• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to privacy navigation
  • Skip to recipes navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Cook Well, Eat Well
  • Shop
  • Meet Shinee
  • Contact
Facebook Instagram Pinterest YouTube

Sweet & Savory

Cook Well, Eat Well

  • New? Start Here
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
      • Dips
      • Meat-lovers
    • Desserts
      • Bars & Brownies
      • Cakes
      • Cheesecakes
      • French Macarons
      • Pastries
      • Pies
    • Dinner
    • Drinks
    • Salads
    • Seasonal
      • Summer Favorites
      • Easter
      • Christmas
      • Cinco de Mayo
      • Game Day
      • Halloween
      • New Year’s Eve
      • Thanksgiving
      • Valentine’s Day
  • Valentine’s Day
  • Discover
    • Ingredients
    • Tools
  • Learn
    • Baking Basics
    • Cooking Basics
    • Advanced Techniques
    • How-To’s
  • Share
    • Seasonal
    • Party Planning 101
  • Facebook Instagram Pinterest YouTube
    Subscribe To Updates
Home » RECIPE » Desserts » Frostings & Fillings » Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Skip to Recipe Print Share
Share on:
By: Shinee Published: 3/01/2019Updated: 2/25/2021

This post may contain affiliate links. Read full disclosure

Sharing is caring!

37484 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

Swiss Meringue Buttercream is the BEST in the world of buttercream! This frosting is light and fluffy, silky smooth and creamy, and super stable for decorating cakes and cupcakes.

Incredibly light and fluffy, this silky smooth Swiss meringue buttercream is super stable frosting, perfect for piping elaborate designs on any cake. Learn how to make a perfect batch of Swiss meringue buttercream every time with my useful tips and suggestions.
Pin This Recipe For Later!

When it comes to ease and simplicity, American buttercream wins.

But when it comes to taste and texture, nothing beats Swiss meringue buttercream!

Table of Contents

  • What is Swiss meringue buttercream?
  • Why you’ll love this recipe?
  • How to make Swiss meringue buttercream:
  • FAQs:
  • Troubleshooting Swiss Meringue Buttercream
  • Make Ahead Direction:
  • Swiss Meringue Buttercream

What is Swiss meringue buttercream?

Swiss meringue buttercream is a buttercream frosting made with Swiss meringue and butter, plus other flavorings like vanilla.

Swiss meringue is made of egg whites and sugar cooked in a double-boiler (Bain Marie), then whipped into fluffy meringue.

This buttercream is an ideal frosting for decorating cakes, cupcakes and even macarons!

Incredibly light and fluffy, this silky smooth Swiss meringue buttercream is super stable frosting, perfect for piping elaborate designs on any cake. Learn how to make a perfect batch of Swiss meringue buttercream every time with my useful tips and suggestions.

Why you’ll love this recipe?

  • Simple ingredients: only 5 basic ingredients
  • Incredible texture: light, fluffy, creamy, silky sooth
  • Balanced taste: not too sweet, not overly buttery
  • Easy to use: perfect consistency for piping and frosting
  • Easy to make: with few key tips for success

How to make Swiss meringue buttercream:

Step 1. Make Swiss Meringue

  1. In a heat-proof bowl, combine sugar and egg whites together. And place the bowl over simmering water.
  2. Cook the egg whites gently until it reaches 160°F, whisking it continuously. (This’s my favorite thermometer!) You shouldn’t feel any sugar granules when you rub the mixture between your fingertips.
  3. Now remove from heat and whisk it until stiff peaks form. At this point, meringue should be completely cooled.

3 tips for successful meringue:

  1. Make sure the bowl and whisks are completely grease free. It’s ideal to use stainless steel or glass bowl for making meringue.
  2. Never break the eggs over your main egg white bowl. Instead, use this 3-bowl method: 1 bowl for collecting egg whites, 1 for egg yolks, and 1 for breaking and separating each egg.
  3. Be careful when separating egg whites. You should have even smallest amount of yolk in the egg whites. Here’s why.

Tip

It’s easier to separate cold eggs right out of the fridge, because egg yolk is firmer.

GOT LEFTOVER EGG YOLKS?

Click here for 6 delicious egg yolk recipes.

Step 2. Add butter

  1. Add room temperature butter, one tablespoon at a time, whisking the frosting thoroughly after each addition.
  2. Continue whisking the buttercream until all the butter is added and the frosting is super light and fluffy.

ROOM TEMPERATURE BUTTER

It’s important to use room temperature butter. When you push a finger into it, the butter should dent with some resistance.

  • Too soft butter will cause soupy frosting.
  • Too cold butter will curdle the buttercream.

How to bring butter to room temperature?

Take the butter out of fridge 1-2 hours before making the frosting. Butter at room temperature should be cold to touch and dent when pressed without losing its shape.

Tip

If you forgot to take butter out in advance (happens to all of us), here’s a genius trick to quickly soften butter.

Step 3. Add vanilla

Switch to paddle attachment and add vanilla extract, or vanilla bean paste.

You can also add food coloring at this stage. It’s best to use gel food coloring.

Tip

For ultra-smooth buttercream, beat the buttercream with paddle attachment on low speed to remove excess air pockets.

FAQs:

Is Swiss meringue buttercream safe to eat?

Since we’re cooking egg whites in a double boiler until it reaches 160°F, it’s completely safe to eat. We basically pasteurized the egg whites.

To be safer, I highly recommend using an instant thermometer to make sure egg whites had reached the proper temperature!

Can I add flavors?

Absolutely! You can substitute any extracts for vanilla extract. Also, check out my Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream and Salted Caramel Buttercream.

Can I add food coloring?

Yes, I recommend using gel food coloring.

Can I use carton egg whites?

I’ve used carton egg whites with great success. Be sure to read the labels, as some carton egg whites specify that it’s not for meringue.

Can I make it without a thermometer?

For food safety, I strongly recommend using a thermometer to ensure the eggs reach 160°F. If using pasteurized (carton) egg whites, you can skip a thermometer. But be sure the sugar is completely dissolved, you don’t feel any sugar granules between your fingers.

How do you make white Swiss meringue buttercream?

If your buttercream has yellowish hue, add very small amount of violet gel food coloring. I use a toothpick to smear tiny bit of color. And then whip it well.

Curdled buttercream

Troubleshooting Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Meringue won’t reach stiff peaks

This could happen if the egg whites were in contact with any fat, grease, or egg yolks. Make sure to clean your bowls and whisks thoroughly, wipe the utensils with vinegar or lemon juice, if needed. And be careful when separating egg whites and yolks.

I’ve encountered this issue with carton egg whites couple of times. I added butter into soft meringue, and buttercream turned out just fine! So if you got soft meringue and it’s not stiffening up, go ahead and add butter as per instructions.

Curdled buttercream

If your buttercream starts to curdle in the process of adding butter, or right after adding all the butter, don’t panic. It’s totally normal. To fix: just continue beating! And I promise, it’ll magically come together at the end.

And if it doesn’t, simply place the bowl with buttercream over simmering water. Let the buttercream melt a little around the edges, then try whipping it again.

Soupy buttercream

It happens when the meringue was still warm when you started to add butter. Or the butter was too soft and started to melt in the meringue. To fix: place the bowl with buttercream in the fridge for 15-30 minutes, and then whip it again.

Tastes too buttery

When done right, Swiss meringue buttercream is super light, fluffy, and silky smooth. If your buttercream is thick and heavy, it just needs more whipping.

Incredibly light and fluffy, this silky smooth Swiss meringue buttercream is super stable frosting, perfect for piping elaborate designs on any cake. Learn how to make a perfect batch of Swiss meringue buttercream every time with my useful tips and suggestions.

Make Ahead Direction:

Swiss meringue buttercream is an ideal frosting to make in advance. Here’re 3 ways to store it:

  • On the counter: It’s ok to keep Swiss meringue buttercream at room temperature for overnight. (It has enough sugar and fat to keep it from spoiling!)
  • Refrigerator: You can refrigerate this buttercream in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
  • Freezer: Swiss buttercream also freezes well. It’ll freeze well in airtight container for up to 3 months!

Thaw frozen buttercream on the counter overnight. Whip it before using.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Swiss Meringue Buttercream is the BEST in the world of buttercream! This frosting is light and fluffy, silky smooth and creamy, super stable for decorating cakes and cupcakes.
5 from 7 votes
serves: 24 servings
Total : 30 minutes
Print
Leave a Review

Ingredients

  • 6 egg whites (Note 1)
  • 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
  • 1 ½ cups (340g) unsalted butter, softened and cubed (Note 2)
  • 1 vanilla bean split and scraped (or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste)
Note: I test all my recipes with both measurements for the most precise and accurate result!

Instructions

  • In a small saucepan, bring a small amount of water to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer.
  • In medium heat-proof bowl (I used my stand mixer bowl), whisk together egg whites and sugar and place it over the saucepan with simmering water. (This is a make-shift double boiler. Make sure the bottom of the top bowl doesn’t touch the water.)
  • Cook the egg white mixture until sugar is completely melted and it reaches 160°F (70°C) stirring continuously, about 5 minutes. (This's my favorite thermometer!)
  • Now, remove the bowl with egg white mixture from 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.)
  • Once the meringue reached stiff peaks, scrape the side of the bowl with a spatula and add salt.
  • Turn on 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 buttercream starts to curlde half way. Keep adding the butter!)
  • Keep whisking the buttercream until smooth, light and fluffy, about 10 minutes.
  • Now, switch to a paddle attachment and add vanilla bean. Beat the buttercream until well combined, about a minute.

Tips & Notes:

Yields: 3.5 cups frosting. It’s enough frosting for 3-layer 9-inch cake, or 24 cupcakes.
Make-Ahead Tip:
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. Whip it before using.
Note 1: While I’ve had success with carton egg whites, not all brands work for meringue. But if you want to try, you’ll need 210g of liquid egg whites.
Note 2: Make sure the butter isn’t too soft. When you push a finger into it, the butter should dent with some resistance. 

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 154kcal (8%) Carbohydrates: 13g (4%) Protein: 1g (2%) Fat: 12g (18%) Saturated Fat: 7g (44%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 3g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 31mg (10%) Sodium: 63mg (3%) Potassium: 16mg Sugar: 13g (14%) Vitamin A: 355IU (7%) Calcium: 4mg Iron: 1mg (6%)
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full disclosure here.
Author: Shinee
Course:frosting
Cuisine:American
Did you make this?Show me your creation! Tag me @shineshka and hashtag it #sweetandsavorybyshinee!
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Yummly

Related Recipes

  • Lemon layer cake on a cake stand with one slice lifted.
    Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Curd
  • American Buttercream Recipe
  • Easy French Buttercream
  • Seriously addicting peanut butter buttercream frosting - insanely delicious paired with chocolate cake, or cupcake, or brownies!! Learn the secret to light and fluffy peanut frosting you'll ever taste. #peanutbutter #peanutbutterfrosting #peanutbutterbuttercream #frostingrecipe
    Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting

Never Miss a Recipe!

Subscribe and receive my FREE Portion Planning Cheat Sheet for Cocktail and Dinner Parties.

Previous Post
Easy Sponge Cake (3 Ingredient Cake)
Next Post
Instant Pot Unsweetened Applesauce

Reader Interactions

Leave a Review Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Made this? Rate this recipe:




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Janet B says

    Posted on 5 August 2022 at 10:42 am

    5 stars
    This is the best icing I’ve ever made and I have made a LOT of icing. The only issue I had is I made it the day before, brought it to room temp and tried to rewhip it. It separated and curdled. Not sure what I did wrong…

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 8 August 2022 at 11:38 am

      Hi, Janet. So happy you loved this buttercream recipe!! I think your issue may have happened due to temperature difference. Sometimes, portion of the buttercream may have thawed and the inside may have been still cold. But if you’re confident that they were thoroughly thawed, then it may just needed a little more whipping.

      Reply
  2. Rea Rae Richardson says

    Posted on 4 May 2022 at 5:20 am

    5 stars
    Thank you for your detailed instructions and notes on making Swiss Meringue Buttercream. I’ve made Swiss several times and occasionally have problems with it, your help has solved my issuses!

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 9 May 2022 at 3:09 pm

      Yay, so glad to hear that, Rea Rae!!! Thank you for your feedback!

      Reply
  3. Helen says

    Posted on 10 April 2022 at 5:57 pm

    Hello,
    I’m looking to make a pistachio frosting for a cake and was wondering if you’d think it would work with this recipe? I’m going to make a pistachio paste but wondered if it might mess up the consistency?
    Many Thanks,
    Helen

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 10 April 2022 at 9:17 pm

      Hi, Helen. Yes, absolutely you can add pistachio paste into this buttercream.

      Reply
      • Helen says

        Posted on 11 April 2022 at 2:29 pm

        5 stars
        Thank you so much for the speedy reply! I made it today and it was delicious!!

        Reply
        • Shinee says

          Posted on 11 April 2022 at 9:00 pm

          So happy you loved it!!! Thanks for the feedback, Helen.

  4. Jenn says

    Posted on 4 November 2021 at 7:20 pm

    Hi Shinee,
    I just made the vanilla buttercream..it turned out delicious. I wanted to use it to make my daughters first birthday cake. I was hoping you have any suggestions for a fruit filling (preferably strawberry or raspberry) recipe and vanilla cake recipe that you think would complement the buttercream well.
    Thank you!

    Reply
  5. Maria Jose Coronado says

    Posted on 18 May 2021 at 11:35 pm

    5 stars
    I tried your recipe after various attempts to make a good buttercream (which I all failed), and this was the only way to achieve it! So, thank you for your knowledge!

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 20 May 2021 at 11:00 pm

      Yay, so glad my recipe worked for you, Maria. Thank you for your feedback!!

      Reply
  6. PETRINA says

    Posted on 27 February 2021 at 1:54 pm

    Hi Shinee,
    I love all this technology we have these days. I live in NZ and on a farm. I just want to say that some recipes I see with all these gorgeous photos. My comment is, some of the things we see that don’t come out looking like they do in photos or shops is OK don’t get dispondant. My free range food like eggs, and milk or butter and cream come straight from the chicken or cow and have a deeper colour,taste or feel different to handle. I know most of everything these days is a lot pale than most fresh free range animals or products. And I can’t change that, I love the taste and look, so ladies don’t feel you have to do what is on trend, be individual and be strong, we can embrace what we have at hand when we cook. Sometimes there are people out there that think they are in the know of how the food should look or taste, but we need to have the faith that we are OK and that is all that matters, keep up with the cooking and eating all you wonderful people out in that big bubble of the world.

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 2 March 2021 at 11:19 am

      Hi, Petrina! Thank you so much for your comment. You bring up a very important point here and I appreciate your voice on this. You’re so right that real life food looks different from photography. I too live on a ranch and enjoy free-range eggs, chicken and our own beef, as well as our own garden produce. They’re absolutely not perfect purely on the looks, because heirloom tomatoes are not all uniform size and shape. But there’s absolutely beauty in that!!! Free-range eggs are much richer and yellower, and we absolutely love them for it!!
      That being said, we ear with our eyes. I’m basically “selling” my recipes to those who’re looking with my photography. I work hard to make my food look at their best, and photography is my hobby and I try my best to show my photography skill, playing with light and shadows. Everything you see on this blog doesn’t look exactly how they’re on photos. My hope is that people understand that there’s difference between art (photography) and food in real life.

      Reply
  7. Lisa says

    Posted on 13 February 2021 at 10:28 pm

    What do you do if the frosting doesn’t thicken up, but remains too “loose”?

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 18 February 2021 at 3:15 pm

      Hi, Lisa. Is the buttercream loose after adding butter? If so, simply put it in the fridge for 30 minutes or so, and try whipping it again.

      Reply
  8. merchie says

    Posted on 23 January 2021 at 4:21 am

    Hi we can add food color in this meringue

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 26 January 2021 at 1:00 pm

      Hi, Merchie. Absolutely, you can add food coloring.

      Reply
  9. Rebecca says

    Posted on 10 January 2021 at 11:44 am

    1/2 what on Kosher salt

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 17 January 2021 at 3:14 pm

      Hi, Rebecca. So sorry for the late response. And I apologize for the incomplete recipe. Thank you for pointing it out, I just corrected it. It’s 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt.

      Reply
  10. Kelly says

    Posted on 20 November 2020 at 12:01 pm

    Can you add room temperature cream cheese as well

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 20 November 2020 at 7:22 pm

      Hi, Kelly. Unfortunately, I’ve never tried adding cream cheese to this swiss meringue buttercream. So I have no advice.

      Reply
  11. Cynthia says

    Posted on 1 November 2019 at 12:53 pm

    5 stars
    Best recipe I’ve tried so far. Thanks

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 5 November 2019 at 10:07 pm

      Aww, so happy to hear this. Thank you, Cynthia!!

      Reply
  12. Denise says

    Posted on 4 October 2019 at 6:33 pm

    How long in advance can you frost cupcakes? And should it be refrigerated after they are frosted? Thanks

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 6 October 2019 at 10:23 pm

      Hi, Denise. Sorry for my delayed response. Technically, buttercream can be store at room temperature for 1-2 days, covered. But I always refrigerate mine. That being said, you can frost the cupcakes a day or two in advance, and I’d refrigerate until the day you’re planning to serve.

      Reply
  13. Tam says

    Posted on 29 September 2019 at 2:39 pm

    Can vanilla essence be used…I’ve no access to vanilla bean pods

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 29 September 2019 at 11:20 pm

      Hi, Tam. Yes, you can use vanilla extract.

      Reply
  14. Julie says

    Posted on 17 August 2019 at 1:19 pm

    How can I add blood orange flavoring to this recipe? I am at whipping stage now with whisk in the mixer. Can I use 1/4 cup blood orange juice?

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 19 August 2019 at 2:04 pm

      Hi, Julie. Sorry for delay. I know it’s too late now, but I wanted to note that I haven’t tested this recipe with added juice. No idea how it’d work.

      Reply
  15. Angie C says

    Posted on 29 June 2019 at 12:29 am

    Hello I’m Angie. I dnt understand how you can prepare egg whites in a saucepan for a cream without cooking them to an omelet consistency?!   Should it not be a double broiler that u recommend for this recipe?
    But with all due respect please explain.  AC. 

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

Hi, I’m Shinee! I’m so happy you’re here! I believe anyone can cook restaurant-quality food at home! And my goal is to help you to become a confident cook with my easy-to-follow recipes with lots of tips and step-by-step photos.

New? Start Here

Browse Specialties

Main Dishes Side Dishes Appetizers Salads Breads & Pastries Cakes Macarons Drinks Browse All
Portion Planning 101
Free Dinner Party Cheat Sheet
Download Now

Popular Recipes

Yellow and white macarons.

French Macarons for Beginners

Best Prime Rib Roast (Bone-In)

This is the simplest and moistest banana bread - easy to make and yields 2 breads! #bananabread

Best Moist Banana Bread Recipe

A plate full of chocolate chip cookies.

Egg Yolk Cookies

How to Make Homemade Pistachio Paste

sliced plain sponge cake layers

Easy Sponge Cake (3 Ingredient Cake)

Valentine's Day Desserts

Pistachio Macarons in a box

Pistachio Macarons

Supreme Chocolate Cheesecake

Supreme Chocolate Cake

Mini strawberry pavlovas on a baking sheet.

Strawberry Mini Pavlova

Pistachio Eclairs

Raspberry lemon tartlets arranged on a rectangular serving platter.

Raspberry Lemon Tartlets

Game Day Eats

Cooked bacon jalapeno poppers on a baking sheet.

finger food:

3-Ingredient Jalapeno Poppers

meat:

Beer BBQ Meatballs

Bean dip in a casserole dish with a portion being scooped with a chip.

dip:

3-Ingredient Bean Dip

appetizer:

Bacon Wrapped Cheesy Crackers

sandwich:

Philly Cheese Steak Sliders

dessert:

5-Ingredient Pineapple Cake

Facebook Instagram Pinterest YouTube

Never Miss A Recipe

Subscribe and receive my FREE Portion Planning Cheat!

  • Discover
    • Recipe Index
    • Tools & Gadgets
    • Ingredients
  • Learn
    • Baking Basics
    • Cooking Basics
    • Advanced Techniques
  • Share
    • Holidays
    • Appetizers
    • Party Planning 101
  • Back To Top
  • About
  • Work With Me
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
© 2013-2023 Sweet & Savory Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled Exclusive member of Mediavine Food
Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window

Subscribe and Receive My FREE Portion Planning Cheat!