Made from 5 ingredients, this is perfect Swiss meringue buttercream. Written in easy terms with in-depth instructions and troubleshooting tips, this post teaches you how to make the best meringue buttercream even if you’ve failed before or if it’s your first try. This frosting is creamy, silky smooth, holds its shape beautifully, and the best part—and why everyone loves it—is that it’s not extra sweet like traditional American vanilla buttercream.
Do you want to master Swiss Meringue Buttercream (SMBC) but are too nervous to try it? I get it, the thought of making meringue as the base of a frosting sounds complicated, timely, and intimidating. Let me break down that barrier for you—this recipe is where you start.
What is Swiss Meringue Buttercream?
Swiss meringue buttercream joins other varieties—French and Italian—as a stable, not overly sweet frosting. The process for each is a little different, but the Swiss method is arguably the easiest. Swiss meringue buttercream is made from cooked egg whites and sugar, butter, and flavorings like vanilla and salt. Whip the cooked egg whites and sugar into stiff peaks, then slowly add the butter before adding flavors. It’s out-of-this-world creamy, extra smooth, and the perfect sweetness for any confection. The whipping process is long and where some trouble can start, including never reaching stiff peaks. The butter can also melt, leaving you with SMBC soup. Or you can over-whip everything into curdles.
It’s a little more complicated than my whipped frosting, but it’s worth it! Today I’m putting you on the right SMBC track, plus there’s usually a fix for everything—and I teach you how in this post.
This Swiss Meringue Buttercream Is:
- Made from 5 basic ingredients
- Silky smooth and buttery
- Thick and ultra creamy
- Perfect for piping or spreading
- Flavored with vanilla and a touch of salt
- Not cloyingly sweet like traditional frosting
Ingredients
Let me explain why each ingredient is important. Feel free to keep scrolling to the full recipe written below.
- Egg Whites: Egg whites and sugar form the meringue. Just as I recommend when making French macarons, use fresh eggs instead of carton egg whites. Here are all my recipes using leftover egg yolks. Success tip: Eggs separate much easier when they’re cold.
- Granulated Sugar: Use regular granulated sugar, not confectioners’ sugar.
- Unsalted Butter: Butter turns meringue into meringue buttercream. I recommend unsalted butter because salted butter tastes overpowering. Keep in mind that the frosting will turn soupy and thin if the butter is too warm. Make sure you’re using butter that is slightly cooler than proper room temperature butter. Remove butter from the refrigerator and set it out for just 30-40 minutes before you need to use it. It should be cool to the touch, about 60°F (16°C). For accuracy, I recommend using an instant read thermometer. Cut butter into Tablespoon size pieces before using.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds flavor. See FAQs below for other flavor options.
- Salt: Some SMBC recipes don’t use salt, but I strongly recommend it for another layer of flavor. You may be wondering why you can’t just use salted butter and skip the added salt, so make sure you review Salted Vs Unsalted Butter in Baking.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream Video Tutorial
Give the video a few seconds to load right below this text. It’s a faded horizontal image of cupcakes. Click on the play button in the center. Make sure any ad blockers are temporarily paused on your browser.
How to Make Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Here’s an overview of the steps. Full instructions available in the recipe below. Feel free to keep scrolling to the full recipe if you’d like!
- Get rid of any grease residue. Wipe all tools that will touch the meringue with a little lemon juice or white vinegar. Grease or fat prevents your meringue from setting up.
- Separate the eggs. Save the yolks for another recipe.
- Cook the egg whites & sugar: Whisk sugar & egg whites together, then set the bowl over a saucepan filled with simmering water. Do not let the bottom of the mixing bowl touch the water. Whisk the whites and sugar constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture has thinned out. The mixture will be thick and tacky at first, then thin out and appear frothy on top. To test that it’s ready, you can use your finger or an instant read thermometer. Lightly and quickly dip your finger (it’s very hot, be careful) and rub the mixture between your thumb and finger. You shouldn’t feel any sugar granules. If using a thermometer, the temperature should read 160°F (71°C).
- Whip it: Transfer warm mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (if you aren’t already using the metal bowl that comes with it). Beat until stiff peaks form and the meringue is no longer warm to touch, at least 10-15 minutes. On particularly humid days, it will take longer. If it’s still not reaching stiff peaks, stop the mixer, place the bowl in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, then return to the mixer and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
- If the bowl and meringue still feel warm at this point, wait until both cool to room temperature (around 70°F (21°C)) before adding the butter.
- Add the butter and flavor: Switch the stand mixer to the paddle attachment and add the butter 1 Tablespoon at a time. Wait for the butter to fully mix in before adding the next. After all the butter has been added, beat in vanilla and salt. Done!
A small egg separator is a helpful tool in this recipe.
Cook and whisk egg whites and sugar over indirect heat. When it’s ready, the mixture will be frothy on top and thin. (Below, right.)
What Are Stiff Peaks?
After several minutes of mixing, the meringue should form stiff glossy peaks. This means it forms stiff, smooth, and sharp points in the bowl or on the lifted whisk attachment.
Stiff peaks do not droop down.
After reaching stiff peaks, let the meringue cool for a bit, then beat in the butter 1 Tablespoon at a time.
Success Tip: Because butter needs to be on the cooler side, I don’t remove it from the refrigerator and cut it into Tbsp pieces until I start whipping the meringue.
Add vanilla and salt, then you’re done.
Buttercream is now deliciously creamy and smooth!
5 Helpful Tools
- Saucepan & heatproof bowl: Cook egg whites and sugar on indirect heat in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. (I just use the metal mixing bowl that comes with a stand mixer.) This cooking method is essentially how we cook the eggs in French silk pie and make homemade marshmallow creme. If you own a double boiler, just use that.
- Whisk: Constantly whisking the egg whites and sugar as they gently cook is key.
- Electric Mixer: Beating the meringue into stiff peaks requires an electric mixer. I strongly recommend a stand mixer, but a handheld mixer can work. Give your arm a break every few minutes because the beating steps are tiresome. A handheld mixer will take longer to beat the meringue, too.
- Egg Separator: Though not required, it’s vastly helpful to have an egg separator to ensure no yolks make it into the mixing bowl. I generally recommend stocking your kitchen with an egg separator because they’re an inexpensive tool you can use for so many recipes like French macarons and chocolate soufflé.
- Instant Read Thermometer: Though also not required, it’s helpful to have an instant read thermometer (or a candy/oil thermometer) to determine the safe temperature of cooked egg whites, as well as the ideal temperature for the butter. Less mistakes this way.
Provided you aren’t allergic to any of these ingredients, yes. The eggs are cooked to 160°F (71°C), which is considered safe to eat for everyone including pregnant women and children. As always, use your best judgement and feel free to consult a Dr if you’re concerned.
No, Swiss meringue buttercream does not crust or dry out like American buttercream can. That’s why SMBC is excellent for creating the smoothest frosting detail on cakes and perfectly piped (yet still fluffy tasting!) designs.
Yes, Swiss meringue buttercream is stable at room temperature. Though if eating on a particularly humid day, keep your frosted confections in the refrigerator as close to serving as you can. You can use SMBC under fondant-topped cakes and confections, too.
Replace some (about 1 teaspoon) of vanilla extract with 1 teaspoon of another flavor extract such as lemon, coconut, orange, maple, or even 1 teaspoon of espresso powder. Taste, then add a touch more if desired. For potent extracts, like peppermint or almond, replace 1 teaspoon of the vanilla with just 1/2 teaspoon. For chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream, beat 8 ounces of pure melted and slightly cooled chocolate into the buttercream when you add the vanilla and salt. Make sure you’re using pure baking chocolate (the 4 ounce bars) like Baker’s or Ghirardelli brands found in the baking aisle.
Yes and it’s best to tint SMBC with gel food coloring so you aren’t adding a lot of extra liquid. Beat food coloring into the frosting on low speed after you add the vanilla extract and salt.
Yes. Swiss meringue buttercream is great left covered at room temperature for 1-2 days, but after that, refrigerate it for up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months. If freezing, store in an airtight container, then thaw it at room temperature on the counter. Once completely at room temperature, about 72°F (22°C), place into the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat for 2-3 minutes until creamy again. If it separates or curdles, see troubleshooting tips below.
Pictured above: Curdled buttercream! Let’s fix it.
Troubleshooting Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Meringue Won’t Reach Stiff Peaks: Step 4 in the recipe below requires a long period of mixing the cooked egg whites and sugar together into stiff peaks. This mixture (the meringue) will never reach stiff peaks if there was a drop of egg yolk (fat) or grease in the mixture, mixing bowl, or on any tools you are using. Wipe down all of your tools with lemon juice or white vinegar, use an egg separator, and separate and add the egg whites one at a time to the mixing bowl. These are all instructions listed out in the recipe below. It’s also helpful to avoid making this on particularly humid days where there’s extra moisture in the air. If you did all of this and it’s still not reaching stiff peaks, the meringue could be too warm or it needs a break. See next.
- My Mixer Needs a Break: By all means, give it a break! Mixers can tire out while beating the cooked egg whites and sugar because this step requires a long period of mixing. If your mixer and its motor needs a break, it’s likely your meringue needs a break too. Stop what you’re doing, remove the whisk attachment (or beaters if you’re using a hand mixer), place the attachment/beaters in the bowl with the meringue, and refrigerate it all (covered or uncovered, doesn’t matter) for 20-30 minutes. This gives your mixer, as well as the meringue and mixing bowl, a chance to cool down. (Important: though it’s best to begin whipping the cooked egg/sugar while it’s still warm, it could simply need a cool break halfway through reaching stiff peaks.)
- Buttercream is Curdled/Too Thick: If your meringue has separated, curdled, or is too thick at any point after you mix in all of the butter, just keep beating because it will eventually come together. If it’s only getting thicker and chunkier, there’s a quick fix—and it’s my favorite. Place the mixture in your heat-proof bowl back over a pot of 2 inches of simmering water. Without stirring, let the edges of the meringue warm up and become liquid (the center of the meringue will still be solid), about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and return to the mixer. Beat meringue on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to medium-high speed and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. I have to do this 75% of the time, but I LOVE it because partially melting the SMBC then re-whipping actually creates a creamier frosting.
- Buttercream is Soupy/Too Thin: If your mixture has become too thin and soupy after you add the butter, your butter was likely too warm or the meringue was still too warm. Have no fear—this is fixable by bringing down its temperature. Place the entire bowl in the refrigerator (covered or uncovered, doesn’t matter) for 20 minutes to cool down, then return it to the mixer and beat on medium-high speed until thickened. Any longer than this will solidify the butter, so only refrigerate in 20 minute spurts. If it’s still soupy, place back in the refrigerator for longer before re-whipping again.
- Buttercream Only Tastes like Butter: The main ingredient, besides egg whites, is butter. Make sure you’re using unsalted butter because salted butter leaves your frosting with an overwhelmingly salty/buttery flavor. Use pure vanilla extract to flavor it and add a pinch of regular table salt. Other flavored extracts work too—see the Ingredients section above.
- Buttercream Solidified in the Refrigerator: There’s a lot of butter in this frosting, so if it’s stored in a bowl in the refrigerator, it will solidify into one large mass just like a bowl of cookie dough. Two ways to fix this: sit it on the counter and bring it to room temperature. Once completely at room temperature, about 72°F (22°C), place into the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat for 2-3 minutes until creamy again. If you don’t have time to wait for it to come to room temperature or if your home isn’t warm enough, follow the same instructions as #3 in this list (Buttercream is Curdled/Too Thick). Placing over gentle heat will melt the edges and when whipped, the melty edges and solid center will come together into 1 smooth frosting.
I know it seems complicated, but as long as you remain patient, read through this post, watch the video, prepare yourself by reviewing the recipe before beginning, you will be rewarded with the most luscious, not-overly-sweet frosting ever.
How to Use It:
- Pipe it. My favorite piping tips and a video on how to use piping tips will be helpful to review.
- Pictured: I used Ateco 849 and piped a tall swirl onto my vanilla cupcakes
- Try it on Yellow Cupcakes, Chocolate Cupcakes, or any of my cupcake recipes
- Use it as the frosting for White Cake, Yellow Cake, Carrot Cake, Vanilla Sheet Cake, or Chocolate Cake
- Pair it with citrus flavors on top of lemon blueberry cupcakes or citrus cake.
- As a filling for macarons or whoopie pies
- Instead of buttercream to decorate Halloween cupcakes.
- See “Yield” recipe note below for more ideas.
See Your Swiss Meringue Buttercream!
Many readers tried this recipe as part of a baking challenge! Feel free to email or share your recipe photos with us on social media. 🙂
PrintSwiss Meringue Buttercream
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 5 cups
- Category: Frosting
- Method: Whipping
- Cuisine: European
Description
This is vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream perfection. It’s the ideal balance of sweet and creamy, without being as cloyingly sugary as American buttercream. (This is a far cry from how sweet that is!) Thick, sturdy, and perfectly pipe-able. This in-depth recipe sets you up for success on your 1st try.
Ingredients
- 6 large egg whites (approximately 230g)
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/2 cups (340g) unsalted butter, softened but still cool and cut into Tbsp size pieces (*see note*)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Watch the video tutorial above, review the troubleshooting tips, and read the recipe in full before beginning. Make sure all the tools you are using are completely cleaned, dried, and grease-free. A quick wipe with a little lemon juice or white vinegar is very helpful.
- Separate the eggs: If you haven’t done so yet, separate the eggs first. Separate 1 egg white in a small bowl, then place the egg white in your heatproof mixing bowl. Repeat with the remaining egg whites. This way, if a yolk breaks in one of them, you don’t waste the whole batch.
- Whisk sugar into the egg whites, then set the bowl over a saucepan filled with just two inches of simmering water over medium heat. Do not let the bottom of the egg whites bowl touch the water. Whisk the whites and sugar constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture has thinned out, about 4 minutes. The mixture will be thick and tacky at first, then thin out and be frothy white on top. To test that it’s ready, you can use your finger or an instant read thermometer. Lightly and quickly dip your finger (it’s very hot, be careful) and rub the mixture between your thumb and finger. You shouldn’t feel any sugar granules. If using a thermometer, the temperature should read 160°F (71°C).
- No need to let it cool down to start this next step—it’s important to begin mixing while it is still warm. Transfer mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (if you aren’t already using the metal bowl that comes with it). You can use a hand mixer instead, but this step takes awhile and your arm tires quickly. On medium-high speed, beat the mixture until stiff glossy peaks form and the meringue is no longer warm to the touch, at least 10-15 minutes. On particularly humid days, this has taken me up to 17-18 minutes. If it’s still not reaching stiff peaks, stop the mixer, place the bowl—uncovered—in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, then return to the mixer and continue beating until stiff peaks form. (This has always worked for me when it’s taking forever to reach stiff peaks.)
- If the bowl and meringue still feel warm, wait until both cool to room temperature (around 70°F (21°C)) before adding the butter in the next step. Feel free to place it in the refrigerator. A warm bowl and meringue will melt the butter.
- Switch the stand mixer to the paddle attachment. On medium-high speed, add the butter 1 Tablespoon at a time. Wait for the butter to fully mix in before adding the next Tablespoon. After all the butter has been added, turn the mixer down to medium speed and fully beat in the vanilla and salt, about 30 seconds.
- Your Swiss meringue buttercream should be thick, creamy, and silky smooth and is ready to use on any cake, cupcake, or other confection.
- Too Thick or Too Thin: If your meringue has separated, curdled, or is too thick at any point after you mix in all of the butter, place the mixture in your heat-proof bowl back over a pot of 2 inches of simmering water. Without stirring, let the edges of the meringue warm up and become liquid (the center of the meringue will still be solid), about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and return to the mixer. Beat meringue on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to medium-high speed and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Works every time. If your mixture has become too thin and soupy after you add the butter, place the entire bowl in the refrigerator (covered or uncovered, doesn’t matter) for 20 minutes to cool down, then return it to the mixer and beat on medium-high speed until thickened. Any longer than this will solidify the butter, so only refrigerate in 20 minute spurts. If it’s still soupy, place back in the refrigerator for longer before re-whipping again. More troubleshooting tips in the post above.
Notes
- Make-Ahead, Storing, & Freezing Instructions: Swiss meringue buttercream is great left covered at room temperature for 1-2 days, but after that, refrigerate it for up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months. If freezing, store in an airtight container, then thaw it at room temperature on the counter. Once completely at room temperature, about 72°F (22°C), place into the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat for 2-3 minutes until creamy again. If it separates or curdles, see step 8.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Instant Read Thermometer | Egg White Separator | Whisk | Double Boiler
- Yield: This recipe yields about 5 cups of frosting, which is enough to fill and frost a two layer 9-inch cake with a generous amount, to fill and frost a three layer 9-inch cake with just enough frosting, to lightly frost 2 dozen cupcakes, to heavily frost 1 dozen cupcakes (I had just enough for the huge swirls on 12 of the pictured cupcakes), or a 9×13 inch sheet cake (with some frosting leftover).
- Egg Whites: For best success, I recommend using fresh eggs instead of carton egg whites. Here are all my recipes using leftover egg yolks. Eggs separate much easier when they’re cold. Separate the egg whites one at a time and place the egg white into a large heat-proof mixing bowl (or a double boiler or the metal mixing bowl from your stand mixer) before separating the next. This way, if a yolk breaks in one of them, you don’t waste the whole batch.
- There’s almost always a way to fix “ruined” Swiss Meringue Buttercream and it usually has to do with temperature. See step 8 as well as my troubleshooting tips in the post above.
- Butter: This buttercream will thin out and become liquid-y if the butter is too warm. Make sure you’re using butter that is slightly cooler than proper room temperature butter. Remove butter from the refrigerator and set it out for just 30-40 minutes before you need to add it to the meringue. Sometimes meringue takes longer than usual or it needs a break (see Troubleshooting above) and in that case, you should place the butter back into the refrigerator for a few minutes so it doesn’t get too warm sitting out. The butter should be cool to the touch. For accuracy, I recommend using an instant read thermometer. Butter should be 60°F (16°C).
- Flavors & Colors: For flavor ideas including chocolate, see my Can I add flavors? FAQ above. For coloring, it’s best to tint this frosting with gel food coloring so you aren’t adding a lot of extra liquid. Beat food coloring into the frosting on low speed after you add the vanilla extract and salt.
- Half or Larger Batch: You can halve this recipe. The egg white/sugar mixture won’t take as long to cook and the meringue won’t take as long to reach stiff peaks. I do not recommend making larger batches at a time because it will quickly overcrowd and wear out your mixer. If you need more batches, make them all separately.
Adapted from Martha Stewart. I found it needed less butter, 1 more egg white, and more sugar in order to stabilize properly.
Hi there: I really like the ‘feel’ of the meringue buttercream but find it extremely sweet leaving me a sweet after taste for a long time. What will happen if I halve the sugar? Thought I would ask the question as didn’t want to waste the ingredients by trying it myself!! Many thanks.
Hi Lyndall, we don’t recommend halving the sugar, as it’s important for keeping the structure of the frosting. For a lighter tasting alternative, you might enjoy our whipped frosting recipe instead. Let us know if you give it a try!
Nailed it first try! Thank you so much for the tips and troubleshooting. Knowing when to pull the butter out helped a ton. Also I had a hand mixer only, so the tip that it takes longer was good too. I have to say, this icing is much better than “traditional” buttercream. Plus it tastes like vanilla ice cream! I will try with a sugar substitute soon, I’m curious how it compares.
Following up on this recipe, I made it with a saccharin based sweetener, and added chocolate to turn it into chocolate SMBC. It worked, but it seems lighter than last time I made it, more like a chocolate mousse. Still good on our chocolate cupcakes!
Best icing Ever!!!!
Is it possible to overbeat eggwhites and sugar before butter is added?
Hi Karina, it is possible. You’ll want to beat until stiff peaks form and the meringue is no longer warm to touch, at least 10-15 minutes.
I need to make a Sweet 16 cake for my daughter and she thinks the traditional buttercream frosting is too sweet so I wanted to try your recipe. One question: my daughter is lactose intolerant and I’ve been switching margarine for butter in my recipes to accommodate her. Do you think I can substitute margarine for the butter with the same results?
Hi Wendy, we don’t recommend using margarine instead of butter in this Swiss meringue buttercream recipe. However you might enjoy this not-so-sweet whipped frosting that uses cream cheese and whipping cream instead.
I can’t wait to try this recipe. However, I’d like to make a chocolate version as well. Should I use powdered cocoa or melted chocolate, and what would be the measurements?
Hi Karen! See the FAQ section of the blog post above: For chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream, beat 8 ounces of pure melted and slightly cooled chocolate into the buttercream when you add the vanilla and salt. Make sure you’re using pure baking chocolate (the 4 ounce bars) like Baker’s or Ghirardelli brands found in the baking aisle. Enjoy!
It’s my first time making this and it turned out perfect! It was at first a little thin, I didn’t want to wait to put in the fridge for 20min so I added about 5 tbs more of cold buttee and it did the trick!! Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe!
every time I make swiss meringue buttercream it has a salty after taste. EVERY TIME. I use unsalted butter. I only add the amount of salt listed on the recipe. I don’t know if its because I wipe everything down with a little vinegar?
help
Hi Shelley, that vinegar taste may be what you’re detecting. You can try using lemon juice instead, or reduce the salt in the buttercream to the tiniest pinch, about 1/16 teaspoon.
This recipe is great! My only question is about the number of egg whites. Standard large egg whites are typically 30 grams, so 6 whites would be 180 grams. I always need 8 large egg whites to reach 230 grams.
Hi Victoria, 230 grams will be the most accurate!
I have become interested in the different ratios that bakers use in their Swiss Meringue Buttercream. I notice that in your recipe you use far less butter than in other recipes I have read. Most I have seen are 1:2:3 ratios of egg white/sugar/butter. I recently made a 1:2:4 recipe that called for 125 ml egg whites, 250 g sugar, and 500 g butter. It was too buttery for me. It seems to be pretty stable, but it has been unusually cold here in South Alabama the past few days. I am very interested to try yours because it seems like it would be sweeter, and I have generally found Swiss Meringue Buttercream to be bland tasting. I am one of those people who like that sickly sweet grocery store American Buttercream. LOL ! Could you explain to me how these different ratio affect Swiss Meringue buttercream? In particular, I have been wondering how they affect the stability, and I noticed that you commented on how you adjusted the recipe to make yours properly stable. My main question that I am wondering is if more butter in the recipe makes it more stable or less stable? I have googled this question and cannot find an answer. Thank you.
Hi Rachel, I found that using more butter than this created a very butter-heavy meringue buttercream. It was fine, but was quite thick and almost like an American “buttercream” made from shortening. Just too buttery. I like it better the way it’s written. Pleasantly sweet, and not too heavy nor buttery-tasting. And still quite stable! More butter does make it more stable, but again, it does affect the taste and mouthfeel/texture.
I made a recipe and a half of this, my meringue turned out beautifully. I added the amount of butter required thinking the whole time that was too much butter and my icing is a thin disaster that is letting my filling leak out of the cake. What did I do wrong? This is why Christmas is so stressful. All the little things go wrong.
Hi Brenda, If your mixture has become too thin and soupy after you add the butter, your butter was likely too warm or the meringue was still too warm. Have no fear– this is fixable by bringing down its temperature. Place the entire bowl in the refrigerator (covered or uncovered, doesn’t matter) for 20 minutes to cool down, then return it to the mixer and beat on medium-high speed until thickened. Any longer than this will solidify the butter, so only refrigerate in 20 minute spurts. If it’s still soupy, place back in the refrigerator for longer before re-whipping again.
Loved this recipe! I always have a hard time getting my vanilla buttercream to not be too sweet. This one is perfect! It became too thin after I added the butter but I put it in the fridge for 20 minutes, mixed it again and then it came out perfectly. This will definitely be my new go-to!
Hi Sally. I’ve made this a few times now and I love it. The frosting is sublime, tastes so much better than regular buttercream and I find it easy to pipe and decorate with. My only problem is that I find I’m getting a lot of air bubbles in the mixture. So when I’m using a scraper to smooth my frosting onto my cake, it doesn’t look as smooth and perfect as I’d like. I’m in the UK so I’ve wondered if it’s my ingredients but butter is butter right?! The only other thing I can think is that my mixing attachment is wrong? I switch out the whisk for a k-blade (I have a k-mix) but would the creaming attachment be better? Thanks so much x
Hi Rachel, I’m so glad to read that you love this frosting. It’s a favorite. Butter can vary by region and even by brand. (Though I’ve never really noticed a difference in more/less air bubbles in frosting when using different brands, but again, it could be regional!) Anyway, using the creaming attachment could certainly help as that would whip less air into the mixture. When I notice too many air bubbles in American buttercream, and this could help with Swiss meringue, is manually stirring the frosting and pushing it against the sides of the bowl to “pop” the air bubbles.
Thanks so much, I’ll give this a try next time!
This frosting was some of the best i have ever made. I donated cupcakes for a fund raiser in October, and I got wonderful compliments. I wish I could send a photo of how they turned out. I have used this frosting several more times since then. It gets easier the more you make it. Thank you Sally for a great recipe!
Hi Sally,
I love your Swiss meringue buttercream recipe! So tasty and smooth! It’s my go to for all my bakes.:)
So glad you love it, Lisa!
This buttercream is delicious! It’s my new favourite. Thank you so much for adding all the notes and tips so I didn’t feel so nervous about making a different style of buttercream.
I made a half batch because I only had 1 little cake to ice. After adding the butter it seemed just a bit soupier than I wanted so I tried your tip to refrigerate it for 20mins and then whip it more and it worked great!
For personal preference, I didn’t add all the butter. I just added in small chunks and tasted after each addition. After the last addition it tasted mostly of butter. But then I added the vanilla and it all came together perfectly!
Thank you so much for such a great, easy to follow recipe. It’s already in my Recipe Box.
Sally, you are my go to for baking and every other recipe of yours has been spot on and delicious. Sadly, this is the exception. I made this two weeks ago and it was perfect–my decorated cupcakes looked like yours. I then wrapped it securely and put it in the freezer until the night before our Thanksgiving dinner. I followed your directions, exactly, to try and revive the frosting but it continued to be curdled–twice I refrigerated, also did the “steam bath” and no matter what I did it looked horrible. I rescued it by adding lots of confectioner’s sugar and of course it now tasted like American buttercream but no way could I pipe it. I might make again but will not freeze. I noticed another reader encountered the same issue. Any thoughts?
I don’t think my sugar and egg whites were hot enough. The sugar had dissolved. After I whisked it, it did stand in peaks but it’s like wall paper paste now! Any advice? I’ve had it in the fridge. Plus if after having it in the fridge will it not turn soft and runny again once the cake is decorated? I have watched the video and read the trouble shooting. Thanks
Hi! I was wondering if i could add less sugar to this recipe without changing the texture and stability of it cuz it’s a bit too sweet for my liking?
Hi Yumna, We don’t recommend reducing the granulated sugar in this recipe because while it will certainly reduce the sweetness, it will throw off the consistency of the meringue. Feel free to play around with it though– if you do, you may also want to reduce the amount of butter. Or, you may enjoy this not-so-sweet whipped frosting instead.
Thanks alot for the advice! <3
One more question…can i add liquid food colour to this frosting?
If I make the Swiss meringue buttercream sugar free, can I still make the day before and keep covered at room temperature on the counter?
Hi Rebecca, We’d love to help but we are not trained in baking with sugar substitutes or sugar-free baking. For best taste and texture (and so you don’t waste your time trying to adapt this recipe since it may not work properly), it may be more useful to find a recipe that is specifically formulated to be sugar free. Thank you!
I tried this recipe 3 times tonight and could not get the sugar to dissolve. I used a thermometer and heated it 160. 3rd batch I heated to 180 and stirred and stirred. It refused to dissolve
same thing happened to me!! so confused.
Usually when making Swiss I don’t even use a thermometer. I whisk the sugar and egg whites together until I feel all the sugar dissolved. So yes I periodically stick my finger in to see if it feels grainy. If it does there is still sugar. When it feels silky smooth all the sugar is dissolved.
Hi I love this recipe but I always only could achieve the first step with eggs white and sugar the top does does stiff but after I add the butter it’s very soupy ughhh how do I achieve the thickness
Hi Latasha! Usually when the mixture gets soupy after adding the butter it’s because the butter is too warm. See the section titled Troubleshooting Swiss Meringue Buttercream above for our tips!
Hi Sally! I’ve made this recipe a few times now, and each time I find small chunks of butter that don’t mix in completely. However, while I am making the SMBC, it feels like I allow a really long time (3-5 minutes) between adding tablespoons. I want to make sure it’s well mixed, but not overly mixed. How long do you typically wait between adding the next tablespoon of butter? Thank you!
Hi Lindsey, usually only a few seconds. Try cutting the butter in smaller pieces and add in smaller chunks next time. I hope this helps!
Hello, I’m planning on making this for my daughter-in-law’s birthday cake tonight. I do not have bakers chocolate; only chocolate chips or Hershey’s u sweetened cocoa. Could I use either of those in place of the Baker’s chocolate bars?
Hi Debra, we’ve only tested a chocolate version of this using melted and cooled chocolate. We’re sure you can use cocoa powder, but we haven’t tested the perfect amount. Start by beating in 1 Tbsp at a time until you are satisfied with the flavor. Let us know how it turns out for you!
Can I decorate a cake with this icing and then refrigerate it for a couple days? Thanks
Hi Rose, yes, although we do recommend deferring to the individual cake recipe to determine the recommend time that the cake can be stored in the refrigerator for best freshness.
I am going to make chocolate Swiss buttercream. Should I use semi-sweet or unsweetened chocolate?
Hi Adrienne, either will work just fine, but we’d recommend semi-sweet (unless you prefer the dark flavor of unsweetened chocolate more!)
Thank you!!
I have made this several times and it comes out great! Do you think it would work the same using brown sugar? I want to make a brown sugar/chai frosting for some pumpkin cupcakes.
Hi Lauren! Some readers have used brown sugar, same amount, and it has worked wonderfully. I keep meaning to try it, so hopefully soon and I can add that note to the recipe. Let me know how it goes!
Hi Sally and team, could I add freeze dried raspberries for a raspberry SMBC, how much would you suggest I add, if its possible. Thank you for all your amazing information and guidance.
Hi Jayne! We recommend adding 1/2 cup of freeze-dried raspberry powder along with the vanilla extract and salt for a raspberry Swiss meringue buttercream. No other changes to the recipe necessary.
Thank you, by any chance do you know what that would be in grams or ounces. I am in northern ireland.
Hi i tried your recipe for the fisrt tome last week which was a sucess, im making it again today and its turned into a liquidy mess, ive tried both trouble shooting options of refrigerate and back on the hob, i even added another egg white and sugar mix aswell as cornflour but still no use. Hope you can help
Hi Lucy, If it’s still soupy, place back in the refrigerator for longer before re-whipping again.
ok wil try, thanks for the response
Hi i gave your advice a go and let in for 45 mins, while it did thicken up a bit , once back in the blender it looked curdled and didnt thicken up like buttercream at all
I should have just started with this recipe but came here because my frosting was too runny – quick stint in the fridge did the trick, but I’ll definitely start with your recipe next time because without fail, I can trust your recipes!
Hello! Looking forward to trying this. Can this icing be torched with a small torch to toast the top?
Thanks!
Hi Michelle, You shouldn’t torch this buttercream because the butter will melt! You can, however, torch this marshmallow meringue frosting.
Wow thank you so much for the quick feedback!!! Appreciate it
If I am making this 4 days in advanced can I bake the cake, frost and freeze and then begin to thaw it out 2 days before serving it? (Already piped and frosted onto the cake)?
Hi Rylee, this frosting does freeze well, but you run the risk of the buttercream separating from the cake. You can take a look at this blog post of our recommendations and best tips for freezing cakes!
Can I frost my cake two days in advance and leave in fridge? Then pull out 1 hour before serving? Will the buttercream be ok?