Dessert & Treats Recipes Cake Recipes Fillings & Frostings Buttercream Frosting Recipes Swiss Meringue Buttercream 4.4 (363) Our ultra-silky all-purpose buttercream is perfect for cakes, cupcakes, and more. Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 5 mins Total Time: 25 mins Servings: 40 Yield: 5 cups Jump to recipe Swiss meringue buttercream is our favorite buttercream frosting—we use it in so many of our cake recipes. Swiss meringue is also the easiest type of meringue to perfect; it's not overly sweet and makes the most effortlessly beautiful swoops or piped designs wherever it is used. Our recipe only calls for four ingredients: egg whites, sugar, vanilla, and unsalted butter. We flavor the frosting with a splash of vanilla extract, but you can use almond or peppermint extract, citrus zest, or spices like cinnamon or cardamom, depending on the dessert you will be decorating. Once you try this recipe, it's sure to become your go-to, and you'll be using it as often as we do. Credit: Rachel Marek 31 Easy Cake Recipes Every Home Baker Will Love 3 Reasons 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 the 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 boiling 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, and bake it low and slow. French meringue is most commonly used to make pavlova. Swiss meringue: To make Swiss meringue, egg whites and sugar are warmed 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 a hot sugar syrup into egg whites. The heat from the syrup tempers, or cooks, the egg whites, which are whipped until glossy. 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, which can end up being pretty sweet. Directions Credit: 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). Credit: 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. Credit: Rachel Marek Credit: Rachel Marek Incorporate butter into meringue: With the 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. Credit: Rachel Marek By the time you add the final stick of butter, the 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. Credit: Rachel Marek Tint buttercream with food coloring: Before tinting buttercream, reserve some for toning down the color, if necessary. To the remaining buttercream, add gel-paste food coloring, a drop at a time (or use a toothpick or skewer to add food color a dab at a time). You can use a single shade of food coloring or experiment by mixing two or more. Credit: Rachel Marek Mix food coloring 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 coloring 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. Credit: Rachel Marek To subdue the colors of buttercream, whisk a pinprick worth of black food coloring into the mixture. How to Store Swiss Meringue Buttercream Transfer the frosting to airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. To use the frosting, let it return to room temperature, then beat it in a stand mixer on low speed until it is smooth again, about 5 minutes. Ways to Use Swiss Meringue Buttercream Piped onto cupcakes: Silky yet stable, Swiss meringue buttercream is ideal for piping onto cupcakes. Pair this vanilla-flavored version with classic vanilla cupcakes or use an equal amount of coffee extract in place of vanilla to top our one-bowl chocolate cupcakes for a mocha-inspired dessert. Spread onto cakes: Use this just-sweet-enough buttercream to frost cakes or spread between layers. Keep it simple with our no-fuss layer cake or work it into this show-stopping ombré dessert. Used as a filling: Creamy and rich without being dense, Swiss meringue buttercream makes the perfect filling for whoopie pies. A classic vanilla frosting go just as well with our banana whoopie pies as it would these two-bite chocolate ones. Ideas for Using Up All Those Egg Yolks After separating the eggs for this recipe, don't be tempted to toss the yolks! There are so many ways to use them, from savory sauces to sweet desserts. Make mayonnaise: If you've never made your own mayonnaise, it's time to give Martha's easy recipe a try. One taste and you may just never go back to the store-bought stuff. Cook them into custard: From this fruit-topped custard pie to our decadent chocolate pots de crème, egg yolks are the key ingredient to silky, rich-tasting custards. Churn them into ice cream: Many ice cream recipes call for egg yolks to create a base that's more creamy than icy, like our classic vanilla ice cream or this banana-caramel stunner. Frequently Asked Questions Does Swiss meringue buttercream need to be refrigerated? Yes, Swiss meringue buttercream needs to be refrigerated unless it's being used the same day that it is made. If you're using the buttercream on the same day, it can stay at room temperature. Otherwise, store it in the refrigerator or freezer to keep it from spoiling. Can you overbeat Swiss meringue buttercream? Yes, you can overbeat Swiss meringue buttercream. Ensure you follow the instructions in our recipe to avoid overwhipping. If it does happen, simply place the bowl of buttercream over a pot of simmering water for a few seconds at a time, mixing constantly. Can you fix Swiss meringue buttercream that won't stiffen? Yes, you can fix Swiss meringue buttercream that won't stiffen. If your frosting isn't stiffening up, it's likely because the meringue hasn't cooled enough before using or that the butter was too warm when it was incorporated into the frosting. To fix this issue, place the bowl of buttercream in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes until it starts to firm up a bit, then beat it for a minute or two in your stand mixer. Is Swiss meringue buttercream a good choice for piping? Yes, Swiss meringue buttercream is an excellent choice for piping. It holds its shape when used on everything from ruffles and fancy borders to flowers. Because of its stability and ease of working with, it is often the buttercream preferred by cake decorators. 5 More Frosting Recipes to Try Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting Basic Vanilla Buttercream Lemony Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting Seven-Minute Frosting Italian Meringue Buttercream Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.