Raspberry Swiss meringue buttercream is light, fluffy, and seriously creamy. Delicious and fruit, it’s less sweet than traditional buttercream frosting and is stable enough for piping onto layer cakes and cupcakes!
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Pin ItWhy you’ll love this raspberry buttercream:
Luxuriously smooth with a sweet berry flavor, this raspberry Swiss meringue buttercream is heaven on earth!
While you can’t go wrong with a quick and easy American buttercream, Swiss meringue adds a special touch with minimal extra effort.
- Prepare the raspberry sauce in advance, and you can whip up the frosting in just 30 minutes.
- There’s no need to be intimidated by meringue, my meringue 101 post will teach you everything you need to know!
- Make the raspberry sauce in just 15 minutes using only 3 ingredients.
Plus, Swiss raspberry buttercream is perfect for making in advance. It’ll stay fresh in the fridge for up to 2 weeks!
Key Ingredient Notes:
- Egg whites – Separate the egg whites while they’re cold. I’ve tested this recipe with fresh and carton egg whites. Fresh is better because not all brands of carton egg whites work for meringue. If you want to give it a try, you’ll need 210 grams of liquid egg whites.
- Granulated sugar – Unlike traditional buttercream, raspberry Swiss meringue buttercream calls for granulated sugar, not powdered sugar!
- Kosher salt balances the sweetness.
- Unsalted butter – The butter should be soft, but not too soft. You should feel some resistance when you push into room-temperature butter with your finger. If your finger sinks right to the bottom, then your butter is too soft, and you could end up with soupy frosting.
- Raspberry sauce – You’ll need ½ batch of chilled sauce. The raspberry sauce adds a sweet berry flavor to the frosting.
- Pink food coloring – This is optional, but it’ll enhance the overall color of the frosting, guaranteeing a beautiful shade of deep pink.
How to make raspberry Swiss buttercream:
Before you get started on the buttercream, make the raspberry sauce. Even better, make it the day before, and let it chill overnight in the fridge. It needs to be fully chilled before being added to the buttercream! Check out this step-by-step tutorial for homemade raspberry sauce.
1. Make Swiss meringue
You’ll need a double-boiler for this step. If you don’t have one on hand, you can construct a makeshift double boiler using a small saucepan and a heat-proof bowl.
- Pour a small amount of water into a small saucepan, bring it to a boil, and reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Whisk the egg whites, sugar, and salt in a medium-sized heat-proof bowl. Place the bowl over the saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
- Cook the egg white mixture, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, until the sugar is completely melted and the mixture reaches 160°F (this is my favorite thermometer). You shouldn’t feel any sugar granules when you rub the mixture between your fingertips.
- Remove the bowl with the egg white mixture from the heat, and transfer it to a stand mixer.
- Whisk on medium speed for 1 minute. Then, slowly increase the speed to medium-high, and beat until stiff peaks form, about 10 minutes. At this point, the meringue should be fully cooled.
2. Add the butter
- Reduce the speed to medium, and start adding the butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Make sure the butter is fully incorporated before adding the next tablespoon. Don’t worry if the buttercream starts to curdle halfway, this is normal! Just keep beating and adding the butter!
- Continue whisking the buttercream until it’s smooth, light, and fluffy, about 10 minutes.
3. Add raspberry sauce
- Switch to a paddle attachment and add the chilled raspberry sauce.
- Beat the raspberry sauce into the buttercream until it’s well combined, about 1 minute.
- Optional: You can add pink food coloring to your raspberry buttercream frosting if you’d like.
Tips for Success:
- Fresh egg whites are best for meringue. While I’ve had some success with carton egg whites, it can be hit or miss, because not all brands work. But, if you want to give it a try, you’ll need 210 grams of liquid egg whites.
- Be careful when separating egg whites. The tiniest drop of yolk can ruin your meringue because egg yolks contain fat molecules. Fat interferes with the whipping process and can prevent stiff peaks from forming. It’s easier to separate cold eggs straight out of the fridge.
- The bowls and whisks need to be 100% grease-free. Like egg yolks, grease contains fat and could ruin the meringue.
- Make sure your butter isn’t too soft. When you push into it, the butter should dent with some resistance. If your finger sinks right through, then your butter is too warm.
- Use a stand mixer if possible. Raspberry Swiss meringue buttercream requires a lot of whipping. So, a stand mixer will make the process much easier. Using a hand mixer is also likely to take longer.
Make-Ahead Tips:
- You can prepare the raspberry purée up to a week in advance. At the very least, the raspberry sauce should be prepared the night before so it has time to fully chill before it’s added to the Swiss meringue buttercream.
- Raspberry Swiss meringue buttercream can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks, or frozen for up to 3 months.
- If frozen, thaw overnight at room temperature, then re-whip until smooth and creamy.
Storing Tips:
- Raspberry Swiss meringue buttercream can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months, thaw on the counter, and re-whip until smooth and creamy.
Swiss Buttercream FAQs:
If you’re looking for ease and simplicity, traditional (or American) buttercream is the clear winner! American buttercream is made in just 3 simple steps using only 2 main ingredients: butter and sugar. There’s no double-boiling or temperature-taking to fuss with. However, Swiss meringue buttercream isn’t as overpoweringly sweet as American buttercream and has an unbeatable light and fluffy texture.
I won’t go into too many details here, because you can refer to troubleshooting Swiss meringue buttercream for answers to common questions. However, the most common problems you could run into involve texture and taste. If your Swiss meringue buttercream starts to curdle while you’re adding the butter, just keep beating it! If it’s soupy, the butter may have been too warm. And if your Swiss buttercream tastes too heavy, it probably needs more whipping.
Allowing the egg whites to come into contact with fat, like a drop of egg yolk or leftover grease on an unwashed bowl, can cause this problem. This is why you need to be extra careful when separating the eggs. It’s also a good idea to give your bowls and whisks and fresh wash before you get started.
More Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipes:
Raspberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Ingredients
For buttercream:
- 6 (210 g) egg whites, Note 1
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1½ cups (340 g) unsalted butter, softened and cubed, Note 2
- ½ (100 g) batch raspberry sauce, chilled
- ¼ teaspoon pink food coloring optional
Instructions
- Make the raspberry sauce before you make the buttercream. Ideally, make it the day before to chill it overnight.½ batch
- In a small saucepan, bring a small amount of water to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer.
- In a medium heat-proof bowl, whisk together egg whites, sugar, and salt and place it over the saucepan with simmering water. (This is a makeshift double boiler. Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water.)6 egg whites, Note 1, 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- Cook the egg white mixture until the sugar is completely melted and the mixture reaches 160°F (70°C), stirring continuously, about 5 minutes. (This is my favorite thermometer!).
- Now, remove the bowl with the egg white mixture from the heat. Then whisk it on medium speed for a minute, then slowly increase the speed to medium high and beat until stiff peaks form and the mixture is cool to touch, about 10 minutes. (It may take longer with a hand-mixer.)
- Turn the mixer on medium speed and start adding butter, one tablespoon at a time. Make sure the butter is fully incorporated before adding the next piece. (NOTE: It’s normal if the buttercream starts to curdle halfway. Keep adding the butter!)1½ cups unsalted butter, softened and cubed, Note 2
- Keep whisking the buttercream until smooth, light, and fluffy, about 10 minutes.
- Now, switch to a paddle attachment and add chilled raspberry sauce. Beat the buttercream until well combined, about a minute. Add pink food coloring, if desired.¼ teaspoon pink food coloring
Tips & Notes
– Swiss meringue buttercream can be made in advance and frozen for up to 3 months or refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
– Thaw the frozen buttercream on the counter overnight, then whip it until smooth and creamy.
Nutrition
