Swiss Meringue Buttercream

A deliciously elegant frosting that’s easier than you think and will make your baked goods absolutely fabulous, darling!

Why Swiss Meringue Buttercream Will Change Your Baking Game

If you’ve only ever made American buttercream (you know, the powdered sugar and butter concoction), prepare to have your world rocked. Swiss meringue buttercream is that sophisticated cousin who studied abroad in Paris and came back impossibly chic. It’s silky, smooth, not too sweet, and pipes like a dream!

As Ina would say, “How bad can that be?”

The Perfect Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipe

What you’ll need:

• 5 egg whites (separated with absolutely no yolk contamination!)
• 1½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
• 1 pound (2 cups/450g) room temperature butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
• Pinch of salt
• Flavoring of your choice (vanilla extract is classic, but the world is your oyster!)

Let’s Make Some Magic, Shall We?

Step 1: Create Your Double Boiler Fill a medium pot with about 2 inches of water and bring it to a simmer. Remember, darling, the water should NEVER touch the bowl – we’re using gentle steam heat here. If Jeffrey were helping, I’d tell him the same thing!

Step 2: Heat Those Eggs and Sugar Combine your egg whites and sugar in a clean, fat-free bowl. If you’re not sure your bowl is completely clean, wipe it with a bit of vinegar first. This is like making sure your guests have clean towels in the bathroom – it’s just good practice!

Whisk occasionally at first, then more frequently as it warms. You’re looking for the mixture to reach 160°F, where it will be completely safe to eat and all the sugar will be dissolved. No thermometer? No problem! It should feel quite hot to the touch (but not burning) and completely smooth when rubbed between your fingers – no sugar granules whatsoever.

Step 3: Whip It Good Transfer this hot, frothy mixture to your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on high speed. This is when the transformation happens – from frothy liquid to a gloriously fluffy meringue with stiff peaks. It’s like what happens to my hair in the Hamptons humidity, except this is actually desirable!

The mixture needs to cool to room temperature before adding butter. To speed things up, you can press frozen peas or an ice pack against the outside of the bowl. Genius, right?

Step 4: The Butter Ballet Once cooled to about room temperature (upper 70s to low 80s°F), switch to the paddle attachment and begin adding your butter, one tablespoon at a time, while mixing on low-medium speed.

Now, darling, this is where you must trust the process! The beautiful, fluffy meringue will deflate and might look like it’s completely ruined. You’ll have what appears to be a soupy mess. Do not panic! This happens to everyone, even in my East Hampton kitchen. Keep adding ALL the butter and keep mixing.

As if by magic, after all the butter is incorporated and mixed for another minute or two, it will suddenly transform into cloudlike, silky frosting that looks like something Michelangelo would paint on the Sistine Chapel ceiling. If it’s still soupy, just refrigerate for 5-10 minutes and mix again.

Troubleshooting Tips (Because Even Ina Has Kitchen Mishaps)

If your buttercream looks curdled: Keep mixing! It will come together.

If it’s too soupy: Pop it in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes, then mix again.

If you’ve stored it and it looks foamy: Give it a quick 30-second mix to restore that silky texture.

For vibrant colors: The secret is to melt a small portion of your buttercream in the microwave for 30 seconds, add your gel food coloring to that, then mix it back into the main batch. This prevents that washed-out pastel look when you’re going for bold colors.

Flavor It Any Way You Like

This is where you can really make it your own. Add vanilla extract for a classic flavor, or get creative with:

• Melted chocolate (which also helps stabilize the frosting!)
• Fruit preserves or purees
• Caramel or dulce de leche
• Brown butter (for a nutty, complex flavor)
• Liqueurs (a tablespoon of Grand Marnier is fabulous, darling)

Storage Tips

This frosting stores beautifully in an airtight container for up to:

• 1 week in the refrigerator
• 1 month in the freezer

Just remember to bring it to room temperature and give it a quick whip before using.

What Makes Swiss Meringue Special?

This elegant frosting is similar to Italian meringue buttercream but much safer to make (no 360°F sugar syrup to pour!). It’s perfect for decorating cakes and cupcakes because it holds its shape beautifully while remaining light and not too sweet.

One batch will frost a two or three-layer 8-inch cake, or about 24 cupcakes. And unlike American buttercream, you can eat more without feeling like you need to immediately schedule a dental appointment!

As I always say, “How simple is that?”

So the next time your cake needs that perfect finishing touch, skip the powdered sugar frosting and make this Swiss meringue buttercream instead. It’s like the difference between a casual weeknight dinner and a dinner party with your most fabulous friends!