Dessert & Treats Recipes Cake Recipes Fillings & Frostings Buttercream Frosting Recipes Italian Meringue Buttercream 4.1 (150) Less sweet than an American-style buttercream, this rich and creamy frosting might just become your new go-to. Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 10 mins Total Time: 25 mins Servings: 36 Yield: Makes 4 1/2 cups Jump to recipe Italian Meringue Buttercream is a creamy, rich-yet-fluffy frosting made by incorporating a hot sugar syrup into beaten egg whites, then gradually adding butter until it all comes together. Less dense and sweet than a traditional American-style buttercream—which is made primarily with butter and powdered sugar—it spreads beautifully onto cakes, cupcakes, and other baked treats. It also holds up better in warmer temperatures than other types of buttercream, making it an ideal option for outdoor parties. Though it may sound intimidating, with the right equipment and instructions, it’s easier than it looks and produces an all-around great base to dress up with additional flavors and colors. 31 Easy Cake Recipes Every Home Baker Will Love Credit: Johnny Miller Ingredients for Italian Meringue Buttercream Sugar: You'll need white granulated sugar for this recipe. A mixture of the sugar and water is boiled until it reaches what is known as the "soft-ball stage," which means that if a drop of the mixture were added to a bowl of cold water, it could be rolled into a soft ball. At this point, enough water has evaporated to reach a certain concentration of sugar suitable for making fudge, fondant, pralines, and, of course, meringue. Cream of tartar: This white, powdery substance is a byproduct of winemaking. It is often used to stabilize whipped egg whites and keep them from deflating, though it can also be used to add tanginess to a recipe, stabilize whipped cream, and retain the color of boiled vegetables. Egg whites: This recipe calls for five egg whites, which are whipped until stiff (with a little help from the cream of tartar above). To separate egg whites, use two egg shells, an egg separator, or your hands. Use up leftover egg yolks to make an emulsified sauce like mayonnaise or aioli, spaghetti carbonara, or as an egg wash for baked goods. Butter: The final step in making our Italian Meringue Buttercream recipe is to beat in cold, unsalted butter bit by bit until a smooth and creamy frosting forms. We recommend cutting the butter into small pieces to make it easy to add gradually, then popping it back into the refrigerator until ready to use. This will help ensure it stays nice and cold and doesn't melt when added to the other ingredients. Equipment for Italian Meringue Buttercream For Italian meringue buttercream success, it's crucial to have the following pieces of equipment at the ready: Small saucepan: You'll need a small saucepan (ideally 1-quart in size) to boil the sugar syrup on the stove. Using too large of a saucepan for this step will make it difficult to get an accurate temperature reading, so use the smallest one you have. Candy thermometer: A candy thermometer is essential for knowing when the sugar syrup you're cooking for the meringue reaches the appropriate temperature. While you can also use an instant-read thermometer for this step, we don't recommend using an analogue meat thermometer as it is not designed to reach such high temperatures. Electric mixer: You'll need to use an electric mixer to whip the egg whites while drizzling in the sugar syrup, and then subsequently incorporating the butter. A stand-mixer is ideal as it will free up both your hands, but a handheld mixer will also work. We do not recommend trying to make this recipe by hand. Room temperature egg whites whip up stiffer and glossier than cold ones, but cold eggs are easier to separate. For best results, separate eggs straight from the fridge, then let the whites come to room temperature before whipping. (You can also place the bowl of egg whites in a larger bowl of warm water for 5 minutes to help them gently warm up.) Directions Cook sugar syrup: In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar and 2/3 cup water to a boil. Continue boiling until syrup reaches 238°F on a candy thermometer (soft-ball stage). Beat egg whites; add cream of tartar: Meanwhile, place egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on low speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, and beat on medium-high speed until stiff but not dry; do not overbeat. Add syrup to whites with mixer running: With mixer running, add syrup to whites in a stream, beating on high speed until no longer steaming, about 3 minutes. Beat in butter gradually; add vanilla: Add butter bit by bit, beating until spreadable, 3 to 5 minutes; beat in vanilla. If icing curdles, keep beating until smooth. Variations Instead of vanilla, try adding other extracts to flavor the buttercream such as almond, lemon, or peppermint. You can also beat in freeze-dried fruit powder, such as raspberry or blueberry, to add color and flavor. Make Ahead Italian Meringue Buttercream can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Before using, let buttercream come to room temperature, then beat until smooth and spreadable. Storage Baked goods that are frosted with Italian Meringue Buttercream can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days. Be sure to let them come to room temperature before serving or else the buttercream will be very hard. Other Buttercream Recipes to Try: Basic Vanilla Buttercream Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting All-Natural Tinted Buttercream Coffee Buttercream Swiss Meringue Buttercream Billy's Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Strawberry Buttercream Frosting Coconut Buttercream Magnolia Bakery Vanilla Buttercream Frequently Asked Questions Why is my buttercream curdling while mixing? If your buttercream is curdling while mixing, it's possible the butter was too cold to adequately incorporate into the other ingredients. Continuing to beat the buttercream should help it smooth out but, if necessary, try holding your hands against the bowl to gently warm it or wetting a towel with warm water and wrapping it around the bowl for a few minutes. Why is my buttercream runny? If your buttercream is runny, it's possible that the egg whites weren't whipped until stiff enough, or the butter was too warm when it was added. Try putting the bowl in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to cool down the buttercream before mixing again. Why is my Italian meringue buttercream so hard after refrigerating? The large amount of butter in the buttercream will cause it to solidify when cold, resulting in a very hard texture that's unpleasant to eat. Let frosted baked goods come to room temperature before serving. Likewise, let refrigerated or frozen buttercream reach room temperature before re-beating until smooth and creamy. 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.