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
Better-cream? Better rip off more like it!!
I have tried the Swiss Buttercream and it was a bit buttery for me…not enough butter to sugar ratio. I DID love the texture though!!
So sorry to hear about your romantic night going to ruin. 🙁
I've had "better-cream" and you're right – I rather eat my cake plain than ever taste that again! (And that's saying ALOT as frosting is my favorite food. Well, that and cookie dough:)
Can't wait to try this!
never made it but I really want to try my hand at it! maybe sometime soon!
This sounds awesome! Do you have to keep cupcakes frosted with Swiss Meringue Buttercream in the refrigerator?
I think if I saw "better cream" I would have run in the opposite direction. Those stores like to trick us, ya know….Thank goodness real swiss meringue buttercream was born. Truly, the only way to roll. Gorgeous cupcakes! xo
I've never made a cooked frosting, but it looks so good here. I am with you about the grocery store frostings – I absolutely loathe the weird, sort of marshmallowy, cloyingly sweet and fluffy, neon colored frostings on top of their cakes.
I've never made swiss meringue buttercream but I have tried it before, it is truly delicious and can be a bit more difficult to make! Maybe that why I've never made it myself. 😉
love your site, love your ideas and your talent! Thank you for such detailed instructions on the SMBC. I have tried it before but will use your instructions to make the BEST batch ever. TWO QUESTIONS……if I use this to frost cupcakes, do they need to be stored in the fridge? #2: using your instructions, will this SMBC be firm enough to stand between layers of a two layer cake and use it to frost the outside? Some buttercreams cannot withstand the weight of a top layer of cake and squish out the sides – drives me crazy, I like a thick layer between the cakes! Thanks again for sharing.
I have yet to adventure and try Swiss Meringue buttercream it looks so good in your pictures! I think the only reason i haven't is due to the eggs, unsure how long it stay on a covered cake for.
Wait — your stove burner is Fuschia! That's awesome. And I love Swiss Meringue Buttercream. Almost as much as I love a salted chocolate buttercream. (And I'm not altogether sure that fuschia is spelled right. Or if that is even the correct shade of your burner.)