How to Make Delicious Buttercream Frosting

Impress your family with a Swiss meringue buttercream frosting.

Swiss meringue buttercream might seem a little intimidating, but one taste and you'll never buy frosting from the store again. Use this frosting under fondant or as a standalone icing for cakes. Add coloring and flavors to dress it up any way you like. This buttercream isn't as sweet as some frostings, but it is quite versatile. You can keep this in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for one week or up to two months in the freezer. Just bring it to room temperature and then rewhip when you are ready to use.

Things You'll Need

• 1 cup pasteurized liquid egg whites
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 5 sticks butter, softened slightly and cubed
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• Candy thermometer

Instructions

1. Heat a couple of inches of water in a pan or the bottom of a double boiler. Keep the water just below a rolling boil. Whisk together the egg whites and sugar in a mixing bowl over the hot pan. Don't let the hot water touch the bottom of the bowl. Continue whisking until the candy thermometer shows the mixture has reached 140 F. Remove from the heat.

2. Use an electric mixer to whip the egg whites and sugar until the mixture forms stiff peaks, just as you would with a standard meringue. Continue beating the whites until the outside of the bowl no longer feels hot.

3. Add the cubes of butter a little at a time, beating constantly on a low setting. Continue mixing until the buttercream is completely smooth. This could take 20 minutes or more. The butter may collapse the meringue a little, but it will regain its volume as you continue to mix it.

4. Wait until the meringue looks completely smooth and shiny, and then you can use it to frost your dessert. If the meringue is runny, you can put it into the refrigerator for a few minutes and then continue whipping it. You may also need to add a bit more butter to adjust the consistency.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure your buttercream is mixed really well. Don't be afraid of over mixing! If you under-mix your buttercream it won't be as smooth.

References

• Sweetapolita: Swiss Meringue Buttercream Demystified
• Cakes Canada: How to Make Swiss Meringue Buttercream