thank you!!
Follow up question! What about adding chocolate to this?
I haven’t tried that yet to advise Lana but I imagine that should work. Please share with us how it goes if you do an experiment.
Can I use carton egg whites? instead of separating 7 eggs? if so, what amount of liquid egg whites should I use?
Hi Sara, I haven’t tested with carton whites but I have heard readers report both (that it works and others day that it doesn’t), so it may depend on the brand and whether or not there are any additives? One reader wrote: “I did try with the egg whites from a carton and it didn’t work. I started again, this time using egg whites from regular eggs and it worked beautifully.” If you test it out, please let me know how it goes.
Hello, I used carton egg whites and it was perfect. I use carton egg whites for meringues and never had an issue. Hope that helps
So great to hear that! Thank you so much for sharing that with us.
I use carton egg white without any problems. May even make sure they’re fresh perhaps and not one that’s been sittings on the grocery store shelf for a while
Can I use egg whites that were separated from the yolks yesterday and stored in the refrigerator until today, for the Swiss Buttercream frosting?
Hi Pat, that should work.
Hello, I’m thinking on making this buttercream. How much does this recipe make?
Hi Makayla, this recipe makes maybe 5 or 6 cups? It is enough to frost a 9″ two-layer cake OR it will ice 24 plus cupcakes so doubling it would be a good idea! One of our readers wrote, “I put a generous amount on 24 cupcakes and still had some left.” I hope that helps
Super tasty meringue!!
I have always loved swiss meringue but was a bit afraid of doing. I love your recipe it is not only easy to follow but also you give some great tips. It is for sure my go-to buttercream recipe from now on.
Love it! I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for giving it a try!
Hello! Soo excited to try this recipe next week for my boyfriend’s birthday. This might be a stupid question but I’m UK based and just wanted to confirm granulated sugar is the same thing here as the US? Can anyone confirm? Would hate to use the wrong kind and make a mess of it! Thanks in advance.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream is my favorite to use, but I’ve always had trouble with every recipe I try. But your recipe is fool-proof, and it turned out perfect without any problems! Your directions and tips were so helpful, as always!
Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Alicia. I’m so glad that this recipe helped!
I never leave comments for recipes, but I just had to for this one. This is my third time making it; times 1 and 2 went off without a hitch. I might have gotten a little cocky with this last attempt, and it was a sloppy mess after I added the butter….however, I stuck that sucker into the fridge for 20 minutes and whipped it on high for about 5-7 minutes, and it came together beautifully. I love this recipe. There’s something about putting in the effort and watching it transform that is just lovely!
I love it! Thank you for sharing that with us, Nikki, and for giving a good feedback. I am so happy that it turned out great!
This Swiss meringue buttercream came out perfect. Will be sticking with this recipe from now on.
Thank you
Yay so awesome! Thanks for sharing.
I used clear vanilla and it turned out great.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing that with me!
Ive made this a few times already, never has it ever let me down once.
Today though I made a mistake, I got a little to comfortable and put the vanilla extract and salt before putting the butter, HUUUGE MISTAKE.
Do NOT try to cut corners or else this will fail, it was just a soup, I was so mad at myself. Trying it a second time and it worked out perfectly.
This recipe is THE best if you follow the instructions exactly.
Oh no that is such a bummer. I’m glad it worked out great on the second run and thank you for sharing that and sparing someone else some trouble. I really appreciate that!
I made it with duck egg whites, and used maple syrup as my sweetener. I threw in a bit of strawberry jam at the end, at my daughter’s request. It was absolutely delicious!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I was just about to give up on this recipe and then at the last minute it came together! Only thing I’ll mention is after I added the butter, I tried medium-high and it just wasn’t mixing well for me. It was soupy and fatty looking. I turned the mixer to the highest speed it could go and mixed for a good 5+ minutes and that was the trick for me. It’s delicious and decorates soooo well!!! Can’t wait to use it again!
Thanks for sharing your experience with us! I’m so happy to know that the end result came out great. Excellent review!
hi there, do you think powdered sugar or cane will work?
Hello Margot, someone else commented this “I was completely out of sugar when I decided to try this recipe for a second time, and i substituted with powdered sugar it was a success!!”
Hi!
I was wondering if using icing sugar rather than granulated sugar (at the correct conversion) would affect the meringue?… Just for the sake of using what I have for ingredients.
Hi Laura, I haven’t tested that to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
What piping tip did you use?
I believe it was a Wilton 2D
Do u think it would be fine if I substituted butter with margarine and is it ok if I used salted instead of unsalted?
Hi Angela, I suspect margarine would not work, but I haven’t tested it. You might search online to see if that has worked for anyone else so you don’t end up with wasted ingredients.
Delicious! It took me quite a w while to get the egg whites up to 160, but it may have been because I didn’t have a seal between my bowl and the pan? I was patient and it got there. My favorite part was watching it magically go from soup to whipped in about a 10 second transformation. Seriously, it’s the best buttercream I’ve ever made! Thank you!
That could be the case, Kathryn but I’m so glad that it came together and got a good result!
Hey there
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I read it and decided to try right away, honestly this is one of the best ever . Day after tomorrow is my husband’s birthday and I will use it for the surprise cake.
Thanks again and take care.
Stay safe
Yay so glad that the end result is great! Happy Birthday in advance to your husband and I’m sure he will love what you will make for him!
It was my first time ever attempting swiss meringue, so there were bound to be a few hiccups. I didn’t beat the peaks quite stiff enough and left out my butter to get warm too long so it came out a little slack. The flavor is great though and I’m really excited to use it again. I just popped it in the refrigerator with this first attempt.
Thank you for sharing that great feedback with us, Jess!
Hi, can I decorate my cake with this frosting a day before and use the cake the next day? Or should I make the frosting, put it in the fridge, and whip the next day and decorate the cake?
Hi, I find it’s easiest to decorate the cake the day before and then refrigerate. You will want to let the cake sit at room temperature for the frosting to soften slightly.
Hi Natasha! I made this ast night and it was perfect- a nice white ish colour. I refridgerated it overnight and Then this morning got it out and when it was room temperature I whipped it up again… and it ended up really yellow? Why would that be?
It still tasted delicious but just very yellow!
Hi Karen, some butters are more yellow in color and make this less white. I’ve tried organic unsalted by Simple truth brand and the longer sticks from Costco by Kirkland signature unsalted butter and both were very white in color.
I tried so hard and did the refrigeration attempts to save it, but it is soup. Tasty soup though! I think not having a stand mixer was what made this incredibly challenging. I mixed it so long to get those stiff peaks that my handheld mixer literally broke and died. whoops? using the soup as a dip for fruit, pretzels and squares of cake. It’s fantastic like that!
I love your idea of salvaging it and using it for fruit and pretzels! There is a period of time where it looks soupy and looks like it won’t come together but be patient and give it a few more minutes. Please see the troubleshooting tips above which cover the most common questions about SMBC frosting.
This recipe looks great, I’m just wondering how much it makes? Do you have an estimate for how many cupcakes the entire batch would frost?
Hi Juhi, this recipe makes maybe 5 or 6 cups? It is enough to frost a 9″ two-layer cake OR it will ice 24 plus cupcakes so doubling it would be a good idea! One of our readers wrote, “I put a generous amount on 24 cupcakes and still had some left.” I hope that helps
Hi natasha, would this frosting pair well with a biskvit cake?
Hi Emma, I haven’t tried that yet to advise, but please share with us how it goes if you do it as an experiment!
Hi, I made this recipe twice before, the first time it came out great, very light and fluffy – it kinda tasted like Mr whippy ice cream.
But the second time I made it it was really sloppy and it wouldn’t set up even though I mixed it for ages. I refrigerated it over night but the next morning it was the same. It was really sliding on the cake and then it became grainy. Do you have any idea what could have gone wrong?
Hi Sabira, without being there, it is difficult to say – did you do anything differently with the second batch? Any substitutions or changes made in the recipe or process?
Thanks for replying.
No I didnt make any changes, I did it exactly the same.
I halved the recipe to test on a 6” cake and it was soooo good! Your steps made it super easy to make sure I got everything right! I’ll be making a full batch (possibly a batch and a half) next week!
Thanks for sharing that with us and I am so happy to know that it was a success!
Omg I’m gonna cry! We’re locked in, I used my last eggs and I think it’s over beat! It was so soupy and the butter was room temp. I dunno I was just trying something fancy for my birthday:(
Hi Jessica, put the mixture in the refrigerator for 10 minutes at a time and then keep mixing until the right consistency forms. This is 99% of the time due to the mixture being too warm and is fixable. Cool for 10-15 minutes at a time and continue mixing and it should be ok.
It worked! It worked!
Hooray!!!! I made it twice this recipe and worked perfectly.
Just put it back in the fridge to firm and whipped again!
That’s so great, Teresa! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Hi,
I would like to make the SMBC in pastel pink so may I know when to add the food colouring gel?
Hi Yen, you sure can! I think you could, but add a little color at a time until you reach your desired color while maintaining the consistency. I would recommend using a gel food coloring over a liquid one. I would add the at the very end.
Can’t wait to try this recipe!! Can you use already separate eggs white that you buy in a Carton from Costco? If so what would the measurement be on that( cups/tablespoons)? Thanks!
Hi Emily, I haven’t tested with carton whites but I have heard readers report both (that it works and others day that it doesn’t), so it may depend on the brand and whether or not there are any additives? One reader wrote: “I did try with the egg whites from a carton and it didn’t work. I started again, this time using egg whites from regular eggs and it worked beautifully.” If you test it out, please let me know how it goes.
Hi Emily and Natasha,
I have used carton egg whites most of the time. I’m in Western Australia (where it’s hot for much of the year). I buy the brand called Puregg, it is 100% egg whites, nothing else added, I don’t know if Costco brand is the same.
This recipe works for me every time. I made it last weekend, it was a pretty hot day. I find the best thing is, when I have heated the egg white and sugar until the correct temp to melt sugar and pasteurise the egg white, I then put it in the fridge to cool it BEFORE beating it. Just make sure you don’t get condensation from the shelf above, dripping into the bowl. DO NOT cover the bowl, you don’t want water dripping into it. I leave it in the fridge for about 15 minutes, then start the beating process when I can feel the outside of the bowl is room temp.
Also, make sure your butter isn’t too warm. Room temp doesn’t mean warm, it should just indent a little when you press a finger into it, not slip deep into the butter. I hope this also helps others in warm climates. I have never had it go sloppy with this method. Cheers
Thank you so much for sharing your results using carton egg whites. That is really helpful!
Can I use salted butter and omit the salt at the end?
Egg whites and sugar, heat to 160F✔️
Fluffy peaks ✔️
Butter to room temp add to fluffy peaks ✔️
Mixtures turned to soup 😭
I lost all hope! Refrigerated entire mixture.
Then I read to keep mixing just keep mixing 🐠
Persevered and it came out beautifully ❤️ Literally soupy then BAM into fluffy peaks again
Also – from Australia and it still worked (I did read a comment previously saying it didn’t work for a blogger from aus. Although it is 1 week after summer maybe not as humid?)
Thank you so much for sharing that with us. It’s really helpful for others who are also experiencing some issues. Appreciate that and your good review too!
Recipe looks grainy and not coming together. Any suggestions?
Hi Stefanie, I’d be happy to troubleshoot. I also recommend reading through some of the comments, there are quite a few tips in there you may find helpful. Did you use a different kind of sugar maybe or used more than? Was anything else altered in the recipe?
Do you think this would be good on a strawberry cake? My daughter wants “pink” cake and I really want to try this recipe!
Hey Nikki. I haven’t tried that yet to advise but I imagine that should work too. Let me know how it goes in case you do an experiment!
Hi Nikki, that sounds delicious! I bet that would work great together. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
I made this today and it tastes amazing. I used carton egg whites and the consistency turned out great. However I added a pinch of salt at the end and whipped it a bit longer, but I could feel the graininess of the salt when I taste. Any suggestions to get rid of that?
Hi Jessi, if it doesn’t have enough time to incorporate and melt into the buttercream, you get a little graininess, so make sure to use a fine grain salt (kosher would take awhile since it has big flakes) and give it a little more time mixing.
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!! Been wanting to try SMBC for a long time.(Either sounded too complicated or I’ve just been lazy…)
At any rate, this recipe turned out perfectly the first time. Beautiful fluff without being overly sweet! Finally an icing even I like!!! My advice if it’s not turning out, be patient! Each step took a while longer for me and I had to finalize whipping on high speed, but this recipe is dead on!!! Thanks again… Oh yeah, this icing is perfect for practice decorating! You can deck out your cake then swipe it all off and start over, repeatedly!!! (Not much fun with American Buttercream.) The photos throughout this recipe were a great addition too!!!
I’m so glad that was helpful! Thank you for sharing your experience with this.
I was completely out of sugar when I decided to try this recipe for a second time, and i substituted with powdered sugar it was a success!!
That’s so awesome Lauren! I’m so glad that worked for you!
Do u think substituting flax seed gel with egg whites work? If so, how much do we need to replace?
Hi Angela, I honestly cannot say that it will or will not work out. This recipe heavily relies on the eggs for a substitution to be considered.
Wanting to try swiss buttercream icing but make ahead & freeze. My question is can u store it in plastic container after it is prepared?? I know u cannot use any plastic when preparing due to grease possibility ruining the mixture. Thanks for ur prompt reply. Pat
Hi Pat, you can store in a clean and dry container that is plastic. I would suggest washing with soap and water before using and thoroughly drying it.
Hello, how long can you store it for? Both in fridge and freezer x
Hi Krishna, it will keep tightly covered in the fridge up to 2 weeks and up to 2 months in the freezer. See the make-ahead tips above for bringing it back to its creamy consistency.
Any tips for making the icing not soupy? The first time I made it, I just put the whole bowl in the fridge to cool it down and it turned out perfectly. The most recent time making, It was still soupy even after refrigeration. I also added some freeze dried strawberry powder, so I’m not sure if that had any affect on it.
Hi Lola, it can look soupy before it comes together and that is normal. If it stays soupy after a few extra minutes of mixing, it is likely due to adding butter before the meringue fully reached room temperature, or due to adding oversoftened or partially melted butter. I would suggest refrigerating 10-15 minutes at a time and continuing to mix and it should come together.
Can I use pasteurized egg whites in a carton?
Hi Hannah, it is difficult to say. I have had some readers report poor results using carton whites. It could be due to additives in the whites but it could also have been due to a change in the process or deviating from recipe instructions.
Hi! Im anxious to try your recipe and compare to mine, If I were to cut this recipe in half, how many egg whites would I use? Thanks in advance
3-4 egg whites should be alright Pam. Let me know how it goes!
Wow! First time of making this and its a success. Will never use American buttercream again. I made ahead of time in case it didn’t work out to use on a couple of large valentines cakes that I’m making for people. Will keep in the fridge for a few days before using. Thanks for the great recipe and excellent method x
Hello Christine. I am happy to hear that the recipe was a success! Thank you for sharing.
Hi there, how many cups of buttercream does this recipe leave you with? I need enough for a semi naked 4 layer 9 inch cake
Hi Victoria, this recipe makes maybe 5 or 6 cups? It is enough to frost a 9″ two-layer cake OR it will ice 24 plus cupcakes so doubling it would be a good idea! One of our readers wrote, “I put a generous amount on 24 cupcakes and still had some left.” I hope that helps
Hi,
I was wondering if I could use aquafaba instead of egg whites for a vegan alternative. If so, how much would I put in?
Hi Angela, to be honest, I have not tested that with a vegan substitute to advise. This recipe relies on the egg whites but if you find a solution I would love to know how you like that.
It’s not very effective in an Australian summer with humidity of 90%
It’s been mixing for 35 minutes and it’s still not coming together. And that is after is 100% was cold enough, butter was still cold to touch just soft and with 2 x 10m in the fridge.
Sadly this isn’t work the amount of time and money to make in this climate in Australia French butter cream works a bit
better here
Yes, the humidity will affect the recipe. We try to keep it in a controlled in a home environment even during the hazy days of summer. Thank you for sharing that with me.
Hi! I’m wondering how can you make the buttercream so white? They’re lovely!
Hi Kat, some butters are more yellow in color and make this less white. I’ve tried organic unsalted by Simple truth brand and the longer sticks from Costco by Kirkland signature unsalted butter and both were very white in color.
Thank you so much for the info
This frosting is simply amazing! Can you add flavoring to it? If so should I use an extract? I am looking for a light option to decorate a sour cream pound cake in a few days. Was hoping for a lemon flavor. Thank you so much for sharing!
Hi Rebecca! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed this frosting. Normally flavorings are added at the very end. If you try something new, I would suggest trying to add it to a small batch in a ramekin to be sure it doesn’t hurt the consistency and to see if you enjoy the overall flavor. There are so many ideas! Almond extract, liqueurs, fruit puree or preserves, the list goes on. You might google to get ideas for add-ins, depending on the type of cake you’re making. If you are adding another then I would sub the vanilla.
How much icing does this recipe make?
Hi Lauryn, this recipe makes maybe 5 or 6 cups? It is enough to frost a 9″ two-layer cake OR it will ice 24 plus cupcakes so doubling it would be a good idea! One of our readers wrote, “I put a generous amount on 24 cupcakes and still had some left.” I hope that helps
Hi, your frosting taste amazing, but I messed it up again. After five minutes of whipping the sugar and eggs, I had stiff peaks.
Once I added the butter, it became a little too wet/soupy. I tried to heat longer, but it became crystalized looking. Any advice would be appreciated!!!
Hi Anna, there is a period of time where it looks soupy and looks like it won’t come together but be patient and give it a few more minutes. Please see the troubleshooting tips above which cover the most common questions about SMBC frosting.
Hi there
How far in advance can I make this?
Thankyou
Hi Cindy, it will be fine to cover and refrigerate for several days, just be sure to bring it to room temperature then re-beat it to smooth and fluff the frosting
I’m trying to use mine after 3 days in the refrigerator but it is VERY runny. It whipped up just fine when I made it. How can I whip it to bring it to its former glory?
If it is runny and not pipe-able, the easiest fix is to beat the swiss meringue buttercream frosting a few minutes longer. It could be that the mixture did not cool completely to room temperature before adding butter, but it can be fixed with longer beating. I hope this helps.
It seems if I hear it longer, it looks like the butter is breaking down and the mixture is not smooth anymore but looks liken it broke down. Is that possible.
Hi Gaylene, typically it will look a little soupy before it comes together. It almost looks like it won’t come together just before it does. If it stays that way too long, I suggest refrigerating for 10 minutes at a time then continuing to beat longer.
This is the best buttercream frosting recipe I have tried. It is absolutely perfect! Thank you!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Ok, I admit I got a little panicky after the butter was added because it didn’t thicken up, but just took a little longer. 5 more minutes of mixing with the paddle attachment and it looks and tastes like heaven, thank you for the recipe!!
I’m so glad that worked out for you Hope! Thank you for the amazing feedback.
I’m going to give this a second shot today! I’ve been on a macaron kick lately. Do you think it would work well for that or is it too light?
Hi Sarah, I think it would still taste good but it doesn’t have a distinct flavor so I don’t usually use it for macarons.
Directions made it easy! Taste is great, smooth and elegant. I used a glass mixer bowl, but anticipated longer mix time. Thank you!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Wow, I don’t think I realized that I don’t like American buttercream until now. This is so smooth and buttery. I’ve tried different buttercream recipes and they always seem kind of grainy, heavy, and too sweet. This was so light and fluffy and delicious! I was a little rushed so I don’t think I gave each step quite enough time, so it came out slightly runny. But even runny this was the best buttercream ever! Totally worth the extra effort.. I might never make “traditional” buttercream again.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Chrystal!
how many cups does this recipe makes?
Hi Phem, this recipe makes maybe 5 or 6 cups? It is enough to frost a 9″ two-layer cake OR it will ice 24 plus cupcakes so doubling it would be a good idea! One of our readers wrote, “I put a generous amount on 24 cupcakes and still had some left.” I hope that helps
Is there any chance I can substitute the egg whites with meringue powder or pasteurized eggs whites? If so, what would be the amount?
Hi Angela, you can use pasteurized eggs. Keep in mind, when you put them over the hot steam, you are essentially pasteurizing them (see second paragraph).
Oh ok, thx! Though, would I have the need to heat the pasteurized egg whites like we do with normal egg whites?
Hi Angela, that is correct – otherwise, the sugar won’t incorporate properly.
Frosting never thickened. More like a glaze. Salvaged by adding an additional stick of butter and a package of cream cheese and a couple of scoops of powdered sugar.
I’m so glad that worked out for you. We have tips on thickening it in the recipe, I hope you find that helpful.
hi…what do you do with the egg yolks.. I’m not a fan of making custard. won’t feel good throwing them away
Hi Aby, I don’t really have many egg yolk only recipes. I know you’re not a fan of custard but my custard cake uses a lot of egg yolks. If anyone else has any great suggestions, please share and thanks in advance!!
I recommend a North Carolina lemon pie! It has the consistency of key lime pie but with a delicious lemon flavor.
Lemon curd or chocolate mousse for fillings
I was so excited for this but I must have went wrong somewhere.. My butter had been sitting on the counter all day and was really soft, my frosting turned out really thick, like marshmallow cream! I will say that it was delicious but nothing like this.
Hi Kayla, that is very likely due to having overly soft butter. I would suggest refrigerating for 10-15 minutes at a time then beating again. I hope that helps.
Hi, I’m a newbie baker, I really wanna try this for my soon-to-be 1 year old daughter’s birthday cake! But I have a question… I’m planning to use little bit of Natural food dye, which will be the red cabbage juice. So I’m worried that if cream turns out too runny. What can I add to cream if it comes to that? Thanks!! I am a Huge fan of yours. Love your sense of humors
Hi Sophie, I haven’t tested it with that cabbage juice to advise. You sure can use color though! I would add a little color at a time until you reach your desired color while maintaining the consistency. I would recommend using a gel food coloring over a liquid one. I would add the at the very end.
Ahhhhhh. 3 times today. 21 eggs. 9 sticks of butter. 6 cups sugar. All. Wasted. My mixer ran til it was hot. Egg whites and sugar was perfect. When I added the butter it became too soft. It was for my own birthday cake because I had made it once before and it was perfect.I don’t know what was different.
Hi Trevor, it sounds like your mixture isn’t cooling down enough before adding butter. If it is too soft, I would recommend refrigerating the mixture after the butter is added for 10-15 minutes at a time then continue mixing. In most cases, you can salvage the mixture and don’t have to start over. You can also help cool down your bowl faster by wrapping a chilled towel under the bowl while mixing. Could your mixer be in a warmer spot than usual?
Being home staying safe I wanted to try this finally! It’s DELICIOUS BUT I couldn’t get it to stiffen up I decorated or should I say iced my cupcakes my husband loved it I loved it and left 6 cupcakes outside for my neighbor to pick up! Reading comments on how to stiffen and where I went wrong! Lucky for me since eggs are hard to come by a neighbor gave me a dozen! Trying again! But again I loved the taste now to get the texture right! If at first you don’t succeed try again!😷
Totally agree! I’m glad that you’re trying this out again, I’m sure you’ll do better next time.
Have you ever made this without a whisk attachment? I don’t have one …
Hi Courtney, it would be extremely difficult without a whisk attachment. You could use an electric hand mixer with egg beaters but that would take considerably longer and would be tiring.
It looks amazing. thank you for this recipe. anyone tried pasteurized eggs? just wonder would egg whites be any different. making kids bday cake so I wanna make sure it’s safe.
Hi Gorana, you can use pasteurized eggs. Keep in mind, when you put them over the hot steam, you are essentially pasteurizing them (see second paragraph).
Can I flavor this frosting? I want to add freeze dried strawberries (in powder form) to flavor it.
Hi Heather, I haven’t tried that but it sounds like a great idea. Since you would add flavoring at the end, I would suggest mixing in a small amount in a separate dish to ensure it doesn’t change the texture and that you are getting the flavor you want.
Hi Heather, I have made this recipe many times. Most of the time I mill freeze dried strawberries into a powder with tiny chunks as well. I then add it just before it’s finally whipped, or you can mix it in by hand if you like more prominent swirls. It’s good to do it hours before you are going to eat the cake because the little strawberry flecks soften and they taste so yummy, add a little zing to the flavour. also be aware, it has tiny pink flecks through the frosting, which looks lovely, but can sometimes make the frosting a tiny little more yellow. It tastes great on vanilla cake as well as lemon cakes.
I also make coffee flavoured frosting with this recipe. I mix 2 or 3 heaped teaspoons of instant coffee with a tiny ammount of milk, probably about a teaspoon, enough to make the coffee dissolve properly but not too much as you don’t want to make the frosting sloppy. This tastes amazing on vanilla, chocolate, banana, or coffee cake.
Good luck, this is the best recipe
Hi Corrinne, Thank you so much for sharing those tips with us.