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
Hi Sally,
I love this recipe!!!! And really appreciate all the trouble shooting tips. I’d like to make the chocolate version however, I only have chocolate chips on hand. I know this isn’t preferred but will it still get the job done? Thank you!!!
Hi Janice, so glad you love it! It’s best to use pure chocolate for the chocolate version. Melted chocolate chips are stiffer and don’t have the same smooth consistency unless you add a little oil.
I love to bake but have been very hesitant to make Swiss meringue buttercream in case I screw up and wasted all the eggs . But tonight I gave it a go and OMG this is the most silky buttercream EVER!! I accidentally made mine soupy and then managed to make it curdled… but I used your tips and it worked BRILLIANTLY!!! PLEASE TRY OTHER BAKERS & THANK YOU SALLY x
Hi, Sally! I am newly venturing into the world of baking, and I have come to really love your blog. I appreciate that you put weight measurements with the volume, as recipes with weight measurements have been surprisingly hard for me to find. I’ve been having problems with American buttercream getting too soft to hold its shape when I’m trying to frost (I live in a very warm but dry climate), so I wanted to try this recipe for my next cake. For the meringue, would it be ok to use “ultrafine” baker’s sugar instead of regular granulated sugar?
Hi Jessica! I’m glad you are enjoying my website and recipes– thank you! You can definitely use ultrafine sugar here. Same measurement. Let me know how you like it!
Omgeee Sally. It came out!! I only did half of the recipe (I did weight my eggs, thankfully. I needed 1 extra) because I’m making a coconut and lime cake using cream cheese and hubby and son won’t eat/can’t have cream cheese. Plus I also didn’t want to waste all of that butter had I failed. I did have some issues though. At first everything was going well then when I added my extracts it curdled and got soupy. So I followed your tips (put it back on the stove and then I had to put it in the fridge twice). I almost gave up but I kept thinking about the amount of butter I would have lost, lol. I do have a question. My mixture got to full whipped, shiny peaks before the 10 min mark. Is that because I only did half of the recipe? That’s the only thing that came to mind so when I had to put it back onto the stove and then into the fridge I cut the amount of time in half. I’m just so proud of myself for not giving up. I can’t wait to put it on my cake which came out beautifully as well. Yes, it’s your coconut cake recipe using canned coconut milk. 🙂 Thanks so much for such detailed instructions and yet another 2 amazing recipes. I can always count on you. Hope all is well with you and yours. Stay safe… 😉
I usually use American buttercream but wanted to try something smoother and so thought Swiss meringue might be better. it came out a little soupy but Thankfully due to all the extra details, I would put it back in the refrigerator in 20 minute intervals while mixing in between and slowly but surely came together beautifully. It was very smooth and I loved it to Ice my cake. I will use this recipe again, I think I just needed to whip the egg whites longer.
Question – is it possible the egg whites can still be a little grainy when you reach 160F? if so, is it ok to continue to whip?
Hi Sally! I’m excited to try this recipe tomorrow for a birthday cake I’m making for my mom. I was planning on making a mocha buttercream but didn’t want it too sweet which lead me to this recipe. I only have regular coffee, not espresso powder or instant coffee. If I grind it up small enough and sift it, do you think that would work for the coffee flavor? I was also looking at adding cocoa powder instead of melted chocolate – would it make a difference? Thanks for all your help and looking forward to the reply – I love your recipes!!
Hi Rachael, I don’t recommend using ground coffee– you need instant coffee or instant espresso. You can add some cocoa powder, but its flavor isn’t very strong. That’s why I recommend pure melted (and slightly cooled) chocolate.
Hi Sally! I tried this frosting on chocolate cupcakes and it is delicious! I’ve always found American buttercream too sweet so this was perfect. I want to make a salted caramel Swiss meringue buttercream, so do you think I should make a the caramel sauce in your blog and mix it in at the end with the vanilla? Thanks!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Taylor! I haven’t tried adding salted caramel to this, but you could certainly try adding a couple Tbsp at a time (make sure the caramel has cooled and is not warm anymore) until you reach a balance of ideal flavor/texture.
Hi Sally,
I wanted to know if this would be enough butter cream to fill and cover a 6 inch (3 layered) cake? My tins are 2 inches deep aswell. I will be using 3 tins for the cake.
Hi GG, yes, you will have plenty for a 3 layer 6 inch cake.
I have made this three times and the frosting is beautiful. But even though I cook it on the stove to 160 degrees and whisk it while it cooks it always is grainy with sugar when it is done. I don’t feel sugar granules after cooking on the stove but it always grainy (but delicious!)at the end. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Susan, 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!)
Ok, so SMBC kinda put me through hell, but in the end, it worked out! All was well until I started adding my butter. My nice stiff peaks suddenly sunk, and it was all runny. The bowl and meringue were cool prior to the butter, and my butter was soft enough to hold a fingerprint, but not greasy or too soft. I put it in the fridge for two, 20-minute intervals with beating in between. Nope, now it’s too soft, and it’s broken. I decided to try putting it over a hot water bath for a minute or two to soften up the butter bits and then I tried whipping again. Success! I left the bowl for one minute to grab my thermometer and when I came back, it was light and fluffy and exactly like the picture! I don’t know what the heck I did wrong, but all the troubleshooting tips really saved my butt(ercream). Thanks Sally!
Can I reduce this receipe to half of the quantity you have mentioned?
Sure can! See recipe note.
Hi Sally! I would like to make lemon Swiss meringue buttercream but use fresh lemon instead of extract? How much would I use and when would add it? Thanks
Hi Tiffany! I haven’t successfully tested this Swiss Meringue Buttercream with fresh lemon juice. The texture is always off. I prefer lemon extract, though a little lemon zest as well would be tasty.
I wanted to practice making SMB for the first time, so I decided to only make a small amount first. I only used 1/3 of the portion from the recipe and I only had a hand-held mixer. I followed all the direction but couldn’t get the meringue to have a stiff peak. I whipped it for almost an hour, with breaks in the fridge in between, and it only got to a thick texture at best. I wonder if there was too little mixture amount in the bowl or the whipping motion was too inconsistent for the hand mixer? I tilted the bowl to get the mixture to one side so the mixer could actually have substantial whipping. Did I do it wrong? How long is it supposed to take for 2 egg whites and 2/3 cup of sugar to peak with a hand mixer at the highest speed?
Hi Bonnie, it could have been an issue with cutting the recipe into thirds. I’ve never tried it that way. The smallest batch I’ve done with success is a half batch. Looking back at my recipe testing notes, it still took at least about 13-15 minutes (like the full batch) on a dry day.
After I added all the butter it got curdled and I did what you said to do if it was curdled and then it became more curdled. HELP!
Hi Sally!
Thank you for the recipe.
Can add cream cheese to the recipe? To get a cream cheese frosting?
Thank you!
Hi Nicolle! I haven’t tested this Swiss meringue buttercream with cream cheese. If you do, let me know how it goes! Here’s my favorite cream cheese frosting recipe!
This recipe is amazing. Thanks Sally
Sally, thank you so much for this recipe and all your helpful detailed directions! I was looking for a less sweet icing for my husbands birthday cake and this was perfect! It was definitely labor intensive but worth it because it came out great!
I made this today. I suspect that I overbeat my meringue- my peaks slowly drooped, but the meringue looked fine, firm. So I continued regardless and gradually added the butter. It incorporated perfectly-no soup or curdles. Just all the way smooth. I would however prefer it slightly sweeter. But I’m incredibly happy with the outcome, especially on a first trial.
Hi Sally!
Thank you so much for all your amazing recipes. I have a quick question, if I wanted to add some coffee along with Kahlua, do I have to decrease the egg-whites/sugar? (I only thought of this because another recipe I found included 3 tbsp of Kahlua plus coffee but it has more butter and less egg-whites/sugar).
It would take more liquid than if I just replaced the vanilla, so I wonder if I need to make any other changes to the recipe.
Hi Gina! Those flavors sound delicious. I haven’t tested this recipe that way, but you can try *slightly* reducing the sugar and egg whites to make up for the added liquid. Let me know how it goes!
Hi Sally! I ended up adding the Khalua with a syrup into the cake and made the Swiss merengue buttercream with coffee instead of vanilla. But I had to make the coffee very strong so as to work because it would only be a teaspoon. Thank you!!
Have you ever tried to flavor SBC with something like a homemade blueberry compote/syrup? I love to make lemon cupcakes and a blueberry SBC. Sometimes it turns out and it doesn’t other times. Any suggestions?
Delicious frosting! Super sweet and a little chunky with the butter but it tasted great! It also froze super well and mixed with cream cheese for a carrot cake!
Hi Sally– My buttercream seems too thin but also curdled. Should I put it back on the heat? Thanks!
Hi! I got stiff peaks but my butter never fully incorporated. Also, is was very loose & no matter how many times I put it in the fridge for 20 min, I could not get it to firm up. The flavors were awesome! I used it for French macaron filling so it worked out ok. I would like to try again for cupcakes! I tagged you on Instagram ✌
Mine was also too loose but after I refrigerated it then beat it again, if worked. I had to beat it for way longer than I expected after taking it out of the fridge and it suddenly thickened.
Hello! I love this buttercream!!! I made some a about a month ago, and froze the remainder. I do want to defrost for use later this week, and I was wondering if I would be able to add the melted chocolate after I defrost/re-fluff the frosting? Or would I need to make a new chocolate batch?
I actually haven’t tried doing that before, but I can’t see why you could add the chocolate to the thawed buttercream. Let me know how it turns out.
It worked perfectly! This is definitely my new favorite frosting 🙂
Hi Sally,
Quick question! I made a different recipe of SMBC today and I found I wouldn’t mind if it was a smidge sweeter and a bit less buttery… am I able to mix up a new batch of egg whites and sugar to stiff peaks and then gradually incorporate the SMBC I have on my counter?
Thanks!
Hi Courtney! You definitely can, but the texture will greatly change.
This recipe is written so well! This was my first attempt at Swiss Meringue Buttercream and it came out as expected. I halved the recipe for a double layer 9in cake. It was barely enough frosting to cover. I did have to pop it in the fridge for 20 minutes after adding the butter and then re-beat because it was thin. So delicious!! Thank you, Sally!
Lea, thanks for the info on how much a half batch will cover, especially on a 9 in cake. I’m finally going to bite the bullet and try to make this frosting but I only wanted to make a half batch for 2 reasons… 1. Didn’t want to waste too much ingredients should it not turn out… 2. When I make a cake and use cream cheese I usually have to make 2 different frostings because my husband doesn’t like c.c and my son is lactose intolerant (lucky me, right? Lol). Crossing fingers this turns out. I really need to find another frosting to use. Being limited takes a lot of the fun out of baking new recipes. It seems most people were successful thanks to Sally’s detailed instructions. Now it’s my turn to be. Thanks again…
Hey Sally,
I was wondering if it was possible to reduce the sugar. It was a little too sweet for my taste.
Hi Anna! I don’t recommend it as the egg whites won’t stabilize properly. Feel free to test the recipe a bit by reducing both the egg whites and sugar, but keeping the other ingredient amounts the same. Keep in in mind the texture will also change. Or, instead, for a lightly sweetened “frosting” I always suggest homemade whipped cream. 🙂
I was a complete neophyte to making Swiss buttercream frosting and it came out perfectly!
Hi Sally,
I tried making this recipe for the first time today. I melted the sugar into the egg whites and tested it with my finger to make sure the sugar melted. Then I whipped the egg whites until I got stiff peaks like you said to do. My metal mixing bowl was still hot so I put it in the fridge as you suggested. The egg whites were beautiful, stiff, and shiny so I was pleased. I took the bowl out of the fridge added the butter by the table spoon, and when I was done, it came out with a ton of air bubbles? and I could feel the sugar crystals again. Is it possible I left the egg whites in the fridge for too long and that’s what caused the sugar to recrystallize? It still tastes delicious!
Hi Shelby! So glad you enjoy how it tastes. I’m unsure how the sugar could have crystallized again, but feel confident that continued mixing would help smooth out the frosting and rid those air bubbles. Alternatively, you could reheat it on the stove (double boiler) using my tip listed under the Buttercream is Curdled/Too Thick troubleshooting tip. That should fix it as well.
Loved the recipe! Made it originally the weekend it came out and it went so well! I’m looking to make it again, but with peanut butter. Would you suggest starting with 4 oz peanut butter? Thanks! I know you said chocolate would be 8 oz, so trying to make an approximate guess!
Hi Chelsea! I would start with about 4 ounces. Examine the texture and taste, then add a little more if you’d like.