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
Hey mine is grainy any suggestions for fixing it?
Hi Jen! Was it grainy coming off the heat? If so try cooking it on the stove a little longer (past 160 degrees F). Constantly whisk. The sugar granules shouldn’t be detected much longer after that. (Sugar melts!) Once you’ve gotten to the end and you can still detect grains, re-whipping should *hopefully* smooth it out. Let us know if you try again!
Can I use the Swiss butter cream for crumb coating then cover with ganache
Yes, absolutely! But you don’t want to pour hot ganache over SMBC. Make sure to let it cool.
If you are new to Swiss Meringue Buttercream this is the place for you. I usually skim through directions and rely on what I already know. After a brief skim, I went back and read the whole thing and watched the video. I ended up reading it again, since there was a couple weeks between first deciding I was going to use it and the actual making. I referred back to the directions throughout the process. I had ZERO PROBLEMS. It all worked just as she said it would, when she said it would. The results are spectacular! The process was long, considering the time you spend waiting, but so easy with these instructions. It is a beautiful frosting. It is not at all like a regular buttercream. So light and fluffy, almost like a whipped topping. My only thing that I did different was using salted butter because that is what I have here. Listen to Sally, get the unsalted butter. Being able to control the salt would lead to an even better frosting.
why is my buttercream have little lumps of butter in it. it wont mix out
Your butter is likely too cold. It needs to be a tad cooler than room temperature. By the time you start mixing the meringue, take out your butter and start cutting it up. When the meringue is cooled appropriately, your butter should be the right temp to work with.
How much buttercream do I need to frost and decorate tall 8 inches cake.
Hi Maryam, 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 or to fill and frost a three layer 9-inch cake with just enough frosting.
Hi, could I use the Swiss meringue buttercream to ice your red velvet cake? I wanted to add a comment under that recipe, but no comment box comes up.
Hi Susannah! Yes, you can definitely use this Swiss meringue buttercream on our red velvet cake recipe.
Thank you so much for this recipe it’s the best buttercream I’ve ever tasted! Today was my first attempt at smbc and it turned out perfectly thanks to your notes.
Just made my very first batch and I’m blown away! Absolutely marvellous!! Topped a Gluten free butter cake with passionfruit curd just nicely! Thanks Sally!
Finally a recipe that explains it all. Thank you so much!
I was very happy with my end results! Thank you for all the tips, I had soup there for awhile. This recipe needs patience (not my strong point). I love the silky smooth frosting and no crusty top like ABC.
This was my very first attempt at making Swiss meringue buttercream. I followed your directions to a T and it turned out perfectly! Wow! It might be hard to go back to regular American buttercream after making this! Thank you so much for the tutorial and all of the hints and tips! I love that this is not as sweet as most frosting.
This has become my go-to recipe for frosting cakes and cupcakes. I’m curious, though, has anyone done anything more intricate with it than just piping borders and such? I’m hoping to make some little flowers ahead of time and freeze them to put on my daughter’s cake. Do you think this would be a good recipe or would it be better to do a more “American” buttercream that crusts?
Hi Amanda, yes, this Swiss meringue buttercream pipes beautifully for flowers. Freezing them shouldn’t be a problem either. Let us know how you like it!
I don’t know if anybody else has experienced this, but recently when I have been making the swiss meringue the sugar does not fully melt and starts crystalizing to the side of the bowl. I am pretty sure it has something to do with the heat distribution, but I have never had this problem before and I can’t find anybody talking about this problem. What should I do?
This is my go-to buttercream recipe! This time, my son wanted a chocolate cake with raspberry filling and raspberry frosting.
So …
I reduced the egg whites to 5, cut the sugar to 1 cup (I actually make this sugar-free using allulose), used a full 3 sticks of butter, nixed the vanilla extract, and when all was said and done, SLOWLY added about 1/2 cup of COLD seedless raspberry purée (fresh raspberries smashed through a fine-mesh strainer). The result is a soft, fluffy, and beautifully pink frosting that tastes like a walk through a raspberry field.
(To keep the frosting from picking up an orange tinge, I dipped a toothpick into some VIOLET food dye and beat it in before adding the purée. The violet cuts through the pale yellow of the butter and makes the frosting a more vibrant white.)
If I wanted to make a strawberry Swiss buttercream by adding freeze dried strawberries and strawberry extract? Would you suggest strawberry extract in place of, or in addition to the vanilla extract?
Hi Lisa, 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!
Hi Sally
Will it works if I use half the amount of sugar?
Regards
Kim VT
Hi Kim, 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.
Hi Sally! I love this recipe – previously used it to make chocolate SMBC and have never looked back! Just wondering if you have suggestions for a peanut butter SMBC? Was thinking of adding peanut butter instead of chocolate in the last flavouring step but wasn’t sure if it would work. Thanks!
Hi Rawan, we’ve made a few other flavors, but actually haven’t tested it with peanut butter. We would research some peanut butter SMBC to get some inspiration! Do you have peanut butter powder? That should work nicely too.
Thank you Sally for such a thorough and beautifully presented recipe! It was an absolute life saver for me this week, as I prepared a cake for my parents anniversary.
Hi,
I’ve tried this twice now and mine ends up very airy so when I spread it on the cake it has big bubbles in the buttercream. I wonder if I’m beating too little after the butter or at too high a speed? Any tips would be appreciated.
Thanks
Hi Kate! The bubbles can be from beating for too long/too fast. If there are too many air bubbles in your frosting you can use a spatula or wooden spoon and mix it by hand. As you mix, push it up against the sides of the bowl which will pop the bubbles and smooth it out.
Will this fill and frost a 2 layer cake? Possibly a 3 layer cake?
Hi Lise-Ann! See recipe notes for yield details.
Hi Sally
Unfortunately my KitchenAid is broken with the whisk attachment stuck inside when I’m making the buttercream I’m finding it still quite thin even though I put the attachment on low is this because it’s being over whisked?
Hi Rachael, I do recommend the paddle/flat beater attachment for beating in the butter because too much air could be whipped in and then the entire mixture can begin to sort of deflate.
SMBC has always been on my to-bake list, it seemed so intimidating but these instructions were excellent. Truly perfect when I made it for the first time today! Folded in blitzed Oreos at the very end, amazing! Thank you so much for sharing your tips & tricks in such an easy to follow recipe!
Hi Sally,
I have a query about making the meringue. Every time I’ve tried to make this recipe, I can never reach the stiff peaks stage no matter how long I whip the egg whites and sugar or how long I put it in the fridge for. I’ve gotten close to stiff peaks but it always droops from the whisk. When I tried adding the butter hoping something would happen the meringue just completely deflated and there was no way of fixingit. What is it I’m not getting right here?
Hi Aisha, thank you so much for trying this recipe. What is the weather like on days you are trying this frosting? Humidity can spell disaster for any type of meringue, including this buttercream. Dry weather is ideal. What could help is chilling the bowl you are using to whip the meringue. Chill the bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes so it’s cold when you begin to beat the meringue. Additionally, rid any oil/grease residue as mentioned in the post.
I tried this recipe it worked out so well. I followed the instructions step by step I knew what to do of my mixture went soupy (which it did) it was so easy to make. Definitely will try this again in the future
Would you scale ingredients differently for 24 cupcake recipes? Thank you!
Hi Ariana! The above recipe yields enough frosting to lightly frost 2 dozen cupcakes, to heavily frost 1 dozen cupcakes.
The worst frosting I have ever made, disgusting. It curdled a d then we tried to fix it and it curdled worse. To buttery looked like scrambled eggs. It was perfect until the butter.
I have had great results with all
Of your recipes to date. I
Made this for my son’s wedding cake. I think it has too much butter. No matter how I tried I could not get it to incorporate. I followed all as written. I at least go it on the cake finally. Luckily I didn’t have to pipe. What if I used less butter?
Hi Sue, you can try using less butter if you try the recipe again. When you say it wasn’t incorporating, was the mixture becoming too thin and liquid-y or was it too thick and couldn’t hold more butter?
I don’t make any other kind of buttercream any more. This recipe and method works every time and I quickly whip up SMBC any time I have spare egg whites and freeze it down. I also make it dairy free by using a specific dairy free ‘butter’ block (flora butter block) and it whips up without any issues.
The key is to have a stand mixer, I’ve had 3 failed attempts with a handheld mixer. Also once defrosted, I have found I need to whip it for at least 15-20 mins for it to come back to the right consistency.
I placed the bowl into the refrigerator after it being soupy and when I beat it again with the paddle attachment of my Kitchen Air, it still did not whip up and is still soupy. I tried it 4 times and still soupy. Any suggestions? It has a great flavor.
I love your tips Sally and this is my most favourite buttercream. I just love the creaminess of it and an easy to follow recipe. Thankyou
I was intimidated about making Swiss buttercream but with these tips it turned out perfectly! My family was scraping the cake plate to make sure no morsel was left behind. Will definitely make again. Thank you!!
What about using sugar in the raw, turbinado cane sugar?
Hi Tiffany, the sugar you’re using should be finely granulated. If it’s coarser, that could cause an issue.