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
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.
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.
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! Using a food processor or blender, process 1 cup (about 25g) freeze-dried strawberries into a powdery crumb. You should have around 1/2 cup. If it’s not grinding down fine enough, you can sift it with a fine mesh sieve to rid larger seeds/pieces. Add the strawberry crumb powder when you add the vanilla.
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 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.
- 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.
Pictured below: Curdled buttercream. See above.
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.
Swiss 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 180g)
- 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.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Wondering if anyone has tried faux cream cheese using apple cider vinegar and lemon juice for flavouring in this fabulous recipe?
So delicious and straightforward. This recipe, instructions and video were so helpful, well edited and concise!!! The troubleshooting trick for curdled buttercream fix it heating for 2 mins and whipping, worked like a charm!!! It saved my frosting mixture. Thank you
Hello, I absolutely love all your recipes. I wanted to do a cheese frosting but in the UK we don’t have brick cream cheese and also I need to be able to keep it non refrigerated. So I found an icing sugar that has a cream cheese flavour (it sounds weird I know bu I thought I would give it a try!). Do you know if I can make SMBC with icing sugar or it won’t work at all?
Hi Lourdes, this is a tricky one! We don’t recommend using icing sugar for SMBC–and definitely haven’t tested cream cheese-flavored icing sugar, but that is intriguing!–but I personally know the frustration of not being able to find brick-style cream cheese in the UK. If you want to try cream cheese frosting or this not-so-sweet whipped frosting, look for a soft white cheese with around 33% fat content. Not sure how easy it is to get, but you could try this one, or look for something similar: https://longleyfarm.com/collections/cream-cheese; or this one in Ireland: https://compsey.ie/full-fat-cream-cheese/. We haven’t tested these personally, so aren’t sure of the result. Also, some people have reported that they strain off excess liquid from the tub type of cream cheese (such as Philadelphia brand) before using. If you try any of these, please let us know how it turns out!
Hi Lourdes, i’m from the uk and I have found mascarpone is a perfect substitute for cream cheese and it is available most supermarkets
You can also make your own cream cheese at home and it’s absolutely divine!
https://www.acozykitchen.com/how-to-make-cream-cheese
This is the perfect frosting; light and fluffy, yet spreads and pipes beautifully, slightly less sweet than American buttercream, it’s absolutely delicious! Thank you for such a an easy to follow recipe!
This is my go to buttercream recipe for cake decorating. It comes out absolutely perfect every time. I definitely recommend using the whisk attachment though especially at the start. For anyone having issues, just keep mixing! This is ALL about temperature and emulsification and it can take over 30 mins to come together. If it’s runny or lumpy keep whipping, it’s just not done yet
I know the instructions say not to let the bottom of your bowl touch the surface of the boiling water, but in the video it looks like it’s doing just that.. are we supposed to hold our bowl (I’m using the stainless steel bowl my kitchen aid came with) just over the boiling water? Or is it okay to let it float in the boiling water?
Hi Nicole! You don’t want the bowl to sit in the water. Ideally, it would be the right size that it could sit snug, without touching the boiling water. Maybe a smaller pan would work better? Or try less water in the pan.
I made this in December, when our summer was still a bit dry and it was really good. I made this again 2 mths later and we’ve had some 100% humidity days. I forgot to take the cover off the mixer and it was taking a while to cool down. Took the cover off and within minutes the meringue was room temperature (30⁰C, 86⁰F). Butter was slightly cooler. It’s not as stiff as the one in December but good enough to work with. I used to make Italian meringue, that used to take a long time. This is my go to now
IHi, i’ve made this recipe before and loved it so I am using it again for a rainbow layered cake and covering the outside in sprinkles. I won’t have time to frost and decorate on the day like I have previously. Could I frost it the day before and store in the fridge overnight then bring it to room temperature the next day so that it is tacky before covering with the sprinkles. Would the buttercream split or melt doing this? Thanks
Hi Rose, that should work just fine!
For anyone interested in a dairy free version, I just made this using Miyoko’s Creamery unsalted plant milk butter and it turned out great! It seems to have a lower melting point than regular butter so it got kind of soupy in a piping bag, but I was able to stir some more frosting back in to thicken it up. It also slowly separated a little bit as it was sitting at room temp but not enough to motivate me to try to fix it. I think it’s the best tasting frosting I’ve ever made
Hi! I was wondering if I am able to ice my cupcakes with your Swiss Meringue Buttercream the day before my son’s birthday party and keep them in the fridge overnight? Will the buttercream soften at room temperature before they are eaten? thanks so much!
Hi Stephanie, absolutely! You can frost the cupcakes, store them in the refrigerator overnight, then bring them back to room temperature a few hours before serving if desired. Hope it’s a hit!
Thanks so much!
Great recipe and frosting. Update. I tried using it after having froze the frosting. The frosting was in the freezer for only 4 days, so definitely not expired, right? I beat it with the paddle attachment in the stand mixer for a couple of minutes and started using it only to find it curiously grainy looking. Odd, I thought. I was halfway thru with the frosting layer when I noticed it had collapsed into liquid. It was running all over the place. A complete and epic hot mess. Unless I did something wrong, this one isn’t good for freezing.
Hi Clint, if you find the thawed frosting starts to separate or curdle, you’ll want to put it back over the stovetop again. See step 8 “too thick or too thin” for full details. Thank you for giving it a try—we’re so glad you still enjoyed it!
My first attempt. I had no trouble getting the stiff peaks, but now I’ve added the butter it’s not really stiff enough. Wondering if this is because I only have a hand mixer – have I over-whipped it? I’ve tried chilling it in the fridge but even after several hours it’s still rather sloppy.
I also have a question about sugar. When you refer to “fine granulated sugar”, do you know if this is what we in the UK call “caster sugar” and which is the usual choice when baking cakes? I used our granulated on this occasion, which is a bit coarser (the sort you would add to sweeten coffee) and wonder whether this made a difference.
Hi Alison! Hand mixers aren’t as powerful and will require more mixing time. This recipe calls for (American) granulated sugar, which is not as fine as caster sugar in the UK. Your granulated sugar may be more coarse, so caster may be a better choice for you. Let us know if you give it another try!
My frosting drastically deflated once I added my first tablespoon of butter, it tasted amazing and we had it on pancakes but it was so soupy after I added butter that I just left my cupcakes unfrosted idk what I did wrong
Hi mmb, any chance you used your whisk attachment? We do recommend the paddle/flat beater attachment for beating in the butter because too much air could be whipped in and then the entire mixture can begin to sort of deflate.
Hey, the image is a bit misleading or the recipe isn’t correct, because my frosting turned out very good on my first try except that it is more yellow than white and gets extremely hard and crusty in cold conditions. My hypothesis is that the recipe calls for too much butter. I did measure in grams after all, so there could be an error in the way you’ve calculated the actual butter amount to grams. Please let me know if I am right or wrong and how to fix this. I’m not a fan of taste numbing fattiness that looks yellowy in the frosting and crusts a lot in the fridge.
The recipe is correct – the color will depend on the exact butter you’re using – some are more pale than others (organic tends to be much more yellow). We find this version of Swiss meringue buttercream to be pleasantly sweet, and not too heavy nor buttery-tasting. Make sure you’re using unsalted butter because salted butter leaves your frosting with an overwhelmingly salty/buttery flavor.
Your egg separator is so cute!
Can I use boxed egg whites? Why/why not?
Hi Zane, Fresh egg whites whip up faster, produce more volume, and are more stable. We highly recommend sticking with fresh for best results.
This recipe scared me at first. Oh God! I’m gonna’ do what? Whisk it, paddle it?? Huh? Oh my, did it ever produce a wonderful frosting that was not overly sweet. Well done, Sally! Great recipe and I will use it again and again in the future.
I can’t get this to turn out. My meringue has been beautiful each time. The first time I made it, it split and I came to the conclusion that the meringue was too warm for the butter. This time it’s soupy and I still have butter clumps. The flavor both times has been delicious but I don’t know what I’m doing wrong.
Hi Amy! We’re happy to help troubleshoot. It does sound like an issue with temperatures. 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. Hope this helps for your next batch, and thank you so much for giving this recipe a try!
Would you use the paddle or the whisk attachment in that case?
The whisk would be best.
Can I use melted chocolate chips to make it a chocolate buttercream?
Hi Bill, 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!
How best to make this non-dairy? Can I just substitute non-dairy butter? It is difficult to find unsalted non-dairy butter?
This recipe is fantastic, and have used it many times. The only thing I struggle with is, it seems to start to separate and become thick after I have put it on the cake. Any tips on how to prevent this?
Hi Stephanie, If yours has separated, see the troubleshooting guide in the above post and look at “Buttercream is curdled” for tips. I hope this helps!
This did not set up at all. I spent over an hour whipping it, and I followed directions to a “t.” Completely wasted my night and now I don’t even have time to cook dinner.
Hi! I’m looking forward to making this recipe. Can I use pasteurized egg whites instead of whites directly from the eggs? Will that affect the outcome of the icing? Thank you!
Hi Scott, those should be fine! Enjoy.
I’m curious why you suggest colder butter versus room temp. My go to recipe calls for everything room temp and points out that cold butter will cause it to curdle. Can you explain the method behind your madness?
Hi Anna! This buttercream will thin out and become liquid-y if the butter is too warm. See Notes for more details.
I want to try this recipe. Is it possible to use granulated cane sugar? I have a family member who is allergic to gmo sugar.
Hi Mis, we haven’t tested it so aren’t sure of the results, but if you try it, please let us know how it turns out!
Hi Amanda, this buttercream can certainly be frustrating. First, is it humid where you live? Because that will absolutely prevent the egg white mixture from reaching stiff peaks. Second, try letting the cooked egg white mixture cool a little longer before starting the mixer, such as 20 minutes. That could help too. Of course, and as you know, wipe down all tools that will touch the egg white mixture to be sure there’s no oily residue. I use Domino brand sugar, so I don’t think that would be the issue, but it wouldn’t hurt to try the Walmart brand you used previously.
Hi! I love your recipes! I tried this recipe (bur dairy free!), all was going well, the meringue peaks looked lovely, I then added in dairy free butter and it became a soupy consistency 🙁 I tried putting it in the fridge and then mixed again but unfortunately it couldn’t be rescued (it still tasted yummy though!) I wondered if you have tried a dairy free version and have any tips please? Thank you!
Hi KP, We haven’t tested this recipe with dairy-free butter so we’re unsure of the results.
My goodness. How have I not used this buttercream or recipe before?? Used it for the first time last weekend for a birthday Victoria Sponge cake and it was just beautiful. This is how going to be my go to buttercream. Thank you so much for the all the tips. Mine did curdle and popped it back over the water pan and it sorted it out perfectly.
I am make,Swiss buttercream for12 inch cake, 9 inch cake and 6 inch wedding cake. Can you recommend how much the receipt will need. I am going to put the buttercream on outside of cakes
Would you be able to tell me the receipt for my wedding cake for Swiss buttercream
12 inch. 9 inch and 6 inch and I am going to spread it on the top and sides and stack them. Thank you so much
Hi Di! 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. You’ll likely need a few batches at least.
Hi Di! Just wondering how much you ended up making? I am doing a cake too and want to use this for the outside!!
This was my first time making SMBC and the hints were so helpful. Mine curdled. I think I put the butter in too fast. So I rewarmed it in the double boiler. It became soupy but I kept whipping and it eventually came together. It was delicious and so smooth. It’s such a different texture than ABC.
How would I incorporate cream cheese into Swiss meringue. Done it before but can’t remember.
Hi Jeanne, We haven’t tested this Swiss meringue buttercream with cream cheese. If you do, let us know how it goes! If you are interested here’s our less sweet whipped frosting recipe (with cream cheese!).
Thank you for this brilliant recipe!
Could I use raw sugar in place of granulated?
Hi Janelle, is it fine? I do not recommend that for this recipe, because you need fine granulated sugar and not coarse.