Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Silky smooth Swiss meringue buttercream frosting is not as sweet as an American-style buttercream making it perfect for filled layer cakes or extra sweet cakes! Step-by-step photos teach you how to bake this delicious frosting recipe.

This recipe was based on my chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream and Baileys Swiss meringue buttercream recipe. Both frostings I have indulged myself in numerous times but I felt I was missing a simple vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream from my repertoire. I recently also added a simple vanilla buttercream recipe too. That American-style buttercream is perfect for when you want a crusting buttercream.

Swiss meringue buttercream (SMB) is a perfect frosting to use for when you need a stable frosting. Because of the cooked egg whites it holds its shape really well, making it perfect for piping. Keep in mind on really hot days the frosting will still start to soften and melt as there is such a high butter content. If you are planning on serving a cake on a really hot day I would just store the cake in the fridge then take it out of the fridge an hour or so before serving so it has time to warm up back to room temperature.

Ingredients

• Large Egg Whites. Make sure no trace of egg yolk is in the mixture as that will ruin the meringue.
• Granulated Sugar. Make sure you measure your sugar correctly as it plays into the structure of the frosting, not just the sweetness.
• Unsalted Butter. Your butter needs to be softened to room temperature then cut into chunks. I cut my butter in half lengthwise then cut 5-6 pieces width to end up with about 10-12 pieces per stick of butter.
• Vanilla Bean Paste. You can totally use pure vanilla extract, I just prefer the look of the vanilla bean flecks throughout the frosting. Also, feel free to adjust to your preference, you may want a little more or a little less vanilla flavor!

For ingredient quantities please reference the recipe card below. On the recipe card there is a button for US or M (Metric) measurements.

Instructions

To start this icing recipe we need to make a meringue, which starts by cooking the egg whites and sugar. You don't want to cook the egg whites with direct heat though as that can scramble them! So cooking them via a bain-marie does the trick perfectly.

To create a Bain Marie take a small pot with a little water over low heat place a larger heatproof bowl on top making sure the bowl does not touch the water- the steam from the water will cook the mixture. Add the sugar and egg whites to the bowl and whisk until the mixture reaches about 150F/65C or the sugar has dissolved and the texture has slightly thickened and its foamy. You can check that the sugar has dissolved by rubbing it between your clean fingers.

If you rub the mixture between your fingers you should not feel the sugar granules. This should take about 3-5 minutes depending on how warm your stove is.  

Add the mixture to the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or to a large bowl with a handheld mixer, whisk on medium speed for 5-8 minutes until the mixture has cooled, it will look thick and glossy. If the mixture is still warm to the touch let the mixture sit and cool for 5 minutes or take a bag of frozen peas to place around the bowl to help it cool faster.

Next, add the butter chunks one at a time, the mixture may look curdled and you’ll think you’ve ruined it, keep mixing and it will become a lush smooth texture.

 If the butter looks like is separating and looks greasy- it could be because it's too warm so place the bowl in the fridge for 10-15 minutes then start mixing again.

Once you have a smooth buttercream add the vanilla bean paste and mix again until fully incorporated. 

Store the frosting at room temperature for up to two days. You can store the frosting in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month. If frozen, thaw in the fridge overnight then place on the counter for 1-3 hours to come to room temperature and remix until you have a beautiful smooth frosting again.

How to freeze

Swiss meringue buttercream is a perfect frosting to freeze and use at a later date. Once the frosting is made you can use it for up to 2 days at room temperature, unless you live in a very hot climate, then you should store it in a cool place or the fridge.

You can store the SMB in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or you can store it in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to a month. Thaw the frosting in the fridge overnight then thaw on the counter at room temperature for a couple of hours. Once the frosting has come back to room temperature rewhip it again to regenerate the silky smooth texture!

Can you double

If your bowl is big enough you can totally double the recipe. On the recipe card below there is a 2X button you can press to automatically double the ingredient quantities.

FAQ

More frosting recipes

For the best ultra-rich chocolate frosting check out my recipe, we love this one!

This whipped cream cheese frosting is perfect for a lighter, not as sweet frosting, kinda like how SMB isn't as sweet!

My peanut butter buttercream recipe is always a winner with chocolate cake!

★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!

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