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Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipe
My Swiss meringue buttercream recipe is far better in both 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 very stable.Makes about 5 cups of frosting, which is enough to frost about 24 cupcakes or 1 9"cake.
Ingredients
- 7 oz egg whites, from 7 large egg whites
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened, 3 sticks*
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
Instructions
- Prepare the double boiler - In a medium pot, add at least 1 inch of water and bring to a simmer.
- Heat the egg whites and sugar - Thoroughly wash and dry the stainless steel mixing bowl from your stand mixer (you don't want grease touching the meringue). Add 7 egg whites and 2 cups sugar and whisk together. Place the mixing bowl over a large saucepan of barely simmering water, creating a seal over the pot (the 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 the mixture between your fingertips). The mixture will feel hot to the touch.
- Beat - Wipe water from the bottom of the mixing bowl and transfer the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form (about 15-20 min) and the bottom of the bowl feels completely at room temperature and not warm to the touch (important: warm meringue will melt the butter).
- Add butter - Once the bowl is at room temperature, switch to the paddle attachment, reduce to medium speed, and add butter 1 Tbsp at a time, adding it just as fast as it is absorbed by the 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.
- Finish - Add 2 tsp vanilla extract and 1/4 tsp salt and mix on med-high until incorporated (about 1 min). Serve or store.
Notes
*Butter should be softened at room temp for 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.
Troubleshooting: If your frosting seems soupy or won't thicken up properly, this is usually due to the meringue or butter being too warm. Simply refrigerate the frosting for 15-20 minutes and whip again.
Storage
- Room temperature - We pasteurize the eggs to 160°F in the second step, so the frosting is able to sit out on the counter covered for 1-2 days.
- Refrigerator - cover or store the frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before spreading or piping.
- Freeze - Freeze the frosting in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and then bring to room temperature before using. You may need to re-whip the mixture before use.
Nutrition Facts
Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
171
% Daily Value*
Fat
12
g
18
%
Saturated Fat
7
g
44
%
Trans Fat
0.5
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.4
g
Monounsaturated Fat
3
g
Cholesterol
31
mg
10
%
Sodium
40
mg
2
%
Potassium
18
mg
1
%
Carbohydrates
17
g
6
%
Sugar
17
g
19
%
Protein
1
g
2
%
Vitamin A
355
IU
7
%
Calcium
4
mg
0
%
Iron
0.02
mg
0
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.