Make perfect Swiss meringue buttercream frosting from scratch with this easy step-by-step tutorial. Light, fluffy, and just sweet enough, Swiss meringue frosting is the “fancy” cupcake topping you never knew you needed.
Why You’ll Love This Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipe
It’s no secret that I love buttercream frosting. Whether it’s piped on top of cupcakes or otherwise, I can’t get enough. Swiss meringue buttercream (SMBC) frosting is a stable, lightly sweet frosting made from cooked egg whites and butter. If you’ve never made it before, let this tutorial be your guide. Here’s why you’ll fall in love:
Irresistible texture. This homemade Swiss meringue frosting is rich and silky, with gorgeous glossiness from whipped egg whites in the base. It makes all my baked goods feel special without really trying.
Not too sweet. I love that the flavor in this frosting is sweet, but not cloying as some buttercream recipes can be. It’s just sweet enough, perfect for finishing your favorite cakes and cupcakes.
Easy to make. Don’t let the idea of from-scratch frosting intimidate you. Perfect Swiss meringue buttercream isn’t just for the pros! It’s way easier than you’d think, and I’m here to walk you through it, step-by-step. You only need 4 ingredients.
What You’ll Need
The difference between American buttercream and Swiss meringue buttercream comes down to texture and flavor. Classic vanilla buttercream is richer and sweeter, while SMBC is silky and light, and a little less sweet than its American cousin.
A lot of that has to do with the ingredients, which I’ll go over here. Scroll down to the recipe card for a printable list with full recipe details.
Eggs – You’ll need only the whites to make your meringue.
Sugar – Regular granulated sugar works best.
Butter – I use salted butter as a personal preference, but unsalted is perfectly fine, too. Whichever you choose, make sure to take your butter out of the fridge about 30 minutes ahead of time so that it comes to room temperature. Cutting the butter into cubes helps it soften quicker, and you’ll also need to do it anyway since you’ll be adding the butter to the frosting a little at a time.
Vanilla – Use real vanilla for the best flavor. I substituted vanilla extract with an equal amount of vanilla bean paste (it makes small flecks in the frosting, like in the photos).
How to Make Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting
Making Swiss meringue buttercream isn’t overly complicated, but it is more tricky than, say, my 2-ingredient chocolate frosting (and totally worth it). I’ll show you how to whip your frosting correctly and avoid buttercream soup! Here’s a step-by-step tutorial, and you’ll find printable instructions in the recipe card below the post.
Heat the egg whites. First things first, you’ll add egg whites and sugar to a double boiler. This is easy to step up with a heat-proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water (make sure the bowl and water aren’t touching). Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves. The egg whites should feel smooth, not grainy if you rub them between two fingers.
Heat the sugar and egg whites.Whip the egg whites into stiff peaks.
Whip the egg whites. Take the bowl off the heat, and get whisking. You can also do this with a stand mixer. Start slowly, and beat faster until stiff peaks start to form. This step can take a while, but stick with it.
What are stiff peaks? In a nutshell, stiff peaks are peaks that don’t droop. When whipping your egg whites for this frosting, after several minutes, you should start to see glossy, upright peaks start to form in the meringue. When you lift the whisk, the meringue should look smooth and stiff, and hold its sharp points without falling.
Add the butter, one tablespoon at a time.Beat everything together until smooth.
Finish the frosting. Beat in the butter a little at a time, then add vanilla. If you’re using a stand mixer, switch to a paddle attachment. Otherwise, use a spoon or spatula, stirring gently to work out any air bubbles in the frosting. This last step is important to get the frosting to a smooth consistency (see the photo comparison below).
Frosting after the butter is added.Frosting after mixing with the paddle attachment.
Ways to Use It
How easy was that? With your Swiss meringue buttercream ready for piping or spreading, there’s more than one way to put it to use:
Cakes and cupcakes. This recipe makes enough frosting to cover an 8” layer cake. I use it to frost my Neapolitan cake, and it’s just as delicious for topping a batch of confetti cupcakes and pretty much any cake or cupcake recipe. I’ve been dying to try it on my cannoli layer cake!
Flavors. I make a strawberry variation for my strawberry cupcakes. You can also add cocoa powder to make chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream. Or, try my marshmallow frosting for a version of Swiss meringue buttercream that tastes just like fluffy marshmallows! Feel free to add other flavoring extracts in place of vanilla, like lemon, almond, cake batter, orange, coconut, etc.
Colors. Just like any other vanilla frosting, this SMBC can be colored for all sorts of themes and occasions. I recommend adding a small amount of gel food dye at a time until you achieve your desired colors.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream Troubleshooting
Why does my Swiss meringue buttercream taste only like butter?
Butter is a main ingredient in buttercream recipes (hence the name), but if you’re not after such a strong flavor in your frosting, try using unsalted butter. I love salted butter, but it can give off a saltier, more noticeable taste. When using unsalted butter, adjust the vanilla and add in a pinch of salt to taste.
What happens if I over-whip Swiss meringue buttercream?
It takes about 10 minutes to whip the warm egg whites into stiff peaks, and the key is to stop whipping once those peaks form. Overwhipped egg whites can deflate. Deflated egg whites = grainy, soupy meringue. Do your best to avoid it.
What happens if I add the butter too early?
Your meringue should be fluffy and forming stiff peaks before you add in the butter. At this point, it should also be well-cooled. Adding butter to warm meringue will cause the butter to melt, and the frosting will be runny.
Why is my Swiss meringue buttercream not holding shape?
If the reasons above aren’t the cause of your Swiss meringue buttercream losing its shape, it could be because the butter you used wasn’t at room temperature. Room temperature isn’t soft or mushy, and it should feel cool to the touch. Too cold, and your buttercream will curdle. Too warm, and it won’t hold its shape.
How can I fix soupy buttercream?
The good news is, if your Swiss meringue buttercream breaks or turns out a little runny, it is possible to fix it. Place the whole mixing bowl (frosting and all) into the fridge to chill. I even leave the mixer attachment in the bowl so that it can chill, too. After 5 minutes, take the frosting out and slowly beat it, and you should start to see it smooth out.
Storing and Freezing
Refrigerate. If you’re using your frosting the same day, it’s fine to leave it covered at room temperature until you’re ready to frost. Otherwise, this Swiss meringue buttercream should be stored airtight and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze. Store the buttercream in an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 1 month. Thaw the frosting to room temperature and whip it again before using.
More Frosting Recipes
This post was updated in 2024 with detailed images and tips to make perfect Swiss meringue buttercream every time!
Make perfect Swiss meringue buttercream frosting from scratch! This easy step-by-step tutorial makes light and fluffy SMBC that’s just sweet enough. It adds a silky, fancy touch to any cakes and cupcakes!
5 large egg whites
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 pound (4 sticks) butter, cut into tablespoons, at room temperature (see note)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Combine egg whites and sugar into the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer set over a pan of simmering water, much like a double boiler. Whisk constantly by hand until the mixture is sugar has dissolved (the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips, no grainy sugar), approx 2 minutes.
Put mixing bowl on mixer and using the whisk attachment start mixing. Begin on low, raising the speed up to medium high. Beat until stiff peaks form, about 10 minutes.
Now add your butter, 2 tablespoons at a time. Beating on medium until each addition of butter is added.
Now add your vanilla.
Remove the whisk attachment and replace it with your paddle attachment.
Mix with paddle for 2 minutes on low speed working out the air bubbles.
Notes
I use salted butter as a personal preference. You can use unsalted butter if you prefer.
Makes enough frosting to fill and frost one 8″ layer cake.
