Swiss Meringue Buttercream
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy. This Swiss meringue buttercream recipe makes cakes and cupcakes look—and taste—like they came from a pastry shop. It’s ultra-silky, beautifully pipeable, and endlessly customizable. Swiss meringue buttercream is a luxurious, silky frosting loved by pastry chefs and home cooks alike. It’s not as cloyingly sweet as many other types of icing, such as vanilla buttercream frosting or cream cheese frosting, making it ideal for cakes and desserts that require a more delicate sweetness. Additionally, Swiss meringue is highly stable and holds its shape when piped, allowing you to create intricate flowers, borders, and other designs with ease. The frosting is made by first creating a Swiss meringue, which is a mixture of egg whites and sugar that’s heated over a double boiler, and then whipped using an electric mixer. The meringue is then whipped with softened butter, creating a smooth and creamy frosting. Swiss meringue buttercream can be flavored with various extracts, such as vanilla, almond, or lemon, and can also be colored to match the theme of your baked goods. “The best SMB I’ve made so far. It was simple to make, light and silky smooth, and not too sweet.” Difference between Swiss, French and Italian Buttercream Swiss, French, and Italian buttercreams are all egg-based frostings that share a creamy, silky texture but differ in their ingredients and preparation methods. French buttercream is made by whipping egg yolks with a hot sugar syrup and then gradually adding softened butter; this results in an ultra-rich, velvety frosting that is less stable and slightly more difficult to work with than the other two varieties. Italian buttercream also involves the use of hot sugar syrup, but in this case, the syrup is poured into whipped egg whites to form an Italian meringue, before incorporating softened butter; this creates a highly stable, glossy, and smooth frosting that is popular among professional bakers. Swiss buttercream is created by heating egg whites and sugar over a double boiler to form a Swiss meringue, which is then whipped with softened butter, yielding a stable, lighter, and less sweet frosting that is ideal for piping intricate designs. French buttercream is made by whipping egg yolks with a hot sugar syrup and then gradually adding softened butter; this results in an ultra-rich, velvety frosting that is less stable and slightly more difficult to work with than the other two varieties. Italian buttercream also involves the use of hot sugar syrup, but in this case, the syrup is poured into whipped egg whites to form an Italian meringue, before incorporating softened butter; this creates a highly stable, glossy, and smooth frosting that is popular among professional bakers. Swiss buttercream is created by heating egg whites and sugar over a double boiler to form a Swiss meringue, which is then whipped with softened butter, yielding a stable, lighter, and less sweet frosting that is ideal for piping intricate designs. Of the three buttercreams, Swiss is an excellent choice for home bakers due to its ease of preparation and versatility. The process of making Swiss meringue buttercream does not require pouring hot sugar syrup into the mixture, nor does it necessitate using a thermometer. What You’ll Need To Make Swiss Meringue Buttercream Egg Whites: Provide the structure for the buttercream, creating the airy meringue base that gives the frosting its light, fluffy texture. Granulated Sugar: Dissolves into the egg whites, helping to stabilize the meringue while sweetening the buttercream. Butter: Adds richness and a silky texture. Salt: Balances the sweetness. Vanilla Extract: Infuses the buttercream with a warmth and depth. (For a variation, try adding a drop of almond extract along with the vanilla; a little goes a long way.) Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements Egg Whites: Provide the structure for the buttercream, creating the airy meringue base that gives the frosting its light, fluffy texture. Granulated Sugar: Dissolves into the egg whites, helping to stabilize the meringue while sweetening the buttercream. Butter: Adds richness and a silky texture. Salt: Balances the sweetness. Vanilla Extract: Infuses the buttercream with a warmth and depth. (For a variation, try adding a drop of almond extract along with the vanilla; a little goes a long way.) Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements Step-by-Step Instructions Step 1: Warm the egg whites with the sugar. Add the egg whites and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk them together. Set the bowl over a pot with 1 to 2 inches of simmering water, making sure the bottom doesn’t touch the water. Stir often for 3 to 4 minutes, until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture feels smooth when you rub a bit between your fingers. Step 2: Let cool. Remove the bowl from the pot and set it on a kitchen towel. Let it cool for about 10 minutes before moving on—this helps bring down the temperature so the meringue doesn’t melt the butter when you start mixing it in. Step 3: Whip the meringue. Set the slightly cooled bowl on your stand mixer and beat on high speed for 5 to 7 minutes, until the mixture is thick, glossy, and holds soft to medium peaks. Step 4: Beat in the butter. With the mixer on medium-low, start adding the softened butter a few cubes at a time, mixing well after each addition so it fully blends in before adding more. Step 5: Add flavorings and whip. Add the vanilla extract and salt, and whip on high speed for 6 to 8 minutes, until smooth, thickened, and stiff peaks form. Pro tip: To remove any excess air bubbles, remove your bowl from the stand mixer and fold with a rubber spatula for 1 to 2 minutes. Swiss meringue buttercream is best used fresh but can sit at room temperature for up to a day. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Before using, let it come to room temperature and beat with a mixer until smooth and creamy. More Frosting and Cake Recipes You May Like RecipeComments (16)Add Comment Recipe Comments (16) Add Comment Ingredients 6 large egg whites 1¾ cups granulated sugar 3 sticks (1½ cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 1-tablespoon slices ⅛ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 6 large egg whites 1¾ cups granulated sugar 3 sticks (1½ cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 1-tablespoon slices ⅛ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract Instructions Create a double boiler by placing your mixing bowl over a pot of water filled with 1 to 2 inches of water. Bring the water to a simmer. Make sure that the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl or the eggs could overcook. To the mixing bowl, add the egg whites and sugar and whisk to combine. Place the bowl over the simmering pot of water, and stir the egg white-sugar mixture frequently for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sugar is completely dissolved (when you pinch the mixture between your fingers, you shouldn't feel any granules of sugar). You don't need to check the temperature, but it should be between 140°F-150°F at this point. Once the sugar is dissolved in the egg whites, remove the bowl from sitting over the pot and place onto a towel on the counter. Let cool for 10 minutes at room temperature. Set the slightly cooled bowl of egg-sugar mixture into your electric stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment, and beat on high speed for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the bottom of the bowl feels room temperature and the mixture holds soft to medium peaks. With the mixer on medium-low speed, slowly add the softened butter cubes, a few at a time, mixing until incorporated between each addition. Add the vanilla extract and salt, and whip on high speed for 6 to 8 minutes, until smooth, thickened, and stiff peaks form. The buttercream may look curdled at first, but it will come together into a smooth icing as you whip it. (If it still looks clumpy or soupy after 8 minutes, see the troubleshooting tips below.) To remove any excess air bubbles, remove your bowl from the stand mixer and fold with a rubber spatula for 1 to 2 minutes. Note: Be sure your mixing bowl is squeaky clean; any residual grease in the bowl will deflate the meringue. Similarly, be sure there are no traces of egg yolk in the egg whites, as the fat will prevent the eggs from whipping properly. Troubleshooting: If your buttercream looks curdled or clumpy after whipping, it likely means that your butter was too cold. You can fix this by placing the mixture back over the pot of simmering water and heating for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, to soften the butter. Following that, beat the mixture again on high speed for several minutes, or until smooth and creamy. Conversely, if the mixture looks soupy after whipping, chances are, your butter was a bit too soft. Place the bowl of the mixer with the buttercream into the freezer for 5 minutes, then remove and continue to whip for several minutes, or until thickened and creamy. If you make the buttercream in advance or have some left over, when you’re ready to use it, let it sit out at room temperature for an hour, and then transfer it into the bowl of your electric mixer and whip it for several minutes, or until smooth and creamy. If the buttercream starts to looked curdled or soupy, see the troubleshooting tips above. Create a double boiler by placing your mixing bowl over a pot of water filled with 1 to 2 inches of water. Bring the water to a simmer. Make sure that the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl or the eggs could overcook. To the mixing bowl, add the egg whites and sugar and whisk to combine. Place the bowl over the simmering pot of water, and stir the egg white-sugar mixture frequently for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sugar is completely dissolved (when you pinch the mixture between your fingers, you shouldn't feel any granules of sugar). You don't need to check the temperature, but it should be between 140°F-150°F at this point. Once the sugar is dissolved in the egg whites, remove the bowl from sitting over the pot and place onto a towel on the counter. Let cool for 10 minutes at room temperature. Set the slightly cooled bowl of egg-sugar mixture into your electric stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment, and beat on high speed for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the bottom of the bowl feels room temperature and the mixture holds soft to medium peaks. With the mixer on medium-low speed, slowly add the softened butter cubes, a few at a time, mixing until incorporated between each addition. Add the vanilla extract and salt, and whip on high speed for 6 to 8 minutes, until smooth, thickened, and stiff peaks form. The buttercream may look curdled at first, but it will come together into a smooth icing as you whip it. (If it still looks clumpy or soupy after 8 minutes, see the troubleshooting tips below.) To remove any excess air bubbles, remove your bowl from the stand mixer and fold with a rubber spatula for 1 to 2 minutes. Note: Be sure your mixing bowl is squeaky clean; any residual grease in the bowl will deflate the meringue. Similarly, be sure there are no traces of egg yolk in the egg whites, as the fat will prevent the eggs from whipping properly. Troubleshooting: If your buttercream looks curdled or clumpy after whipping, it likely means that your butter was too cold. You can fix this by placing the mixture back over the pot of simmering water and heating for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, to soften the butter. Following that, beat the mixture again on high speed for several minutes, or until smooth and creamy. Conversely, if the mixture looks soupy after whipping, chances are, your butter was a bit too soft. Place the bowl of the mixer with the buttercream into the freezer for 5 minutes, then remove and continue to whip for several minutes, or until thickened and creamy. If you make the buttercream in advance or have some left over, when you’re ready to use it, let it sit out at room temperature for an hour, and then transfer it into the bowl of your electric mixer and whip it for several minutes, or until smooth and creamy. If the buttercream starts to looked curdled or soupy, see the troubleshooting tips above. See more recipes: Cakes, Pies & TartsDessert Cakes, Pies & Tarts Dessert