This Swiss meringue buttercream is a light, airy frosting made from egg whites, sugar, butter, and vanilla. It’s ideal for finishing a simple vanilla sheet cake or for sneaking a spoonful straight from the bowl.
A delicate vanilla cake deserves a refined buttercream, so this version uses the silky Swiss meringue method. Because vanilla is the star here, using real vanilla seeds will elevate the flavor. –Edd Kimber
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM AND REGULAR BUTTERCREAM?
Regular American-style buttercream is typically made from butter or shortening, confectioners’ sugar, and a bit of milk or cream. Swiss meringue buttercream, by contrast, begins with gently heated egg whites and sugar that are whisked into a glossy meringue before butter is incorporated. That extra step produces a more stable, exceptionally smooth buttercream with a less cloying sweetness and a more pronounced buttery flavor.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream
David Leite
Ingredients
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 3/4 cup superfine sugar (or finely ground granulated sugar)
- 2 sticks plus 1 tablespoon (8 1/2 oz) unsalted butter, diced and at room temperature
- Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla pod (*see notes)
- Pinch of salt
- Sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
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In a large heatproof bowl, combine the egg whites, cream of tartar, and sugar. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water (make sure the bowl’s bottom does not touch the water) and stir regularly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture feels hot to the touch, about 3 to 5 minutes.
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Remove the bowl from the heat and, using an electric mixer, whisk the mixture until it forms stiff, glossy peaks, about 7 to 10 minutes.
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With the mixer running, add the butter a piece or two at a time. Continue beating until the mixture transforms into a smooth, buttercream-like texture, about 4 to 6 minutes. If the mixture looks curdled at any point, keep beating; it will come together as the butter reaches the same temperature as the meringue.
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Gently beat in the vanilla seeds and a pinch of salt until fully incorporated.
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Use the buttercream to frost a cooled cake and decorate with sprinkles if desired. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature and rewhip briefly before using if necessary.
Notes
*What to do with the used vanilla pod
Don’t discard the scraped pod—there’s still plenty of flavor. Use it to infuse sugar, steep syrups, roast fruit, or to make homemade vanilla extract with vodka, bourbon, or rum.
Adapted From
One Tin Bakes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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Recipe Testers’ Reviews
This recipe passed multiple home-cook tests to earn Leite’s Culinaria’s approval.
Terry S.
This frosting is seductive, light, and velvety. The method is straightforward: once you reach stiff peaks, the butter turns the meringue into a silky buttercream. If your vanilla beans are dry, a teaspoon of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste works well as a substitute without compromising flavor.
Victoria Filippi
If you’re wary of Swiss buttercream, give it a try: it’s quick, forgiving, and delicious straight from the bowl. Using a stand mixer, Victoria achieved perfect silkiness in about seven minutes after reaching stiff peaks.