This is my favourite buttercream recipe. It can be flavoured in so many different ways. You can add pureed fruits, peanut butter, caramel, melted chocolate and so much more. It is easy to work with and is best eaten at room temperature. It is my go-to buttercream when covering cakes with fondant as it sets up hard in the fridge, which makes covering and smoothing fondant a piece of cake!!
Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- 2-¾ cups plus 3 tablespoons (20 oz.) granulated sugar
- 1-¼ cups (10 fl oz.) egg whites (I use liquid egg white)
- 2-½ cups (5 sticks; 20 oz.) room temperature unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- A pinch of fine salt
Method
- In the bowl of a standing mixer, thoroughly whisk together sugar, salt and egg whites.
- Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water. Make sure your bowl is not touching the water. Whisking constantly, heat the mixture until all the sugar crystals have dissolved and the mixture is hot to the touch.
- Put the bowl back in the mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until the mixture forms a stiff meringue and the bottom of the bowl comes to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
- Stop the mixer and replace the whisk attachment with the paddle attachment. I have seen bakers who will just leave the whisk attachment. Both work equally well in my opinion.
- Set the mixer to low speed and add the butter, a few cubes at a time. When all the butter is incorporated, turn the mixer to medium speed and beat until fluffy.
- Set the mixer to low speed and add the vanilla. Once the vanilla is incorporated, scrape the bowl and continue to mix on medium speed until you have a smooth, creamy texture. If the buttercream is too liquid, refrigerate until completely cool and stiff, then rewhip.
- You can use the buttercream immediately, store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days, or refrigerate it in an airtight container for three days. It freezes very well for 2 months.
- To use the buttercream after it has been refrigerated or frozen, bring to room temperature and rewhip till you have a smooth creamy texture.
Troubleshooting Guide to Swiss Meringue Buttercream (SMBC)
The buttercream is too soft and looks like a thick soup?
Don’t Panic!!! What has happened is the mixture is too warm. You can keep beating and eventually it will come together. But I prefer to put the bowl of Swiss Meringue in the fridge for about 10 minutes to cool. Then whisk the mixture again and it should come together.
The SMBC has curdled and looks like cottage cheese?
Oopps ! Again don’t panic!!! What has happened is your butter was too cold. To remedy at this point you can fill your sink with hot water and immerse the bottom of your bowl in the hot water, or you can use your hair dryer to heat the outside of the bowl!!! I know!!!! Believe me it works every single time. Now mix your SMBC and it will look perfect and fluffy in no time.
Make sure your butter is at room temperature before adding it to your egg mixture.
Here are some step by step pictures to give you an idea of what your buttercream should look like.
I have the egg white and sugar in my Kitchen Aid mixing bowl over a pot of simmering water on the stove. You want to keep whisking the mixture as it heats up and the sugar dissolves until it is hot to the touch.
With the whisk beater, whisk the hot egg white and sugar mixture until it cools to room temperature. The mixture should triple in volume and become stiff. After 10 minutes or so, your mixing bowl should feel warm to the touch.
After removing the whisk attachment and adding the paddle (“K beater”) I added my cubed butter piece by piece until it was all added. Here you can see the start of the butter cream coming together after all the butter has been incorporated.
The buttercream has come together beautifully and is ready for flavourings. You can also keep the buttercream in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two days or two months in the freezer.
