Keep this nearly foolproof Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting Recipe on hand for all your basic frosting needs. You can never go wrong with such a delicious and satisfying, classic frosting recipe like this one. Rich, creamy, and easy to whip up, this is sure to become one of your favorite go-to recipes when baking.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting Recipe
I have found in my many years of cooking experience that a good base frosting recipe is a must. A basic frosting recipe can be used across the board for countless baking recipes and can be adjusted to suit your needs. For example, need a different color or flavor of frosting? No problem. Simply use the base recipe and go from there.
This swiss meringue buttercream frosting recipe is one of the main go-to options when I am baking. My other go-to frosting options are Cream Cheese Frosting recipe and this Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe. All three of these frosting recipes are easy and simple to make in large batches if need be. One of my favorite ways to use them is when I am having to make a large batch of cupcakes to feed an army. Delicious homemade frosting without too much fuss is a win in my book!
How to Make Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting Recipe
1. Prep – Bring a pot ⅓ full of water to a boil. Combine the egg whites and sugar in a metal bowl and place it on top of the pot of boiling water.
2. Whisk – Continuously whisk the mixture by hand until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Beat – Move the egg mixture to a bowl and beat until the eggs form stiff peaks. Add the butter in a bit at a time, beating in between.
4. Finish – Once the butter has all been added, keep beating until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add in the vanilla and beat one more time. Enjoy!
Tips and Variations for making this Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting recipe
● Make certain you wipe down every bowl, wire whisk, and an electric beater, or stand mixer attachment with vinegar to get rid of any excess grease. Grease is an enemy of meringue.
● Make sure the butter is at room temperature before you begin making this Swiss meringue buttercream frosting.
● In the US 8 tablespoons of butter = 1 stick, and 1 stick of butter = ½ a cup. This recipe uses 3 sticks of butter, or 1½ cups.
● When using the double boiler method you must make sure your bowl does not touch the hot water or your eggs will scramble.
● Make sure the simmering water never touches the bowl, when whisking the egg whites and sugar.
● You can use a free-standing mixer or an electric handheld whisk to make the frosting. Beating time will increase by a few minutes if using a handheld electric whisk.
● Storage – Store in an airtight container or in a bowl covered in plastic in the fridge for up to 4 days. This frosting can be stored in the freezer in the same type of container, for up to 2 weeks.
● Reheating – I do not suggest heating this frosting as it will melt and not gain back its form. If the frosting has been stored in the fridge, give it about half an hour to warm up before spreading. If the swiss meringue is being stored in the freezer, allow it to thaw to a spreadable temperature naturally before spreading.
● Change up the colors – Swiss meringue frosting is great for making all kinds of colors. You can use any kind of food dye. However, I prefer using the frosting gel dye as it works better and gives prettier colors. It does not take much, so start out with only a dab of food color and keep adding bits at a time until the right color is reached.
● Change up the flavors – There are countless extracts that provide delicious flavor options for your frosting. I would start with 2 teaspoons of extract per batch of frosting and add more until the desired level of flavor is reached. Some of my favorite flavors are hazelnut, cherry, lemon, etc.
● Do not panic at the frosting splitting – During the cooking process, the frosting will start to split. Don’t panic as this is normal and the frosting will come together once the process is complete.
Common Questions About Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting Recipe
What is the Difference Between Swiss Meringue Buttercream and Buttercream?
With normal American buttercream frosting, no eggs are used, and there’s no heating process involved. However, with swiss meringue, there is a process of heating sugar and eggs. This results in a very smooth and creamy texture, while buttercream is a little thicker and less silky. American buttercream is also much sweeter than swiss meringue. The largest difference is their ingredients and how they are created.
Can I Make Swiss Meringue Buttercream in Advance?
Yes, you can definitely make swiss meringue buttercream in advance. I like to make it not more than 24-48 hours in advance, then store it in the fridge, covered. It will be just as good as when you whipped it up. Plus, it is usually a little nicer to work with when placing it on a cake when it’s partially chilled. I sometimes will chill it for 30 minutes right after making it before putting it straight on the cake for the easiest frosting application. However, you do not have to chill it before using it if you are in a hurry or do not have the time to do so. It will apply just fine as soon as you are finished mixing it.
Does Swiss Meringue Buttercream Need to Be Refrigerated?
Yes, Swiss meringue buttercream should be refrigerated for it to not spoil. It has dairy products in it that require staying chilled for the best results. If it is left out overnight, it has a good chance of curdling or going bad within 24 hours. You can freeze it, but you will have to let it thaw naturally to use it again. You may have to whip it up again using a hand mixer to get the right consistency again.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting Recipe Ingedients:
● 6 large Egg Whites
● 2 cups White Granulated Sugar
● 24 TBSP Unsalted Butter, softened and cut into tablespoon-size
● 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
● ¼ tsp Salt
Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting Mise en Place:
● Stand Mixer, bowl and beaters.
● Measuring Cup
● Measuring Spoons
● Saucepans or Double Boiler
● Bowl
● Spatula
● Egg Separator
● Whisk
Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting Recipe Directions:
1. Wipe downs every bowl, wire whisk, and an electric beater, or stand mixer attachment with vinegar to get rid of any excess grease. Grease is an enemy of meringue.
2. Fill a saucepan with an inch of water and bring it to a gentle boil over medium heat.
3. Place the egg whites and sugar into a metal or a heatproof bowl or the mixing bowl of your stand mixture, and set it on top of the saucepan. Make sure the water never touches the bowl. This is important. We do not want to scramble the egg whites.
4. Using a wire whisk, continuously whisk the eggs and sugar for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved. You can test this by rubbing the mixture between your clean fingers. It should feel smooth and not gritty. If it is gritty, keep whisking for another minute.
5. Once the sugar has dissolved, transfer the mixing bowl to a stand mixer, if you used a separate bowl to whisk the egg white-sugar mixture. Use the whisk attachment and beat on high for 5 to 10 minutes. The egg whites will turn into a bright white, thick, and glossy meringue that forms stiff peaks. You can use an electric beater too, but it will take more time.
6. Once the stiff peak stage is reached, swap the whisk attachment for the paddle attachment. The paddle attachment creams the butter better. Also, make sure the meringue is at room temperature and not hot or else it will melt the butter.
7. Add the butter, a tablespoon at a time, at medium speed. Add the next tablespoon, once the previous tablespoon of butter is fully incorporated.
8. When all the butter has been added, the mixture will be soft, almost liquidy, and might even split, but do not panic! Crank up the speed to high, and beat for another 2 to 3 minutes, and then, almost magically, the butter and egg whites will come together to form a silky-smooth frosting.
9. Add the vanilla extract and salt and beat well to combine.
10. If you need to color this frosting, use food gel. Learn how to color buttercream frosting.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting Recipe
This recipe makes 5 cups which is enough to fill and frost a 9-inch, 2-layer cake.
Ingredients
- 6 large Egg Whites
- 2 cups White Granulated Sugar
- 24 TBSP Unsalted Butter, softened and cut into tablespoon size
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- ¼ tsp Salt
Instructions
- Wipe down every bowl, wire whisk, and an electric beater, or stand mixer attachment with vinegar to get rid of any excess grease. Grease is an enemy of meringue.
- Fill a saucepan with an inch of water and bring it to a gentle boil over medium heat.
- Place the egg whites and sugar into a metal or a heatproof bowl or the mixing bowl of your stand mixture, and set it on top of the saucepan. Make sure the water never touches the bowl. This is important. We do not want to scramble the egg whites.
- Using a wire whisk, continuously whisk the eggs and sugar for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved. You can test this by rubbing the mixture between your clean fingers. It should feel smooth and not gritty. If it is gritty, keep whisking for another minute.
- Once the sugar has dissolved, transfer the mixing bowl to a stand mixer, if you used a separate bowl to whisk the egg white-sugar mixture. Use the whisk attachment and beat on high for 5 to 10 minutes. The egg whites will turn into a bright white, thick, and glossy meringue that forms stiff peaks. You can use an electric beater too, but it will take more time.
- Once the stiff peak stage is reached, swap the whisk attachment for the paddle attachment. The paddle attachment creams the butter better. Also, make sure the meringue is at room temperature and not hot or else it will melt the butter.
- Add the butter, a tablespoon at a time, at medium speed. Add the next tablespoon, once the previous tablespoon of butter is fully incorporated.
- When all the butter has been added the mixture will be soft, almost liquidy, and might even split, but do not panic! Crank up the speed to high, and beat for another 2 to 3 minutes, and then, almost magically, the butter and egg whites will come together to form a silky-smooth frosting.
- Add the vanilla extract and salt and beat well to combine.
- If you need to color this frosting, use food gel.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 342Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 79mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 0gSugar: 33gProtein: 2g
Note: for exact nutritional information, consult your dietitian. All nutritional information provided is simply a guideline.
More Frosting Recipes:
● Chocolate Beer Frosting
● Cranberry Orange Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting
● Lip Puckering Lemon Cupcakes with Blueberry Frosting
● For more Recipes on Ann’s Entitled Life, click here.
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