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Swiss Meringue Buttercream

The silky, stable, and not too sweet buttercream option every baker needs for their desserts. Use this melt in your mouth Swiss Meringue Buttercream for decorating and filling your favorite treats.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 4.5 cups

Ingredients
  

  • 185 grams egg whites (185ml or roughly 6 egg whites)
  • 320 grams granulated sugar (1 ½ cups plus 1 tbsp)
  • 230 grams salted butter softened but not squishy (1 cup)
  • 230 grams unsalted butter (1 cup)
  • ½ tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 VERY small smudge of Violet Gel Food Coloring (optional, cancels out a bit of the yellow for a whiter buttercream)

Instructions
 

  • Using a medium size sauce pot, bring an inch or so of water to a boil.
  • In a medium heat safe metal bowl that is large enough to rest on top of the sauce pot, whisk together the egg whites and sugar. (Use a kitchen aid metal mixing bowl and whisk attachment to save a dish later.)
  • Place bowl on top of the pot with boiling water and continue whisking Cook until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture reaches 165-170 degrees Fahrenheit and no longer feels grainy from the sugar. Immediately remove from heat to avoid overcooking the egg whites.
  • Remove bowl from heat, and use an electric mixer to whisk the mixture until a stiff glossy meringue forms.
  • Once the meringue cools down to roughly room temperature, cut the butter into several small pieces and add it into the bowl one piece at a time.
  • Beat for another few minutes until the buttercream is light and fluffy, and the butter flavor becomes less prominent. (Buttercream may look curdled at first but will come together when mixed long enough)
  • Add in the lemon juice and vanilla extract, and whip until thoroughly combined. If adding the tiny touch of violet food coloring for whiter buttercream, add now using a toothpick.
  • To lessen the air bubbles in the buttercream, switch to a paddle attachment on your mixer and mix on low for 5-10 minutes. To speed up the process, see notes for "tempering" your buttercream.

Notes

TIP: For whiter buttercream, add a SMALL amount of violet gel food coloring to cancel out some of the yellow tint.
TIP: For smoother buttercream with less air bubbles, try the "tempering" method. 
Tempered Buttercream 
  1. Remove a small portion (about 1/3 cup) of the buttercream from your mixing bowl and put it in a heat safe bowl. 
  2. Melt the buttercream in the microwave until liquid. 
  3. Pour the melted portion of buttercream back into the main bowl of buttercream and mix on a low speed until combined and smooth. 
 
1 Batch makes 2 lbs (4.5 cups) of buttercream and is roughly enough for...
  • Frosting and filling 1 6" 3 layer cake
  • Frosting 14 Cupcakes (taller frost)
  • Frosting 24 Cupcakes (rosette frost)
  • Filling 8 dozen 2" Macarons
Keyword Buttercream Sugar Cookies, Meringue, Not Too Sweet, Piping, Silky, Smooth, Stable, Swiss
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!