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Home » Frosting Recipe » Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Published: Apr 3, 2019 · 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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Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting recipe is not as hard to make as you might think.

If you are planning a party and need to make cupcakes that will impress your guests a homemade vanilla cupcake topped with homemade frosting is what you need.

duo photo of homemade vanilla cupcakes frosted with homemade Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting with sprinkles and a teal cloth napkin

What is Swiss Meringue Frosting?

Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting is a sweet and silky buttery frosting that is perfect for piping onto cupcakes and used to fill and frost cakes.

It is a very sturdy frosting that when chilled the buttercream hardens from the large amount of butter in the recipe.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream frosting is a perfect frosting when you want a frosting that will hold its shape nicely.

The only downfall with any buttercream frosting is heat.

In warm climates, buttercream frostings will get soft quickly. In extremely hot environments buttercream frosting can melt very quickly.

It is best to keep cakes and cupcakes frosted with any type of buttercream frosting refrigerated until 20 to 30 minutes before serving.

5 Vanilla cupcakes on a teal and blue cloth napkin that have been frosted with Swiss Meringue Butter Cream Frosting

Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting

When you think about making a homemade buttercream frosting Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting is probably not your first choice.

You might think this fancy sounding frosting recipe is too difficult to make.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting is no more difficult to make than any other buttercream frosting recipe.

The only difference is there is an extra step.

Swiss meringue is made by whisking egg whites and granulated sugar over a simmering pot of water to make the meringue.

This allows the sugar to dissolve while the egg whites are heating up to make the meringue.

It is a good idea to use pasteurized egg whites if you are concerned with the raw egg whites in the recipe.

You then beat the egg whites and sugar until it has cooled down and stiff peaks have formed before beating the softened butter into the meringue.

Standmixer bowl with a batch of homemade Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting

 

Buttercream Frostings

There are a couple of options when it comes to making homemade cupcake frosting.

You will never go wrong with a homemade buttercream frosting.

Each type of buttercream frosting is delicious. Swiss Buttercream is silky smooth and is not as overpoweringly sweet like some of the other buttercream frostings.

If you don't like buttercream frosting because it tastes too sweet to you try making this Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting you will love it.

You can divide this recipe in half so you can test.

So the next batch of birthday party cupcakes you make will blow everyone's mind when they taste the best bakery-style cupcake frosting you made.

 

An overhead photo of three vanilla cupcakes frosted with Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting with Sweet Tooth Fairy

Other buttercream frostings you might like to try

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting: I topped Cadbury Creme Egg Cupcakes with homemade Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

Kaluha Buttercream Frosting: I topped Homemade Chocolate Cupcakes with homemade Kahlua Buttercream Frosting.

Pumpkin Spice Buttercream Frosting: I topped homemade Pumpkin Cupcakes with homemade Pumpkin Spice Buttercream Frosting.


How To Make Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Ingredients

  • 4 large egg whites (use pasteurized eggs)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • a pinch of salt
  • 3 sticks butter, cut into cubes, room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract or flavoring of choice

Directions

  1. Remove the butter from the refrigerator and while it is still cold cut into cubes with a sharp knife. Set aside.
  2. Separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs into a small bowl. Discard the yolks.
  3. Place the egg whites, 1 cup of granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt into a metal bowl that will nest inside one of your pots.
  4. Put about 3 inches of water in the bottom of the pot and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer.
  5. Nestle the bowl of egg whites, sugar, and salt on top the pot. You want the bowl to sit just above the water.
  6. Whisk the egg whites and sugar constantly. Do not stop whisking and do not walk away or the egg whites will cook and scramble ruining the recipe. Whisking will help the sugar and salt dissolve and keep the egg whites from getting too hot and cooking.
  7. Continually whisk until the egg whites have reached 140 F. degrees.
  8. Once the temperature of the egg whites has reached 140 F. degrees remove the bowl from the top of the pot and place the bowl on the counter.
  9. Use a hand-held mixer in the same bowl or pour the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the wire attachment.
  10. Beat the egg whites on high until cooled and stiff peaks have formed, about five minutes.
  11. Next, with the paddle attachment if using a stand mixer or the same beater blades if using a handheld add ⅓ of the cubed and softened butter to the bowl.
  12. Beat on high until all of the cubed butter has been incorporated into the meringue.
  13. Repeat adding ⅓ of the butter to the bowl and beating it in until all of the butter has been beat into the meringue.
  14. Add the extract and any gel food coloring you might be used to the bowl and beat on low until combined well with not streaks of color.
  15. Increase the speed of the mixer to high and beat the meringue frosting until the frosting is fluffy.
  16. It may take from 2 minutes to 5 minutes or longer depending on how soft the butter was.
  17. If frosting cooled cupcakes immediately fit a piping tip on a 16 or 18-inch decorator bag, fill it with frosting and decorate the cupcakes.
  18. Top with sprinkles if using so they adhere to the softened buttercream frosting.
  19. Refrigerate the frosted cupcakes until serving.
  20. Will frost 24 cupcakes.

Cupcakes decorated with Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Print the Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting Recipe below

 

Cupcakes decorated with Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Arlene Mobley - Flour On My Face

Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting Recipe for your party cakes and cupcakes. This sweet and creamy homemade buttercream frosting is the best homemade frosting when you are decorating cupcakes or cakes for special occasions.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 5 mins
Total Time 15 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24 servings
Calories 137 kcal

Ingredients  

  • 4 large egg whites (use pasteurized eggs)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • A pinch of salt
  • 3 sticks butter (cut into cubes, room temperature)
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract or flavoring of choice
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Instructions 

  • Remove the butter from the refrigerator and while it is still cold cut into cubes with a sharp knife. Set aside.
  • Separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs into a small bowl. Discard the yolks.
  • Place the egg whites, 1 cup of granulated sugar and a pinch of salt into a metal bowl that will nest inside one of your pots.
  • Put about 3 inches of water in the bottom of the pot and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat 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 egg whites and sugar constantly. Do not stop whisking and do not walk away or the egg whites will cook and scramble ruining the recipe. Whisking will help the sugar and salt dissolve and keep the egg whites from getting too hot and cooking.
  • Continually whisk until the egg whites have reached 140 F. degrees.
  • Once the temperature of the egg whites has reached 140 F. degrees remove the bowl from the top of the pot and place the bowl on the counter.
  • Use a hand-held mixer in the same bowl or pour the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the wire attachment.
  • Beat the egg whites on high until cooled and stiff peaks have formed, about five minutes.
  • Next, with the paddle attachment if using a stand mixer or the same beater blades if using a handheld add ⅓ 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 ⅓ of the butter to the bowl and beating it in until all of the butter has been beat into the meringue.
  • Add the extract and any gel food coloring you might be used to the bowl and beat on low until combined well with no streaks of color.
  • Increase the speed of the mixer to high and beat the meringue frosting until the frosting is fluffy. It may take from 2 minutes to 5 minutes or longer depending on how soft the butter was.
  • If frosting cooled cupcakes immediately fit a piping tip on a 16 or 18-inch decorator bag, fill it with frosting and decorate the cupcakes.
  • Top with sprinkles if using so they adhere to the softened buttercream frosting.
  • Refrigerate the frosted cupcakes until serving.

Recipe Expert Tips

  • Can be made up to a week ahead of time and refrigerated. If refrigerated allow to reach room temperature on the counter before using.
  • You can also quickly beat the room temperature frosting to add volume to the frosting after refrigeration.
  • Will frost 24 cupcakes.

Nutrition

Calories: 137kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 110mg | Potassium: 13mg | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 353IU | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg
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. Kim-madeinaday

    April 08, 2019 at 8:13 pm

    5 stars
    What a yummy version of Buttercream. Pinned! Thank you for sharing on Merry Monday! We hope you will join us again next week!
    Kim

    Reply
    • Arlene Mobley

      April 09, 2019 at 3:11 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you Kim. I hope you get a chance to try it!

      Reply

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Arlene Mobley Food & Lifestyle Blogger


Hi, I'm Arlene Mobley the cook & photographer here at Flour On My Face. I have been cooking for my family for over 35 years. I love sharing recipes to help busy families get dinner on the table. Learn more here

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