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:Â 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.
Hello Sally,
I tried this recipe for making Swiss Meringue for the first time. I never got stiff peaks even though I followed the instructions and video exactly. I wiped down everything with lemon as suggested. I even used and egg separator to make sure no yolk was getting in. I tried it again and still was unable to get stiff peaks; they were between soft and firm at best. I was pretty bumbed out and felt defeated. Any suggestions?
Hi Tal! How was the weather that day? Humid temperatures (or rain) will definitely affect how the meringue sets up. Make sure it cools to room temperature before beating (a thermometer helps!) and you can always stop the mixer, refrigerate the mixture for 15-20 minutes, then try again. That always seems to help!
I made this today with a hand mixer and though it took forever and inspired me to start researching stand mixers, in the end it came together beautifully and is a delicious alternative to buttercream. Thank you for the detailed tutorial!! I did have some moments of graininess after I started adding butter and it was terrifying, because I wanted to fully incorporate the butter but I was also afraid to over beat the meringue… But I just refrigerated it for a bit, then kept going, and after all the butter was in, it smoothed out nicely. Piping it was so fun; it’s so smooth!
This is such a great recipe! I only had half a cup of unsalted butter so I used that and one quarter cup of salted butter and then left out the salt and it turned out great. Thanks for the amazing recipe!
This tasted amazing but even with troubleshooting, it didn’t quite work for me. I spend a lot of time in the kitchen and on this site so usually trickier recipes are not a problem for me.
When I added the butter, it was too warm and soupy so I stuck in refrigerator… checking it continually throughout the afternoon and it never firmed up much. The next day, it was thicker but the butter didn’t solidify by any means. I blended for about 10 seconds and then piped it on my cupcakes. I only did a few before I realized the frosting was not firm enough and they all started to fall. We ate the ones I frosted and since it was just for family for Valentine’s Day, we kept frosting in fridge and frosted individually what we wanted to eat.
I felt the texture was like soft serve ice cream and tasted in between marshmallow cream and buttercream, with just the right about of sweet. Frosting is really super but would love to know why it never firmed back up??? Any guesses
Hi Melanie! I’m happy to help. It’s odd that the butter never firmed up in the refrigerator– butter is solid when cold, so that’s definitely a bit concerning. Make sure the meringue has cooled down before attempting to add the butter. Also, a cooking thermometer is helpful to determine the best temperature during multiple steps, including the butter’s temperature to ensure it’s not too soft before adding. Your mixture may also need more mixing. I know it sounds crazy, but several additional minutes of mixing does help set the Swiss Meringue buttercream. I hope this all helps for next time!
Hi Sally! This is my first time making SMBC and second attempt at a meringue buttercream. I was hoping this would not give me the same problem as Italian but unfortunately it did. Basically I’m not sure if I’m doing something wrong or if it is supposed to be this way… My meringue was very very thick, sticky, glossy, and behaved like a liquid. No sign of the meringue stages I’m used to seeing, like foamy, to frothy, to loose, soft peaks to stiff peaks etc… I beat it almost 30 minutes total with my hand mixer, with breaks and time in the fridge. Eventually it got to some sort of stiff peak, but was never fluffy and airy and didn’t grow in size like a typical meringue. I don’t usually have trouble with achieving stiff peaks on traditional meringue that doesn’t involve heat. Cleaned tools and bowls carefully of course, and took care separating eggs. Does Swiss meringue not get fluffy in the same way as traditional meringue? Or do you think I did a step wrong somewhere?
I used it anyway and with the butter it turned out delicious, maybe thicker and a smaller volume than it was supposed to. I’m just trying to get good at different techniques. I appreciate your recipe and all the tips you built in!
Hi Mary! I would double check to make sure there is no grease residue on your tools as well as zero sign of egg yolk. (I know you said you did this!) Check to make sure you’re cooking the egg whites long enough with a cooking thermometer. A pinch of cream of tartar may be helpful for your mixture, too. Add it to the egg whites/sugar before going on the stove.
Additionally, see my Troubleshooting section with a few more helpful tips. This frosting should get fluffy after adding the butter.
Thank you for your reply, Sally! On further reflection I believe my problem was most likely not heating the egg whites enough, so I wasn’t able to get air into them. I am looking forward to trying this recipe again sometime in the future after I acquire a stand mixer. 🙂
I made half a batch with a hand mixer and didn’t quite get stiff peaks (even after refrigeration). The batch curdled/got chunky after the vanilla, but the melt and rewhip trick worked! My frosting may not be the best or most beautiful, but I feel so accomplished! Thank you Sally, for the challenge, and for all the tips to get this right. I normally feel unable to make more intricate recipes like this one, but this challenge inspires me to try a little more.
Absolutely delicious!! Super creamy and not too sweet I made the chocolate version, but also tried it before adding the chocolate, and it was wonderful both ways. I’ll definitely be making this again! Thanks Sally for another fantastic recipe!
Hi Sally! I did this recipe along with your yellow birthday cupcake recipe for Valentines Day. The SMBC came out so, it was perfect. I did not have any troubles at all. It was so delicious! In fact, I made it twice but this time I used chocolate baking bars for SMBC chocolate frosting. Everyone and loved it. The process of making it was so easy and fun. Thanks for another great recipe!
This frosting is divine!!! I love that it’s not overly sweet and stays soft. My meringue took FOREVER to whip and eventually I just called it good when I couldn’t get it to go past soft peaks. But it worked out and the final consistency was wonderful. I’m excited to try it again with different flavors.
This Swiss Meringue buttercream is perfect. Not cloyingly sweet like American Buttercream. Lighter, smoother, and easier to pipe. I love it!
I LOVE Swiss meringue buttercream! A little more labor intensive than American buttercream, but the end result is definitely worth it.
This recipe took me through all the potential ways for it to go wrong, I had to whip longer than stated, refrigerate the bowl twice, rewhip, put on the stove to warm, rewhip, and cool again, but it ended up being so worth it! The troubleshooting steps were extremely helpful and I had never made a meringue in my life. My husband and I loved the flavor and texture of the SMBC and I will definitely try it again.
Loved learning a new frosting and technique. The instructions were clear and easy to follow. I especially appreciated the tip to temp the butter. So yummy!
The PERFECT frosting. I used this for a wedding cake I was baking for good friends (my first one!). Difficult to mess up, and easy to flavor – one layer was matcha and the other was rosewater! Chose swiss meringue for its stability at room temp and not-too-sweet flavor. Fun to make and a HIT with the grooms and guests. This baking challenge was perfectly timed for a Feb wedding. 🙂
Thanks! Paired the rosewater with your pistachio cake, and apparently it was 10/10. I’m allergic to pistachio so I couldn’t try it … so thanks for a fool proof recipe, no tasting required (even subbed GF flour). 😉
Paired the matcha with dark dark chocolate cake. Both atypical flavors, but a good challenge.
LOVE this swiss meringue buttercream! It’s amazingly creamy and so delicious. I’ve used it for cakes and cupcakes, and it’s surprisingly easy to use for decorating. Thanks for the tutorial Sally!
So glad for the tips on how to fix the frosting if it isn’t setting up perfectly! I managed to take it from being too loose, to over-whipped, and then Finally got it to the right consistency. It tasted great and went so smoothly on my cake!
This is the perfect buttercream! Will definitely be making this one again!
Thank you for the trouble shooting tips. After I added the butter it became thin, then after putting it in the fridge, it curdled. I read you tip about warming it back in the stovetop for a bit and then I whipped it and got perfect buttercream. Loved it!!
This is the perfect frosting. Sweet, but not too sweet. I was prepared to need all the troubleshooting tips and tricks and the only thing I had to do was put it back in the fridge for 10 minutes to get it to stiff peaks. Having all the troubleshooting tips gave me the confidence to try something new. Thanks for another wonderful recipe Sally.
This recipe was easy to make thanks to your detailed instructions. It came out super soft, creamy, and with awesome flavor. I do believe that all your trouble-shooting tips help immensely to guarantee success with your recipe. Thank you for taking the extra time and making the extra effort to provide those to us. 🙂
This is now my favorite frosting! Thank you for making the process of making it so easy to follow! I had never made Swiss Meringue buttercream because it seemed complicated, but it wasn’t difficult at all. The frosting turned out perfectly and tastes delicious! My family and I loved it!
I’m planning on making this for my daughters birthday this weekend! I’m going to make the icing the night before. Would it be best to leave it on the counter or store in the fridge overnight?
I would refrigerate it and bring to room temperature a couple hours before using.
Excellent recipe—especially the troubleshooting tips! I’m so glad Sally stressed reading through those first because reheating and beating again totally saved the day when I thought all we lost! Delicious!
Hi! I was wondering if I could mix oreo bits into this frosting for a cookies and cream cake? If so, would it be better to use just the crackers or the whole cookie?
I can’t see why not! Some readers have done this with great luck. I recommend crushing the entire cookie and folding in the crumbs after you add the vanilla and salt. Add as much as you’d like until you are satisfied with the taste and texture.
Can I double this recipe and still have it come out the same?
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.
Loved making this recipe so much! Like many of Sally’s recipes, I’m already hoping to make it again soon. Very easy to follow instructions, perfect ingredient ratio. Piped very easily on the chocolate cupcakes we made for Valentine’s!
SO delicious! This will definitely be my go to buttercream frosting going forward, I can’t wait to try different flavors!
By far the best SMBC recipe/tutorial I’ve seen!
I had an issue, but Sally’s troubleshooting tips saved the day!
Thanks Sally for another amazing recipe!
Followed all of Sally’s instructions and came out perfect. The Swiss meringue buttercream came out super smooth and silky! I added vanilla bean paste for the vanilla extract and the flavour is delicious!
My new favorite buttercream frosting for sure!