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.

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.

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.

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Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

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  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 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: 2Tablespoons | Calories: 137kcal | Carbohydrates: 8.4g | Sugar: 8.4g

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