Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipe
Swiss meringue buttercream is a beautiful silky frosting that allows you to decorate cakes and form beautiful peaks in the frosting. Is also a frosting that has a reputation for being hard to make. It’s not really hard it’s just different let me show you.
Remember yesterday when I made macaroons. I use the Swiss meringue buttercream frosting as the filling. It is delicious and one of my I favorite ways to use Swiss meringue buttercream.
Supplies for Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
5 egg whites
1/2 cup of sugar
3 sticks of butter at room temperature cut into chunks
2 teaspoons of vanilla
pinch of salt
This icing is easy to color. It only takes a drop or two of food gel colors to change the tint and create something beautiful.
To make the Swiss meringue buttercream begin by placing the 5 egg whites, pinch of salt and the 1/2 cup of sugar in the bowl of a KitchanAid mixer or any heat proof bowl. Then find a pot that the heat proof bowl will sit on and not fit inside it like a double boiler. Add a little water to the pot and simmer it over low heat on the stove.
Place the bowl with the egg whites, salt and sugar in the pot and make sure the water is not touching the bottom of the bowl as this will cause your egg whites to cook. We don’t want to cook the egg whites. We only want to heat the eggs, salt and the sugar until the sugar dissolves and the mixture isn’t grainy.
I know this may seem weird and this is probably what scares people and stops them from making Swiss Meringue Buttercream but, you need to do this. Mix the egg whites, salt and sugar mixture with your hand. Yep. I know it is weird but, you need to do it. You need to mix it until you can slide the mixture between your fingers without feeling the sugar. It needs to feel smooth without any gritty feeling at all. You can wear a glove if you like and the mixture should reach about 115° F.
If you are totally against mixing it with you hand, go ahead and mix it with a whisk. I prefer hand mixing because I know exactly when the eggs warm up enough to dissolve the sugar. But do what makes you happy.
If you have a gas stove, you may need to remove the pot from the fire a few times so it doesn’t get too hot. The mixture should be a little warmer than your hand when the grittiness disappears.
Once the mixture is smooth, place the bowl on the KitchenAid mixer and attach the whisk attachment. Mix on low and gradually increase the speed until you reach high.
Mix it until it can hold a stiff peak. Add the butter a little at a time and continue to whisk until the butter is well combined and there are no lumps. Add the vanilla and whisk until the mixture is combined.
As you whisk the buttercream it will start to look chunky. That is ok. Replace the whisk attachment with the paddle attachment and mix on low until all the air bubbles disappear and the buttercream looks smooth.
You can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. If you are going to use it the same day, place it in an airtight container and leave it on the counter. If you place it in the refrigerator, sit it on the counter and let it come to room temperature and then mix it with a mixer for about 5 minutes.
If you want to freeze it, place in an airtight container and can freeze for up to three weeks. Before using it, sit it on the counter and let it come to room temperature and then mix it with a mixer for about 5 minutes.
That is all there is to making Swiss Meringue Buttercream. Like I said, it isn’t hard, it is just different because you start on the stove and mix with your hand. Once you get past that, it is a piece of cake! 😉
For more frosting and icing recipes, check out the links below.
More Frosting Recipes:
American Buttercream Frosting
Coconut Buttercream Frosting
Crusting Buttercream Frosting
Italian Meringue Frosting
Bear hugs,
Wow I’ve never seen a recipe for SMBC that you have to mix with your hand before…. I mix steadily with a whisk and use a candy thermometer to get it to the right temperature.
That mint green is such a pretty colour.
You can do it either way Zoe. I was taught to do it by hand so you know the exact moment the sugar is dissolved.
I have never heard of this type of icing before. Sounds delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
I love Swiss Buttercream.
me too….so tasty the best for summer cake icing
These is the best icing ever! This is the only one my family will eat
I tried to dye Italian buttercream frosting before and it barely took the color did I do something wrong? Or is it impossible to get deep colors with this type of frosting?
Hi Eli,
I will make a step by step tutorial on how to make and tint Italian Buttercream for you next week. It is an amazing frosting and is used on many wedding cakes. I will try to make a video for you 😉
That would be awesome – thank you so much. Actually have a wedding cake later this year I’m using IMBC on so that would be such a huge help 🙂
did I miss the Italian Buttercream video i would love to try this ,thanks I am new to your site and feel like i am in a book/candy store at the same time lol! Thanks
You didn’t miss anything! Here is the link for the Italian Buttercream Recipe:http://thebearfootbaker.com/2014/05/italian-meringue-buttercream/
Thanks for visiting! Bear hugs!
I love Swiss meringue buttercream…it’s one of my favs. I will have to try your method of dissolving the sugar, I’ve never done it that way 🙂
How long will this keep?
Hi Angie,
I added all that information to the post. Sorry I forgot to do it before.:)
Hi was wondering if this can be done with a hand mixer. I have not upgraded my daughter to the kitchen aid and she is giving me the evil eye!!! lol
Sure you can do it with a hand mixer! Here is a great tutorial for you to follow that will show you exactly how to do it: http://whisk-kid.com/2010/08/how-to-make-swiss-meringue-buttercream.html
How much cake does a single recipe cover. I am making a 12″x18″ for graduation, frosting sides and top. Will I need to make 2 batches to make sure it is enough for decorating.
Also and very important, is this a very sweet frosting, grad does not like the over-sweet kinds.
Found your site so I can bake and freeze the cake when weather is cool and frost in 10 days.
Thank you for all your wonderful information.
My Family Loved it. I am definitely sharing Guys, Thanks For sharing this Great Recipe. this recipe and this website with my friend. Hope they also love it. Thank you again for sharing such a great recipe.