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Home » Frosting Recipe » How To Make Meringue Buttercream Frosting

How To Make Meringue Buttercream Frosting

Published: Apr 16, 2011 · Modified: Jun 8, 2021 by Arlene Mobley · This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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How To Make Meringue Buttercream Frosting

If you love making cupcakes than you need a great homemade frosting recipe. This How To Make Meringue Buttercream Frosting tutorial is just what you need.

Meringue Buttercream is really very easy to make.

Meringue Butter Cream Frosting

NOTE: New photos coming soon.

What is Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting

I wrote this recipe many years ago. Back when I was not as knowledgeable about food blogging and Google search terms.

This is a recipe for a Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting.

Had I known better back in the day I would have titled the recipe Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting.

A Swiss Meringue Buttercream is made by whisking sugar into egg whites over a pot of simmering water until the egg whites reach 140 F. degrees.

After heating the egg whites you than beat the warm egg whites until they cool and stiff peaks form just like when you are making a meringue topping for a pie.

You then beat softened sugar into the meringue. This is how Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting is made.

 

Bakery Style Cupcakes with real meringue buttercream frosting

Homemade cupcakes with a meringue buttercream frosting are amazing.

They taste like something you bought in a bakery.

Are there even bakery's around any more?

I have never seen a real bakery here in Florida, (except for a bagel bakery and they have closed) as we had back when I was a kid in New York.

Now the closest thing to a bakery is inside a grocery store or retail outlet.

That is a little sad if you ask me.

Easy Cherry Cupcake Recipe

In my Cherry Cupcakes with Meringue Buttercream recipe, I talked just a little bit about how easy it is the make a Meringue Buttercream frosting.

I myself shied away from a meringue buttercream frosting for a long time because I thought it was much more difficult to make than other frostings.

Not so! I promise you it's not hard at all.

It is also one of the yummiest tasting frostings you will ever make.

There is one drawback though because there is a good amount of butter in the recipe this frosting will not hold up very well in extremely warm weather.

The frosting melts quickly.

If you're planning to serve cupcakes with a meringue buttercream frosting for an outdoor event or travel with them in a car keep the weather in mind.

If your planning on serving them while at home as soon as your done frosting your cupcakes put them in the refrigerator.

Take them out about 30 minutes before serving so the buttercream frosting can soften up.

How To Make Meringue Butter Cream Frosting Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 large egg whites
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • a pinch of salt
  • 1 ½ sticks of butter, room temperature (6 ounces)
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract or flavoring of choice

Directions

  1. Cut the butter into cubes and set aside.
  2. Place the egg white, sugar and pinch of salt in a metal bowl that will nest inside one of your pots.
  3. Put about 2 inches of water in the bottom of the pot and bring it to a simmer.
  4. Nestle the bowl of egg whites, sugar and salt on top the pot. You want the bowl to sit just above the water.
  5. Whisk the mixture constantly. This is not something you want to walk away from. Whisking will help the sugar and salt dissolve and keep the egg whites from getting too hot.
  6. Continually whisk until the egg whites have reached 140 degrees F.
  7. This takes only a few minutes so stay by the stove. Use an instant-read or candy thermometer. Once the temperature of the egg whites has reached 140 degrees remove the bowl from the pot and use a hand-held mixer in the same bowl or pour the egg whites into the bowl of a KitchenAid stand mixer.
  8. Beat on high until cooled and stiff peaks have formed, about five minutes.
  9. Next, with the paddle attachment if using a stand mixer add ¼ of the cubed and softened butter to the bowl. Beat on high until all of the cubed butter has been incorporated into the meringue. Repeat adding ¼ of the butter to the bowl and beating in until all of the butter has been beat into the meringue.
  10. Add the extract and any gel food coloring you might be using to the bowl and beat on low until beat in.
  11. Increase the speed of the mixer to high and beat the meringue frosting until the frosting is smooth and creamy. It may take from 2 minutes to 5 minutes depending on how soft your butter was.
  12. If frosting cooled cupcakes immediately fit a piping tip on a 16 or 18-inch decorator bag and decorate the cupcakes. Add any sprinkles if using now so they adhere to the softened buttercream frosting.
  13. Refrigerate the frosted cupcakes until serving.
  14. This recipe makes enough meringue buttercream frosting to frost 12 cupcakes.
  15. Can be doubled.

Helpful Tips for making Meringue Butter Cream Frosting Recipe

  • I use a metal bowl that has a small rim and it sits nicely on top of one of my pots. Use whatever works for you.
  • This frosting can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to five days. If planning on storing do not add the flavoring.
  • When ready to use the frosting beat the chilled frosting until creamy and soft, add the flavoring at this time.
  • Can be doubled.
Meringue Butter Cream Frosting

How To Make Meringue Buttercream Frosting

Arlene Mobley - Flour On My Face

How To Make Meringue Buttercream Frosting

Easy directions to making homemade bakery style Meringue Buttercream Frosting for cupcakes of birthday cakes.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 8 minutes mins
Cook Time 5 minutes mins
Total Time 13 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine Swiss
Servings 12 servings
Calories 137 kcal

Ingredients  

  • 2 large egg whites
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • A pinch of salt
  • 1 ½ sticks butter (softened (6 ounces butter))
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract (or flavoring of choice)
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Instructions 

  • Cut the butter into cubes and set aside.
  • Place the egg white, sugar and pinch of salt in a metal bowl that will nest inside one of your pots. Put about 2 inches of water in the bottom of the pot and bring it to a simmer.
  • Nestle the bowl of egg whites, sugar and salt on top the pot. You want the bowl to sit just above the water.
  • Whisk the mixture constantly. This is not something you want to walk away from. Whisking will help the sugar and salt dissolve and keep the egg whites from getting too hot.
  • Continually whisk until the egg whites have reached 140 degrees F.
  • This takes only a few minutes so stay by the stove. Use an instant-read or candy thermometer. Once the temperature of the egg whites has reached 140 F. degrees remove the bowl from the pot and use a hand-held mixer in the same bowl or pour the egg whites into the bowl of a KitchenAid stand mixer.
  • Beat on high until cooled and stiff peaks have formed, about five minutes.
  • Next, with the paddle attachment if using a stand mixer add ¼ of the cubed and softened butter to the bowl. Beat on high until all of the cubed butter has been incorporated into the meringue. Repeat adding ¼ of the butter to the bowl and beating in until all of the butter has been beat into the meringue.
  • Add the extract and any gel food coloring you might be using to the bowl and beat on low until beat in.
  • Increase the speed of the mixer to high and beat the meringue frosting until the frosting is smooth and creamy.  It may take from 2 minutes to 5 minutes depending on how soft your butter was.
  • If frosting cooled cupcakes immediately fit a piping tip on a 16 or 18-inch decorator bag and decorate the cupcakes. Add any sprinkles if using now so they adhere to the softened buttercream frosting.
  • Refrigerate the frosted cupcakes until serving.

Recipe Expert Tips

  • This recipe makes enough meringue buttercream frosting to frost 12 cupcakes. Can be doubled.

Nutrition

Serving: 2TablespoonsCalories: 137kcalCarbohydrates: 8.4gSugar: 8.4g
Tried this recipe?Share a picture on Instagram and tag @flouronmyface2

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About Arlene Mobley

Arlene Mobley author of Flour On My Face-a Food & Lifestyle website helping busy families get dinner on the table by serving easy recipes every week.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jacqueline S

    March 13, 2014 at 1:40 pm

    I would love to try this recipe--and I appreciate your information about needing to be aware of weather due to the melting factor; however, I cannot find the print button that is supposed to be at the bottom of this post. I can find all of the sharing options, but not print--aarrrgghhhh!

    Reply
    • Arlene Mobley

      March 13, 2014 at 2:55 pm

      Jacqueline

      I am so sorry for your frustration. This is an old post and that printing feature was removed. Please copy and paste the text into any document format. As soon as possible I will update this post to the Ziplist format for easy printing.

      Reply
      • Jacqueline S

        March 13, 2014 at 9:43 pm

        Thank you so much for your reply! I love your website and recipes. you always add information that is helpful,

  2. Dee Dee's Delights

    April 17, 2011 at 3:04 pm

    This sound great, I am hosting a linky party called Sunday Buffet, Your welcome to add these to the Buffet line! https://deedeesdelights.blogspot.com/p/sunday-buffet.html

    Reply
  3. And So I Whisper

    April 16, 2011 at 9:57 pm

    will definitely try it

    Reply
  4. Joan

    April 16, 2011 at 3:45 pm

    OMG! These look almost too beautiful to eat! You are an artist when it comes to baking!

    Reply
  5. PJ

    April 16, 2011 at 3:38 pm

    OOOOH! Arlene! Those look so good! If I try them and end up in a diabetic coma, I'll need to have have your number in my purse so the EMT's can you revive me! Email it to me please! lol!

    They look heavenly!

    God Bless,
    PJ

    Reply
5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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