Dessert & Treats Recipes Cake Recipes Fillings & Frostings Buttercream Frosting Recipes Swiss Meringue Buttercream 3.5 (621) 36 Reviews This all-purpose buttercream is perfect for piping onto cakes and cupcakes. By Martha Stewart Martha Stewart Martha Stewart is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and lifestyle expert who has taught millions of people through generations the joy of entertaining, cooking, gardening, collecting, crafting, and home renovating via her eponymous magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Emmy-winning television shows, and 99 books (and counting). Based in Katonah, N.Y., where she helms her 156-acre Bedford Farm, Martha is America's first self-made female billionaire. Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 22, 2023 Rate PRINT Share Yield: 5 cups Meringue is incredibly versatile, but our favorite way to use it is in an easy buttercream frosting. You’ll notice Swiss meringue buttercream in a lot of our dessert recipes for so many reasons: It’s the easiest meringue to perfect, not overly sweet, and makes the most effortlessly beautiful swoops. The ingredients for our Swiss meringue buttercream recipe are simple: egg whites, sugar, and unsalted butter. We flavor the frosting simply with a splash of vanilla extract, but you can add things like almond or peppermint extract, citrus zest, or spices like cinnamon. We know you’ll love using this frosting as much as we have over the years. Rachel Marek How to Choose the Right Type of Frosting for Your Wedding Cake Why We Love Swiss Meringue Buttercream Perfect texture: Swiss meringue buttercream's stable, silky smooth texture makes it very easy to work with. Everyone from experts to beginners will agree that this frosting is perfect for piping or swirling onto desserts.Not too sweet: Meringue itself is quite sweet, but the fat from butter perfectly balances out the sugar.Easy to execute: As far as meringue goes, Swiss meringue is probably the most foolproof. Cooking the egg whites and sugar makes it more stable than French meringue, and you don't have to deal with a boiling hot sugar syrup like Italian meringue. Types of Meringue French meringue: This is generally considered the simplest way to make meringue, since it doesn't require heat. All you have to do is whisk together the egg whites and sugar. French meringue is most commonly used to make pavlova. Swiss meringue: To make Swiss meringue, egg whites and sugar are warmed up together over a pot of simmering water just until the mixture is warm and you can't feel any sugar granules anymore. The mixture is then slowly whisked into stiff peaks. Italian Meringue: Italian meringue is made by slowly drizzling hot sugar syrup into egg whites. The heat from the syrup tempers, or cooks, the egg whites, which are whipped until glossy. Italian Meringue, Swiss Meringue, and French Meringue: How Are They All Different from One Another? Swiss Meringue vs. American Buttercream Typical American buttercream is made by beating butter and confectioners' sugar together until smooth and creamy. On the other hand, Swiss meringue buttercream incorporates softened butter into fluffy meringue. It is light, silky, and less dense than American buttercream. Ingredients 5 large egg whites 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar Pinch of salt 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, room temperature 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract Directions Rachel Marek Warm egg whites, sugar, and salt: Combine egg whites, sugar, and salt in the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved (the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips). Rachel Marek Whisk meringue: Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, whisk until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes. Rachel Marek Rachel Marek Incorporate butter into meringue: With mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all butter has been added, whisk in vanilla. Rachel Marek By the time you add the final stick of butter, buttercream may start to look curdled. Return bowl to sit over simmering water for a minute or two (do not stir). Then place bowl on mixer and continue beating. Use paddle attachment and beat until frosting is smooth: Switch to the paddle attachment, and continue beating on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl with a flexible spatula, and continue beating until the frosting is completely smooth. Rachel Marek Tint buttercream with food coloring: To tint buttercream, reserve some for toning down the color, if necessary. Add gel-paste food color, a drop at a time (or use the toothpick or skewer to add food color a dab at a time) to the remaining buttercream. You can use a single shade of food color or experiment by mixing two or more. Rachel Marek Mix food color into buttercream: Blend after each addition with the mixer (use a paddle attachment) or a flexible spatula, until desired shade is achieved. Avoid adding too much food color too soon, as the hue will intensify with continued stirring; if necessary, you can tone down the shade by mixing in some reserved untinted buttercream. Rachel Marek To subdue the colors of buttercream, whisk a pinprick worth of black food coloring into the mixture. Variation: Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream For Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream follow the recipe above. In step 3, use a flexible spatula, to fold 4 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled, into the buttercream mixture along with the vanilla extract. Storing Swiss Meringue Buttercream: If you plan to use the buttercream the same day, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave it at room temperature. Otherwise, transfer the frosting to airtight containers and refrigerate for up to three days or freeze for up to one month. Return to room temperature and beat in a stand mixer on low speed until smooth again, about five minutes. Rachel Marek Frequently Asked Questions Does Swiss meringue buttercream need to be refrigerated? If you're using the buttercream on the same day, it can stay at room temperature. Otherwise, store it in the refrigerator or freezer. Can you overbeat Swiss meringue buttercream? Yes. Swiss meringue buttercream can be whipped for too long. This usually happens when the mixture becomes too cool, and it will start to look curdled and greasy. To fix this, simply place the bowl of buttercream over a pot of simmering water for a few seconds at a time, mixing constantly. Once the frosting starts to homogenize, you can transfer it to the stand mixer and beat it with the paddle attachment until smooth again. Why won't my Swiss meringue buttercream stiffen? If your buttercream is too soft, it is either because the meringue didn't cool enough, or the butter was too warm when it was incorporated into the frosting. Pop the bowl of buttercream into the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes until it starts to firm up a bit. Place it on the stand mixer and beat it for a minute or two until it becomes more sturdy. More Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipes Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting Passion Fruit Swiss Meringue Buttercream John's Almond Swiss Meringue Buttercream Lemony Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting Brown Sugar Swiss Meringue Buttercream Rate It PRINT Updated by Riley Wofford Riley Wofford Riley is an associate food editor for Martha Stewart Living.