Here is my Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe and tutorial! This buttercream frosting recipe is light, just the right amount of sweet, and perfect for frosting cupcakes. Just decorate with sprinkles, and you’ve got yourself an easy and delicious dessert!
My Favorite Buttercream Frosting Recipe
I love buttercream.
It is a fact.
I was in the supermarket a while ago snooping around their bakery.
Sometimes they give free samples out to kids, so I was just checking to make sure that their, ahem, free kid samples were fully stocked. You know, just looking out for the children.
Anyway, there sitting in the bakery was a cake. Not unusual, I suppose, but on the label for the “bakery-made” cake was a sticker that said “Better-Cream”.
Huh?
What could be better than Buttercream?
I believe, sir, that is a challenge.
So, in the name of research I had to buy the cake and try this “Better-Cream”.
Upon my arrival at home I created the appropriate environment…candles, soft music, the good china.
I was fully prepared to have a new love of my life.
Good silver in hand, I cut my beautiful, frosting rose covered, “better-cream” cake slice.
The Best Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting
The moment the first bite hit my tongue I knew I had been foiled. “Better-Cream” was, in fact, not “better” at all. It was horrendous. Whipped garbage would have been a more accurate name.
I am not sure who devised “Better-Cream”, but they obviously have never eaten cake before…or maybe ever eaten at all.
You might think I am being overly dramatic, but buttercream frosting is serious.
This is why when I first read about “Swiss Meringue Buttercream” I was dubious.
It sounded a little sophomoric to me, a self-proclaimed buttercream connoisseur.
Plus, there is no reason to fancy-up buttercream. No reason at all.
But, again, in the name of research, I went ahead and gave it a shot.
What I ended up with was a light, but dense, incredibly silky, not too sweet frosting.
Beautifully shiny and not for the faint of heart, it will make any cupcake seem like something special.
Have I sold you yet?
Go ahead, give it a go!
How to Make Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
Swiss Meringue Buttercream
5 large egg whites
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 pound (4 sticks) butter, cut into tablespoons, room temperature..I used salted butter, just a personal preference
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (I used vanilla bean paste)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (I used vanilla bean paste)
—————————————————————————————————
Combine egg whites…
and sugar …
into the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer set over a pan of simmering water, much like a double boiler.
Whisk constantly by hand until the mixture is sugar has dissolved. First it will look like this…
and then when it is done, like this…
(the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips, no grainy sugar), approx 2 minutes.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: Frosts an 8” cake 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
Here is my Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe and tutorial! This buttercream frosting recipe is light, just the right amount of sweet, and perfect for frosting cupcakes. Just decorate with sprinkles, and you’ve got yourself an easy and delicious dessert!
Ingredients
Scale
- 5 large egg whites
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 pound (4 sticks) butter, cut into tablespoons, room temperature..I used salted butter, just a personal preference
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (I used vanilla bean paste)
Instructions
- Combine egg whites and sugar into the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer set over a pan of simmering water, much like a double boiler. Whisk constantly by hand until the mixture is sugar has dissolved (the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips, no grainy sugar), approx 2 minutes.
- Put mixing bowl on mixer and using the whisk attachment start mixing. Begin on low, raising the speed up to medium high. Beat until stiff peaks form, about 10 minutes.
- Now add your butter, 2 tablespoons at a time. Beating on medium until each addition of butter is added.
- Now add your vanilla.
- Remove the whisk attachment and replace it with your paddle attachment.
- Mix with paddle for 2 minutes on low speed working out the air bubbles.
- Makes enough frosting to cover and fill 1 8″ layer cake
Notes
Store airtight in fridge for 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 383
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 34 mg
- Fat: 32.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 21.1 g
- Protein: 2.9 g
- Cholesterol: 158.5 mg
I might have to give this a try at some point.
Bettercream?? I don't even like the name! Don't even try to pass off that whipped cool whippy stuff as frosting to ME.
Tried it, but no matter how had I whipped it, it came out lumpy. I am told that continual whipping will solve the lumps… LIES! I whipped for 10 min straight! >.<
Yours looks nice though 🙂 :: jealous ::
Oh yeah baby..I have posted this recipe a couple of times on my blog. I am IN LOVE with it. It is the best frosting in the WORLD. Totally and completely different then regular buttercream. Everyone swoons over it when they taste it.
Now that looks like frosting, some seriously delicious and beautiful frosting!
I have made the swiss meringue butter cream and liked it too! It is a nice change from regular butter cream. (i like using salted butter too:-)
i may or may not check for cookie samples when i walk by the market bakery
I love swiss meringue buttercream and so does everyone else when I make it. The only problem is that it is a bit on the expensive side – using a pound of butter. But, well worth it!
I love seeing your reflection there!
I've only made SMBC once…and it called for whole eggs! It was a *bit* rich….I'm going to try your recipe!
I love swiss meringue buttercream! So yummy! Love your cupcakes with I could reach out and take one 🙂 it wouldn't be considered stealing…would it?
I love love love Swiss Meringue Buttercream, definitely my go to frosting 🙂