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
One reader, Vicki, commented: “I was always intimidated to make Swiss meringue buttercream (I always made American buttercream). Made your recipe today and it was so good! Your video and instructions were spot on! Thank you. ★★★★★“
Another reader, Heather, commented: “I made Swiss meringue buttercream tonight for the first time using your recipe and instructions and it came out perfectly! I was expecting some issues since I had no clue what I was doing, but no… it came out smooth, creamy, and delicious! This is the only buttercream I am making from now on! ★★★★★“
Another reader, Leo, commented: “This recipe is fantastic! My first time making this type of buttercream and it turned out perfect. My batch initially started to curdle, but I used the helpful tip of placing it back on a double boiler then whipping again, and it came together like magic. I know this will be my go-to cake icing! ★★★★★“
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
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: 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.
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.
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! Using a food processor or blender, process 1 cup (about 25g) freeze-dried strawberries into a powdery crumb. You should have around 1/2 cup. If it’s not grinding down fine enough, you can sift it with a fine mesh sieve to rid larger seeds/pieces. Add the strawberry crumb powder when you add the vanilla.
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 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.
- 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.
Pictured below: Curdled buttercream. See above.
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.
Swiss 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 180g)
- 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.
Reader Comments and Reviews
How can I make this using pasteurized egg whites?
I just tried and it was a total fail. Even tried cream of tartar. 7 fresh egg whites is so messy, wasteful and expensive so mad that other websites say it works fine, it obviously doesn’t.
I’m sorry it didn’t work for you, but I use pasteurized egg whites twice now and it has worked perfectly! I just measure out the 230g of the egg whites! It should be exact in order for it to work.
What % of chocolate do recommend to make this chocolate?
Hi Heather, We usually use a semi-sweet baking bar.
Can I use this “meringue” for baked alaska?
Thank you!
Hi Lori, we recommend our Marshmallow Meringue recipe from our Baked Alaska recipe instead!
I am never disappointed and still am not. I had to use the rescue trick but it fixed perfectly. I made a dark chocolate cake with chocolate swiss buttercream but used this and turned the filling into salted caramel using about 1/4 of a cup using Sally’s sauce recipe. It was soooooo good.
Did you add the caramel at the end? I assume room temperature caramel. Also, was it still pipeable consistency?
I have made this icing twice now (one regular and one chocolate) and it has become the family favorite! Your instructions and video are extremely helpful!
Love this recipe, do u do a cream cheese Swiss meringue?? Ie a lot less sweeter?? Or anything similar x
I really love this recipe the first time I made it it was awesome. Where I am having trouble is it’s perfect until I add the butter and then it seems to curdle. I am using cool to the touch butter and incorporating it 1 tablespoon at a time. Thank you for any help you may be able to provide.
Hi, I don’t have gel food coloring. I only have the liquid color would it still work?
Hi Akki, to get vibrant colors from liquid food coloring, you’ll likely need to add a lot which may throw off the texture of this buttercream. We recommend sticking with gel coloring if at all possible.
Love this recipe, do u do a cream cheese Swiss meringue?? Ie a lot less sweeter?? Or anything similar x
Would it work to add the “strawberry dust” to this for a cake?
You sure can. We recommend adding 1/2 cup of freeze-dried strawberry powder along with the vanilla extract and salt. No other changes to the recipe necessary. Enjoy!
I’ve made SMBC before but this recipe explained every step in a way it felt impossible to fail! It did start to lose its glossy texture towards the end of adding the butter. I just popped it on the double boiler and back in the mixer and it was perfect. Thank you!
Hello, is it possible to reduce the sugar in this recipe and if so how much can I reduce the sugar by before it causes any negative effects? Thankss
We don’t recommend reducing the granulated sugar in this recipe because while it will certainly reduce the sweetness, it will throw off the consistency of the meringue. Feel free to play around with it though– if you do, you may also want to reduce the amount of butter.
Just wanted to share my experience and how I solved the issue I had. I tried this a few times and never got stiff peaks, even beating 15-20 minutes and refrigerating between. The only problem I hadn’t addressed before was that my eggs always took double the time suggested to get to temperature. Turns out my thermometer isn’t accurate (it’s not an instant read one). This time I just tested for smooth texture, it took less time, and it worked! I think the eggs were too hot or maybe lost moisture. Just another tip to be careful about over cooking!
Hi Sally
I have tried your recipe, but my buttercream became curdled. Though my butter was at a room temperature, my kitchen was so cold. How can i solve this problem?
Hi Celine, see the troubleshooting guide in the above post and look at “Buttercream is curdled” for tips. Hope this helps!
Hi
If I decorate the cake with the buttercream and then freeze the cake, will it be ok when defrosted? Having read the bit about needing to whip the mixture again when stored in the freezer, I’m not sure? Thanks
Hi Anne, this frosting does freeze well, and you can freeze an assembled cake. But for the absolute best results, you can freeze the cake layers and frosting separately, thaw, and then decorate.
Hi Sally. I’m concerned I won’t have enough for a three layer 9 inch cake. Am I good with the amount of frosting here? Should I make an extra half batch just in case?
Hi Paul! This recipe yields about 5 cups of frosting, which is enough to fill and frost a three layer 9-inch cake with just enough frosting, or generously fill and frost a three layer 6-inch cake. See recipe note about quantities — for best results, we recommend making separate batches if more buttercream is needed.
This recipe is great! My icing definitely curdled, though I didn’t realize that’s what had happened at first. I thought it was just thin. But, following the troubleshooting tips, of refrigeration the mixture for 20 minutes and that not helping it, made me realize it was curdled. So, I went the route to fix the curdled issue, and saw that it was totally smooth but soupy, so I refrigerated it again and this time when i mixed it again, it came together perfectly. Thank you so much!!!
I had it almost at stiff peaks but it was just curling over at the tops so I kept mixing but it actually seemed to get softer/worse. So I put it in the fridge for 15min and tried again and again it seemed to get even softer! Is it possible to overmix the meringue? It was only at 10min when it was so so close to stiff peaks so I haven’t been going crazy long, it’s just weird to me that it’s going from stiff to softer
Hi Cheryl, there’s a chance the egg whites could have been over-whipped. Was there any fat/grease residue on any of your bowls/tools? Or any egg yolks sneak in there?
Hi Sally! How long will it take to teach stiff peaks with a hand-held mixer (I don’t have a stand mixer, unfortunately)? X
Hi Rachelle, 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. A hand-held mixer will take longer than a stand mixer.
I would like an answer for this too. It did the same to me
Hi Jaya! What question do you have about his Swiss meringue buttercream? Happy to help!
This was my first time making Swiss meringue buttercream, and it turned out really well! It did curdle near the end, but I was able to fix that really easily with your tips! I did want to make it into chocolate buttercream, and I see your advice on how to do that. I was just wondering if I would use unsweetened or sweetened chocolate baking bars for that?
Hi Rebecca! We usually use a semi-sweet baking bar.
Hi Sally and team I’ve made this recipe a few times ands it been great! Is there any way I can make this choclate swiss meringue? If so that would be great 🙂
Hi Celeste! See the FAQ section of the blog post above: 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. Enjoy!
Hi sally,
I can not get my granulated sugar to melt at all, the mixture reached the recommended temperature however it’s still very grainy. What am I doing wrong ? I had it over the heat for almost 15 mins
Hi Bek, The brand of sugar you are using may simply be very coarse. If you wish to try again you can try using ultrafine sugar (same amount) or even run your sugar though a blender to make your own ultrafine sugar which should help it dissolve even easier.
Have made this frosting worked great, just wondering if you could do the first part and make the meringue and use it as a pie topping instead of makig meringue the traditional way?
Hi Grace, If you stop before adding the butter it would be similar to this marshmallow meringue. You can toast the marshmallow meringue with a torch, but you cannot place a pie covered with it in the oven or it will melt (unlike a traditional meringue topping).
I managed to whip the egg white/sugar mixture perfectly–it formed stiff peaks and was really glossy. But as soon as I added my first tablespoon of butter, it collapsed. I immediately put it in the fridge for 20 minutes, then tried to whip it again, and it is just liquid now. I can’t figure out if I need to keep adding butter, or re-refrigerate and try to whip it back up to stiff peaks again before continuing to add butter.
Hi Erika! Sounds like your butter may be too warm. See number 4 (Buttercream is Soupy/Too Thin) of the troubleshooting section in the post above.
I am so pleased and proud of myself. The first time I made this, it was an epic failure. I was surprised because usually if I follow Sally’s recipes, everything turns out! I planned a practice run yesterday to make this for my husband and son’s birthday cake next week and it worked! I actually didn’t get super stiff peaks but I put the butter in anyway and it still worked. I am going to add crushed Oreos and then put it on Sally’s chocolate cake.
Hi sally, would this recipe hold well a tiered wedding cake? I’m scared to use it as it’s too soft.
Hi Yasmin, Yes it should! We’ve used it on tiered cakes before and it’s held up beautifully.
I love this recipe. I have made it several times with success. This time, however I failed miserably! The frosting came out very soupy even after spending several hours in the refrigerator. It was a lost cause for sure! I didn’t want to waste all the butter so i added flour, corn starch, chocolate chips and baking powder to my “soup”. I baked it on a rimmed cookie sheet and it turned out great! They are kind of like cakey cookie bars. Better than throwing it away!!
I’ve made this before and it was delicious, however I just spread the icing on the cake. Is it possible to pipe it as well to make it pretty for the holidays? I’m making it for Christmas dessert and would like it to look a bit fancier.
Hi Janet, You can absolutely pipe this frosting – it holds its shape beautifully!
Hey sally,
Im abt to make an Oreo cake and really wanted to use this icing as American buttercream is way to sweet for me! Can I add in Oreo crumbs at the end or will that not work? Thanks
Chloe
Hi Chloe, After adding the vanilla and salt, you can fold in about 1 cup of crushed Oreo cookies. Keep all of the other ingredients the same!
My stiff peaks won’t reach no matter how long or how many times I put it in the fridge..what do I do?
Hi Kaylee — In my experience, stiff peaks can be impossible to achieve if there is even one drop of oil/butter on the whisk attachment or bowl. Also, if you are using carton egg whites, sometimes this can be the issue. I use carton egg whites without an issue but others have had difficulty getting stiff peaks with them. One last thing, if you are separating the egg whites yourself, just a drop of egg yolk in your whites can prevent you from reaching stiff peaks. I hope that helps. Best of luck!
I made this recipe today and I like it but if I could reduce the sugar a little bit how much can I reduce? Just a little too sweet for me. Thanks
Hi Kake, We don’t recommend reducing the granulated sugar in this recipe because while it will certainly reduce the sweetness, it will throw off the consistency of the meringue. Feel free to play around with it though– if you do, you may also want to reduce the amount of butter.
I’ve made and adore Italian meringue, but I needed help with a Swiss meringue for a Thanksgiving pie–cranberry chiffon (though it doesn’t call it that, just describes the method). I came to you for more info, and, as usual, found what I need. I tested your Swiss meringue last night, and got perfect results, with no hassles. Voila!
I’m so glad I watched your video and read your intro first. I’m experienced (/old), but was especially glad to get clarification on (1) *hand* whisking, in the cooking phase–more like stirring, and (2) the phase 2 beating maybe taking 15+ minutes. Mine took closer to 20 minutes. I’m not sure I would’ve stayed confident and invested for that long otherwise. That specificity was so much more helpful than “beat until…” when something takes that long. The results were fabulous, and I will stick with this recipe when I need this type of meringue. And I’ll be trying out the full buttercream now, too.
My only suggestion would be to add an additional link on your site for Swiss meringue on its own, or perhaps with a full-segment post on French vs Swiss vs Italian meringues and what each type is best suited for. (I was just telling my also-experienced baker friend about this recipe, and she didn’t know there was more than one kind of meringue.) You’re a perfect teacher to cover this for so many folks. Hmmm, baking challenge: Pavlovas?
Hi Sally,
Been using a number of your recipes for a few years now and this is the first time I’ve really ever run into any issues.
I tried to make this one once before and never got it to actually firm up, it just stayed white marshmallow fluff, soft peaks. I tried using the tips section and spent all day refrigerating and beating but eventually just tossed it and made a different icing for those cupcakes.
I was going to try again later this week though, but before I do, I’m wondering if this might be a fool’s errand for me. I live in Florida, there is no such thing as a low humidity day, and room temperature in my house is normally 77°. Should I even be attempting this? I figure I will try setting the thermostat down a bit the morning of the bake, but is there anything else I can do?
Hi Harold, thank you so much for reading, using, and trusting my recipes! I do fear that this meringue buttercream may never set up in those humid/warm conditions. You can absolutely try lowering the temperature in your home because it wouldn’t hurt. If possible, you can replace some of the butter with shortening. I know it’s not ideal in a buttercream recipe where you want the flavor of butter, but shortening is more stable and even if you replace a few Tbsp of butter with it– it may help keep the frosting stiff. Did the egg whites reach stiff peaks before adding the butter? Because if not, it could be an oil/grease residue problem. Wipe bowl/tools completely clean.
This is by far the best and easiest recipe to follow when wanting to make Swiss Meringue.
I was wondering if it is possible to use Sevita instead of sugar for a sugar free option?
It seemed soft at first and I put it back in the fridge. Beat again and it seemed fine. After it sat out for a while it seems to be breaking down. Not stable. Is there anything I could add that would make it more stable? It has to go to a party tonight that will be cool, but won’t have a refrigerator.
I can’t wait to try out this recipe, I was wondering what would happen if I actually whipped the butter first to get it a paler colour before slowly adding it to the meringue mixture. I live in the Netherlands and the butter here is quite yellow. I want a super white frosting for a Unicorn cake. Do you think it would make a difference by whipping butter first?
Hi Anne, we recommend following the recipe as written for best results. But if you’d like a stark white buttercream, mix in a very tiny (super small!) drop of purple food coloring into the frosting. This will “clear” out any of that yellow. Hope this helps!