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
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
Hello. Thank you so much for this recipe. Would be trying it out for the first time. Can I use caster sugar instead of granulated sugar? Please let me know what you think. Thank you.
Castor sugar should work well here, Blessing.
Would it be possible to add lemon juice (rather than extract) or do you think it would curdle..? Thanks
Hi Sarah, We haven’t successfully tested this Swiss Meringue Buttercream with fresh lemon juice. The texture is always off. We prefer lemon extract, though a little lemon zest as well would be tasty.
Hello, I am icing a wedding cake and wondered about how firm the SMBC is. I’ll need to transport the cake and don’t want to put any fingermarks in it ! Is it firm enough to handle to lift the cake after being in the fridge ? Thanks
Hi Sarah, we’ve used this frosting on layered cakes before and it has held up beautifully. We recommend using cake rounds so you can lift from the bottom rather than directly on the cake.
This is my go to recipe for Swiss meringue buttercream. I love how easy it is to make and that I don’t need to break out my thermometer every time I want to make buttercream. I’ve had great success with the chocolate version as well.
Was just wondering if anyone had any thoughts on adding peanut butter to this and how it could change the texture.
Hi Sabrina, 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.
Can Swiss meringue be used with Russian can Swiss meringue be used with Russian piping tips? If yes, how to make stiffer if too soft. Thanks
Hi Dorothy, It honestly depends on the tip. We have found that some shapes work wonderfully with this frosting while some need a super thick/sturdy frosting for the best defined shapes.
What type of frosting would you recommend, first time using these tips. Thanks
We haven’t specifically used Russian flower piping tips, but we can’t see why they wouldn’t work with our buttercream. You can use half butter and half shortening for a buttercream frosting that is more stable / stiffer if desired.
I love this recipe and it has had rave reviews from my friends. Can I add a little lemon juice to get a lemon flavour or will it make the buttercream curdle or too runny to be stable? I want to use it for your lemon blueberry layer cake.
Hi Tricia, We haven’t successfully tested this Swiss Meringue Buttercream with fresh lemon juice. The texture is always off. We prefer lemon extract, though a little lemon zest as well would be tasty.
I couldn’t get the egg whi and sugar up to temp before it started to make peeks. I was left with gritty meringue and it started to harden on the sides of the bowl. Any thoughts?
Hi Sandra, be sure to not let the bottom of the egg whites bowl touch the boiling water. You could try decreasing the temperature just a bit so that it doesn’t start to mix into peaks before it reaches the proper temperature. Making sure it reaches temperature and that the sugar is completely dissolved will help ensure the meringue doesn’t have a gritty taste. Hope this helps for next time!
Hi!
Can a paddle attachment be used the whole time?
Hi Katie, we recommend the whisk attachment in step 4 and the paddle in step 6.
The best!! I’ve altered it just a tiny, tiny bit. Thank you for sharing your amazing recipes!
Hello, I’m wondering if this recipe would be suitable for a number cake- so inbetween the layers and on top of the numbers on a sponge cake
Definitely!
I’m making a friend’s wedding cake this weekend and am using this recipe for the frosting. How far ahead could I actually assemble the cake with this? Is 36 hours before the reception too early to put this together with the cakes? Thank you
Hi Sammy, After frosting a cake with this Swiss Meringue Buttercream you can store it in the refrigerator, 36 hours should be fine. It won’t crust over like a regular buttercream, but when cold it will be more solid.
Hi! I just made my cake with this filling today. And popped it in the fridge for.rhe party tomorrow. Just wanted to ask, will the filling soften up if I leave it on room temperature long enough before serving it on a bday party? As at the moment it is pretty solid
Hi Barbara! Yes, the buttercream will soften up when not cold anymore.
What brand of butter do you use so it doesn’t turn yellow? Love the recipe but my buttercream turns very yellow and I’ve tried the purple food coloring method and can’t get it to work.
Hi Kourtney I usually use store-brand (such as Wegmans or another local grocery store) or Land O’Lakes. A small dot of purple food coloring usually helps. Are you using gel food coloring when doing that?
Hi Sally,
I was wondering if Swiss Meringue is suitable for frosting layers on a layer cake?
Also is it possible to frost the layers the day before eating the cake? Will the frosting still be structurally sound to hold up the cake layers?
Thank you 🙂
Hi Emma, yes, you can use this frosting for layered cakes and you can frost the day before and store in the refrigerator.
Amazing!! Thank you
Making this now! So far so good!
Thank you for the recipe and easy to follow instructions!
I need to make a lot of succulents and flowers a day or two before using them. Will SMBC stay firm enough to transfer from the parchment squares without squishing up?
Hi Carla, this Swiss meringue buttercream pipes beautifully for flowers/succulents. Freezing them shouldn’t be a problem either, to make transferring easier. Let us know how you like it!
The meringue tastes so good, would it still work for cake without adding the butter?
I am not a professional baker. I am mom who tries to fulfill my children’s cake wished for their birthday. Its always a huge challenge for me. My sister told me about this Recipe. This is my favorite recipe by far! Its the second time I am using it for my children’s birthday. Not only is the recipe foolproof but it tastes amazing! Thank you so much. Now I enjoy baking for my children and always get compliments that the cake tastes great!
Hi, looks like a super recipe and beautifully described
Can I add cocoa powder to make it chocolate
Hi Dee, 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!
Can you use cream of tartar in this recipe to help stabilize the meringue? If so, how much?
Hi Katie, we don’t find it necessary, but you can try adding a pinch of cream of tartar if you wish. Add it to the egg whites/sugar before going on the stove.
I have a question. Can I leave this buttercream out or does it have to be refrigerated? And how long does it last for?
Hi William, 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.
Sooooo frustrating when everything is perfect right up until putting in the butter… And then it curdles. I don’t understand. I’m a seasoned baker and I follow everything right to the letter. Not your fault Sally but I just don’t get it.
Hi Dee, If yours has separated, see the troubleshooting guide in the above post and look at “Buttercream is curdled” for tips. I hope this helps!
Hi Sally , great recipes, I may have missed it but how much SMBC does this recipe make please . I’m looking at decorating a 3 layered cake approximately 19×6.5cm round with some between the layers then smoothed out all over the rest of cake , no piping work
Thanks
Hi Brenda, this recipe yields about 5 cups of frosting. See recipe Notes for more yield details. Hope you enjoy it!
Can I use maple syrup or maple sugar to give it a maple flavour? I really want a maple cake
Hi Jules, we do not recommend maple syrup, as that will add too much liquid to the frosting. We haven’t tested maple sugar, so we’re unsure of the exact results. You could swap 1 teaspoon of the vanilla extract with 1 teaspoon of maple extract.
I’ve made SMBC a few other times with different recipes, but this recipe was so much more straightforward to follow. It worked just right on the first time. So light and fluffy! Thanks for a great recipe and great instructions!
I love every recipe I’ve ever made from your site. Thank you for sharing them and your expertise.
I need to make my son’s wedding celebration cake and am hoping for an easier time smoothing the frosting than I had with my niece’s baby shower cake, which was frosted with American buttercream. Will Swiss buttercream smooth out more easily? What are your thoughts on Swiss buttercream recipes that use meringue powder?
Hi Sally, Swiss meringue buttercream does tend to smooth/spread more easily than thicker American buttercream. We haven’t tested a version with meringue powder, but let us know if you do!
Mine came out really lumpy with tiny chunks of butter that wouldn’t incorporate. The butter was definitely at room temperature when I started using it. I have it over the hot water again, trying to get the butter to incorporate, but it’s not working out.
I was wondering what the texture of this frosting is the next day? I made a chocolate fudge frosting (very similar to American buttercream but had melted dark chocolate added) and even at room temperature the next day it was too firm for the delicate cupcake. Would this frosting work better?
Yes. It is a little stiff, but not hard, firm, or crumbly at all.
Hii,
My merengue has reached stiff peaks very fast, 5-6 mins, should I continue beating it for 10-15 or just stop when stiff peaks are achieved?
Stop when stiff peaks are achieved! You don’t want to over whip.
Thank you so much for all these amazing recipes!!!! I was wondering if I could add in freeze dried strawberries to the frosting, or would it throw it off? Thanks so much!
Hi Addie, you can use any freeze dried fruit ground up into a 1/2 cup of powder. Add it in with the vanilla extract and salt. Hope this helps!
Thank you so much for your quick reply!!! I am so excited to try. Happy Valentines Day!
Hi, tried making a small batch (1/3). And the meringue won’t stiffen to where it doesn’t drool. It’s like marshmallow cream. How do I fix? I tried refrigerating for 10 minutes, no luck!
Hi Sharon, it may just need a bit longer in the refrigerator before rewhipping. Try extending the time in the refrigerator and then giving it another go.