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If you’re looking for a delicious, not overly-sweet, slightly leveled-up buttercream, look no further than the Swiss Meringue Buttercream!
Swiss buttercream is like the classier and more refined older sister to American buttercream.
It’s less sweet than American buttercream, so it’s a terrific option for frosting cakes, cupcakes, fill French macarons, and more!
While it can seem a little intimidating to make, I’m here to show you it is TOTALLY doable.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream is definitely easier than you might think, and it’s actually very forgiving.
My favorite part is that it is a perfect blank canvas for ANY flavor additions. I’ve listed a bunch below to get you started.
I’ve created a video inside the recipe card below so you can actually see what each stage is supposed to look like, with tips and tricks along the way in case you are worried you messed up somewhere along the way!
How to Make Swiss Meringue Buttercream
What is Swiss Meringue Buttercream?
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream (aka SMBC) is made by whipping a mixture of egg whites and sugar that has been gently heated in a double boiler until the sugar dissolves and the eggs are cooked.
- The egg white mixture is then whipped up into a beautiful glossy meringue.
- Cubes of butter are then gradually added to the meringue, then flavor ingredients.
- It’s more complicated than American buttercream, but is so delicious and the texture is so silky smooth that it’s well worth the extra steps, especially for special occasions!
What’s the Difference Between Swiss and American Buttercream?
- American Buttercream is basically a combination of beaten butter, powdered sugar, and flavoring(s).
- It is by far the simplest and easiest buttercream, but can often have a very sweet one-note flavor profile.
- Check out my recipe for American Buttercream here, for a quicker, slightly sweeter but equally delicious buttercream.
Are There Other Types of Buttercream?
- Italian Meringue: Similar to Swiss, but a little more complex. Italian Meringue Buttercream is made by cooking a sugar syrup and carefully drizzling this into an egg white mixture.
- French Buttercream: Similar again, but French Buttercream contains egg yolks instead of egg whites. It can be the most difficult to make, as it requires cooking a hot syrup, then drizzling this into egg yolks, which can scramble easily. It’s ultra-rich and smooth but may result in the consumption of raw eggs.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream Tools
- Candy Thermometer: For ensuring your egg white/sugar mixture has reached the correct temperature. An instant-read thermometer will also work.
- Whisk: For whisking the egg white/sugar mixture constantly throughout heating.
- Stand Mixer: The best tool for SMBC! While this can be done with a handheld electric mixer, I don’t recommend it as it will take much longer.
- Piping Bags: For piping your perfect Swiss meringue buttercream onto your cake or cupcakes.
- Piping Tip: This Ateco #825 star tip is my favorite piping tip.
Flavor Customization Ideas
Feel free to get creative here! Add more or less depending on your preferences, and even combine two flavor ideas for something more unique. Be sure to taste as you go, and add a little more flavoring as needed. If you’re adding a liquid, be sure to add it slowly, in tablespoon-sized increments. If you get a little heavy-handed, see the note above about curdling.
- Vanilla Bean: Add 2 tablespoons pure vanilla bean paste or the scraped seeds from 1 bean.
- Chocolate: Add 2/3 cup cooled melted chocolate
- Mocha: Add 3/4 cup sifted cocoa powder and 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- Raspberry or Strawberry: Add 2/3 cup seedless raspberry or strawberry preserves + red food coloring if desired
- Almond: Add 1 teaspoon almond extract
- Nutella, Peanut Butter, or Cookie Butter: Add 3/4 cup to buttercream
- Mint: Add 1 teaspoon peppermint extract + green food coloring if desired
- Lemon or other citrus: Add 2 tablespoons fresh zest and 3 tablespoons fresh juice
- Hazelnut: Add 1 teaspoon hazelnut extract
- Coffee: Dissolve 1 tablespoon espresso powder in 2 tablespoons hot water and add in at the very end
- Caramel or Dulce de Leche: Add 3/4 cup to buttercream
- Brown Sugar: Substitute the white sugar for brown sugar in the recipe.
- Spiked: Add 2 tablespoons flavored liqueur such as Chambord, Kahlua, or Bailey’s.
Recipes Perfect for This Buttercream:
-
5
large (150 grams) egg whites
-
1 1/4
cups
(250 grams) granulated sugar
-
3
sticks (340 grams) unsalted butter,
at room temperature
-
2
teaspoons
pure vanilla extract
-
1/4
teaspoon
fine salt
-
Wipe the bowl of an electric mixer with a paper towel and lemon juice or vinegar, to remove any trace of grease. Make a double boiler by placing the mixer bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
-
Add the egg whites and sugar to the bowl, whisking constantly but gently, until the temperature reaches 160°F, or until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot and foamy. Carefully wipe the bottom of the bowl dry.
-
Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and begin to whip, until the meringue is thick, glossy, and stiff peaks are achieved. The bottom of the bowl must no longer feel warm to the touch. This should take about 7 to 10 minutes.
-
Switch over to paddle attachment and, with mixer on low speed, add the butter cubes, one at a time, until incorporated. Continue beating until it has reached a silky smooth texture. This may take several minutes.
-
If the buttercream curdles, simply keep mixing and it will come back together and be smooth. If the buttercream is too thin and runny, refrigerate for about 15 minutes before continuing mixing with the paddle attachment until it comes together. Add the vanilla and salt, continuing to beat on low speed until well combined.
-
Add additional flavors, purees, or mix-ins as desired.
To make ahead:
-
Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let come to room temperature and beat on low with the paddle attachment, until creamy, before using.
To use under fondant:
-
Frost the cake as smoothly as possible. Place in the refrigerator until the buttercream has hardened before covering in fondant. Cover with fondant straight from the refrigerator.
This makes enough frosting to generously frost a 9-inch two-layer cake or about 2 dozen cupcakes. This recipe can easily be doubled.
Please don't panic if the frosting looks curdled as you mix in the cubed butter and/or flavorings. Just keep mixing and it will eventually come back together and look creamy and smooth again.
This recipe was originally created in 2015 and was recently updated with more recipe tips and FAQs.
Tips for the Perfect Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Cooking the egg whites/sugar: Don’t be tempted to crank the heat up too high. Allow the water in your double boiler to just simmer, to slowly raise the temperature of the egg whites and sugar without cooking your egg whites.
- Whisk constantly: If you stop whisking, the egg whites can cook on the sides and bottom of the bowl. Keep the mixture moving, to prevent chunks of scrambled eggs from ending up in your buttercream.
- Whipping speed: Once you move your bowl to the mixer, start whipping slowly and increase the speed as the mixture thickens. I stop increasing the speed once it’s on medium-high. This allows the air to slowly be incorporated into the meringue, to create a stable base, and also allows the bowl time to cool before proceeding with adding the butter.
- You want stiff peaks: Ensure your meringue has reached stiff peaks before adding the butter. Medium peaks won’t result in a thick, luscious buttercream. Stiff peaks are sharp points in meringue that don’t bend or droop.
- Ensure your bowl is completely cool before adding the butter: If your meringue or the bowl are at all warm, the butter will melt and you’ll end up with a soupy buttercream. Don’t add the butter until the bowl is completely cool and back to room temperature.
- Curdling isn’t a big deal: It’s normal and totally okay if your buttercream looks separated, curdled, or chunky while the butter incorporates. It might happen again when you add your flavorings, especially if they’re liquidy. Don’t worry! Keep mixing with the paddle attachment and it will come back together eventually, becoming a super creamy, smooth buttercream.
- If your SMBC contains air bubbles: Mix on your mixer’s lowest speed for a few minutes, or even mix by hand with a rubber spatula for a few minutes, to smooth out the buttercream and pop those pesky air bubbles.
I love your SMBC but am having trouble with my colours changing, pink turns peach, blue turns green etc.
I know it’s because of the yellow butter but how do I avoid?
tessa with swiss merigue buttercream can you make buttercream roses or flowers thank you for your comment.
Happy New Year Tessa. Made my first Swiss meringue with my first kitchen aid mixer I got for Christmas. Turned out so thick had trouble piping. What happened? Put it n you marble cake posted recently, making cupcakes. New Wilton silicone liners made them too small and turned out dry. Sad. Frosting tasted good but not fluffy? Any suggestions?
Meringue came out perfect – not used a double boiler before – however ended up throwing it all away. Once the butter was added it curdled, or so I thought, so I beat it like a woman possessed. No change at all.
It was the consistency of runny jelly so I cooled it, but nothing! Waste of time and good ingredients. Obviously I did something wrong but I can’t figure out what?
Hi Tessa, thanks so much for sharing! I’m hoping to make a three tier or two tier wedding cake..plan to use Swiss meringue buttercream. Would it be essential to use the same bowl that I’m heating up egg whites and sugar to whip it up? My electric mixer uses a plastic bowl so thinking of transferring heated egg whites mixture to it to whisk.
Hi! I tried this recipe and is super delicious! But since I live in Puerto Rico, the heat keeps melting it too fast! It wont allow me to pipe not even cupcakes, it acts like whipped cream. Do you have any suggestions??
I just stumble upon your buttercream guide, and i must confess that watching your video has immensely improved my skills on buttercream. Indeed, I am grateful for sharing these videos that have helped a beginner like me.
However, my question is thus: What alternative can you recommend for someone that doesn’t have electric mixer?.
Hi tessa. I’m just wondering how to leave the smbc white after it comes to room temp after being in the fridge. My batch went yellow and it was really soft
The comments on this made me laugh, seriously stick to the recipe, and follow EVERY instruction, from making sure there is no grease to weighing every ingredient and you will have the perfect buttercream! I have used this recipe over 100 times and it never failed me… I double and triple the portions (kitchen aid stand mixer) and before I add the butter I measure out 3 equal bowls of the cooked and whipped egg whites, then whisk them up individually with the butter and add different flavours, it saves so much time!
I just tried this recipe and it was amazing. Search for the best swiss meringue buttercream is over. Next time I’m going to try it with the flavours. Thank you so much for this recipe
This looks amazing. But i do have a question… im trying to find a recipe for a buttercream that isnt made with powered sugar, but that also doesnt have to be kept cool. My italian buttercream melts every time… help!
Holy cow! This turned out awesome. Better than other recipes / blogs I’ve followed before.
I think my search is over!
I love that you included flavoring options. I used 1/4 teaspoon espresso powder for every cup of buttercream and it’s perfect.
Roughly what’s size cake will this recipe cover?
I have always been in love with the icing at my favourite local bakery… but never knew what kind of black magic they used to create their cravable icing.
For my own cakes I usually use a whipping cream base frosting, but I was baking today with my kids and started searching the web for a not to sweet icing… I thought I’d give this a try, low and behold THIS is the icing the bakery uses!!!
I couldn’t be happier.
Hi Tessa,
What went wrong!
I tried this recipe this weekend and what a disaster. I followed the direction exactly. Some of my sugar granular never dissolved. I used a digital thermometer and measured to 160F, and some of the sugar crystalized on the side of the mixing bowl. After whipping the egg white and sugar for about 30 minutes, it turned out looking like whipped butter. I just can’t imagine anyone frosting a cake with whipped butter. It showed very little evidence of egg white in the mixture. I was very excited to try this recipe, but what a disappointment.
Hi and thanks for all your work perfecting and posting your recipes! I’m really excited to try this buttercream with your chocolate cupcakes for the first time this week. However, my stand mixer has a metal bowl. Do you recommend using the metal bowl over the double boiler or should I use a different glass bowl and transfer? Either way, does this affect the timing of the other instructions, like how long to whisk the egg whites? I saw a couple others ask similar questions, but no answers posted from you yet. Hope you can help! Thanks!
how long they last outside on cakes
especially in hot weather
Whelp, I just made this recipe with the addition of almond flavoring, and…..it turned out great! I was afraid my butter was too soft, but it went through every stage you showed in the video. Gotta be honest, I can’t decide which was scarier, the thin, runny stage or the curdled stage. Thanks so much for the recipe and the video showing all of it. Can’t wait to ice my mom’s birthday cake. She’ll be 89 tomorrow, July 4th, and still living by herself and playing golf even after breaking her pelvis in 3 places this time last year!
Blessings…
@Elena Carrara : you need to beat it more and on a slightly higher speed then it will thicken up. HTH
@Lalruatsanga: Yes I do as my mixer bowl is glass with a thick metal ring on the base and it takes and age to cool down so I use another bowl and tip the into my mixer’s bowl after ‘cooking’ HTH
If we could get an answer on the melting though that would be great 🙂
I love this recipe, its like eating a cloud! So light and fluffy sweet but not too sweet.
I wonder if you could help me with a problem I’m having – I use this under fondant and i’m having problems with it after it comes from the fridge, it becomes soft quickly and my first attempt ended with slight bulging (I only do a thin crumb coat)
Am I doing anything wrong to cause this?
Thanks in advance
Can I use an any own mixing bowl to place over the shimmering water not to touch it when whisking?? Because I didn’t own a mixer bowl specified at my home !
I made this buttercream to decorate the top of a chocolate cake and it was absolutely delicious! it took a bit long to make because I don’t own a stand mixer, but it turned out well:) the only problem I had was the consistency, which wasn’t as thick as I expected, but apart from that this recipe was a success! I wonder if Tessa can explain why the consistency was rather thin:) have a nice day!!
Hi! May i ask why do you have to switch over to the paddle attachment when you add the butter? Will there be a difference in the buttercream if i continue to use the whisk attachment? I want to understand the science behind this
I think it is because the paddle attachment helps get the air bubbles out, so it is smoother when you pipe it or spread it on.
Hey i tried your swiss buttercream recipe and let me tell you its not at all easy to work with…i used it for piping rosettes and they were not at all stable but kept drooping all the time..please tell me what went wrong. .plus I did refrigerate it couple of times but every time it was out othe fridge it started to melt
Hi great video! Thank you !
I was wondering if i could use pasteurized egg whites from a carton? If yes, do i need to heat it up or can I use it at room temperature?
Thanks
Hi i was wondering if i could use pasteurized liquid egg whites from carton? If yes, do i do the same steps(heating egg whites with sugar)?
Thank you
Hi Tessa,
I want to use the swiss meringue buttercream for a cake decorating competition that i have to decorate at the venue. Can it withstand temp of 30- 32 C ? Or what other alternative can i use ?
Ive just discovered this recipe. I always make normal buttercream and then regret it as my cakes are always too sweet and sickly. Your icing (Swiss meringue) is absolutely delicious…. i left out the vanilla and salt and used my favourite butter, Lurpak. It’s so silkly, light and buttery and a lovely pale colour. Straightforward to make and good to pipe. My husband is licking the bowl now. Thank you so much. I will always choose to put in the little extra effort to make this in the future.
I have used this recipe a few times. Tonight, the butter got too cold and caused a soupy mess with little specs of butter. First off, I forgot to switch to the paddle attachment so I made that change immediately. Then, i had to whip it for what seemed like eternity. It gets to the point where it is a mass like butter but sweet. I decided to keep whipping it at medium high speed for another 15 minutes plus. The butter finally warmed up a bit and I eventually had the best-textured, fluffiest and divine tasting frosting yet! If it gets soupy – just keep beating. Might take 25 – 30 minutes. Also, it tastes wonderful on this white cake recipe I found. It is a combo made in cupcake heaven:
https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/tender-white-cake-recipe
This will only work if you use fresh eggs and not egg whites from a box. Egg whites from a box will not whip stiff enough. If you are using them add 1/4 of a teaspoon of cream tartar per egg white, 5 for this recipe. Otherwise you will end up with a ‘soup’. I also had to watch while adding butter and was able to add half the portion before I started to notice the butter turning into ‘soup’.
Hello, I need to make a cake 2 days before the event and drive 6 hours with it. How do you suggest I store the cake before transporting it? It will have swiss meringue buttercream flowers decorations. Will it hold up?
Tessa,
Sorry, I thought of a third question. If the swiss meringue won’t stay nice in hot and humid weather, can you do half butter/half shortening to make it more stable? Thanks again!!
Stephanie
Tessa,
I have two questions. I am baking cupcakes for a wedding in the middle of September in Eastern PA. My first question is how does your Swiss Meringue Buttercream hold up in the heat if it’s still 80 degrees and humid in Sept? The second question can I use the flavor ideas you have posted under how to make perfect buttercream for the swiss meringue buttercream recipe? Thanks so much and I hope to hear from you soon!
Stephanie
hi mine went a bit lumpy and could still see butter bits what do I do?
Thank you for your tutorial. You broke it down well. One question: I want to make this passionfruit flavored. Can I use passionfruit fruit juice? And how much? I have no clue what’s the best way to flavor it. Thank you in advance.
I tried making swiss meringue buttercream using only hand mixer but it is very soft as in runny. My hand mixer don’t have paddle attachment, i only used the whisk. What could be the problem?? I followed every single step in the video.Thank you.
Tessa,
I’m making monster cupcakes and smash cake, which of the buttercream would you recommend the Italian or the Swiss? I need it to be stiff enough that monster ” fur” stays stiff.
can you use the pasteurized egg whites that come in a carton for this swiss meringue buttercream?
I generally find the best texture comes from fresh egg whites!
One more question. How does it do under fondant?
Hi. I only have a standard mixer. Can I still make this work? I’m tired of sickeningly sweet buttercream.
Thanks in advance!
Hello Tessa, first of all, thank you for taking me up in your comunity.
In Germany you have a very very good type of buttercream, made with custard.
I find it lighter than pure buttercream.
You prepare a custard (normally in Germany you use a powder, but you can prepare it all homemade), but with more sugar, when that is cold enough, you mix it and add, always mixing, butter at room temperature.
Try it, you can eat ten times the quantity of normal buttercream without feeling heavy… 😀
Hi Tessa
Thank you for sharing your recipe. I used it for a naked cake, it looked spectacular and tasted delicious.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE swiss meringue buttercream, it changed my life and it gives my cake a more delish taste. but i wanna ask what do u do with the egg yolks, i tried making pastry creme but it turned too runny i guess i want it fluffier for filling a cake, because it kind of melted in my cake
Hi Tessa,
I wanna give a try of your SMBC recipe, but might need to mix it with shortening as I need to let the cake out at diff room temperature and scared that without shortening it’ll melt easily.
Any suggestions for the one mix with shortening? And lastly, can I do the double boiler using another bowl and transfer it to the stand mixer after instead of using my stand mixer bowl directly?
Thanks a lot!
Hey Tessa, me going to make this for my daughter’s 11 the birthday cake next week. I was wondering if I can use salted butter instead? Thanks it look goot!
I have been looking for a stable frosting, is this frosting good with humid weather?
Thanks!
Would the use of powdered egg whites work ok in this recipe?
Thanks
Just made a batch for the first time. This is awesome! Thank you for sharing a great recipe & a good tutorial!
I live in FL and room temp is 75 degrees, is that too warm for room temp butter? Also, after I make frosting for cupcakes, I can refrigerate but they will be sitting out, through out party, will the frosting melt at 75degress?
I LOVE your blog and this video was fantastic! I’m a visual learner and it makes things so much easier and clearer. Also, all the ways to change the flavor of the icing was wonderful as well. You are such a lovely young woman as well as a very talented baker and writer!
Hey! Thanks for this awesome recipe- it’s my favorite and new go-to!
I’m making lemon blueberry cupcakes for an outdoor party in June, but I’m afraid the lemon cream cheese frosting won’t hold up in the heat, especially since it was difficult to pipe in 50 degree weather. I was wondering if cream cheese could be added to the meringue, instead of or in addition to the butter, to make it like a cream cheese swiss meringue frosting. Thank you!
Hi! I’m so glad to hear that! I’ve never tried to add cream cheese to SMB but I’ve seen someone else do it: http://thedomesticgoddesswannabe.com/2014/07/cream-cheese-swiss-meringue-buttercream/
Good luck!
Hi, on the swiss meringue I can add any flavour I want like Mint, mocha?
Hi. Can you tell me if there is a particular type of chocolate to add for the swiss buttercream? Recipe calls for 2/3 cup cooled melted chocolate. I have Merckens milk chocolate disks. Would this work?
Sure!
I was wondering if you have used this to make a cream cheese frosting? My cream cheese frosting always comes out runny and I’m looking for a stiffer cream cheese frosting. Also when you are adding flavors such as chocolate do you mix it in the stand mixer after it whips up? I’m nervous about over beating the frosting and it turning into a mess. I wasn’t sure if you fold the chocolate in by hand or continue to beat it in the stand mixer? Thanks for your video it really helped me through making this (and being successful at it) 🙂
Hi Tessa, can i reduce the amount of sugar? Since I don’t like it’s taste too sweet
Hi Tessa
My daughter and I tried twice to make the Swiss Meringue butter cream. The meringue was so thick and fluffy but the instant we added a cube of better it “turned to soup” according to my daughter. We were careful to make sure the bowl no longer had any warmth to it. We used room temperature butter (about 70 degrees).
It went totally flat and no longer fluffy. We tried continuing to beat it, refrigerated it, nothing seemed to work. Any ideas?
Thanks!
WOW! GREAT! A lot of helpful information …THANKS!
Will this hold up well for making buttercream flowers? And will it work with the Russian piping tips for making tall tulips and such?
Thank you
This buttercream is very silky and soft. If you’re making intricate flowers I’d reccomend American buttercream so you can adjust the stiffness easily.
Thanks ,for this recipe it’s a big hit in my house .Previously I used to make American buttercream but everyone felt it was too sweet,after trying your recipe everyone liked it .Now any cake we bake at home we use this recipient.
Hi! I was wondering, could you substitute the sugar for a replacement like Stevia in the raw?
I’ve never tried!