This tutorial on how to make Swiss Meringue buttercream is the only resource you’ll need to make the smoothest, silkiest frosting!
The topic of Swiss meringue buttercream comes up regularly in my Baking group on Facebook and in comments on some of my recipes here — how to make it, but more often how to deal with it when it’s just not cooperating.
Meringue buttercreams can be a bit temperamental, but whatever state you’ve got it in (provided you started with a stiff peak meringue) is totally saveable.
If you love Swiss meringue buttercream as much as I do, hopefully you’ll find these tips useful. If you’ve never tried it and are intimidated by it, I hope this tutorial will give you the confidence to give it a shot.
What is Swiss Meringue Buttercream?
Though more involved than an American buttercream, Swiss meringue buttercream (SMBC) is the easiest of the meringue buttercreams. It involves cooking eggs and sugar over a double boiler, whipping them into a meringue, then adding butter and flavourings.
The other two meringue buttercreams (Italian and French) both involve pouring boiling sugar into a partially whipped egg and sugar mixture. They are equally delicious, and known to be a bit more stable, but I find boiling sugar to be stressful and intimidating, so generally stay away from it as much as possible.
If you’re feeling adventurous though and you’ve tried SMBC before, I encourage you to give those a go and see how you like them.
Swiss meringue buttercream consists of 3 very simple ingredients:
- Egg whites
- Sugar
- Unsalted butter
From there, you can flavour to your heart’s content. A simple and standard recipe will include vanilla, but the flavour possibilities are limited only by your imagination.
You can add melted chocolate for a milk, white, or dark chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream, freeze-dried berries for fruit flavour and color, peanut butter/peanut butter powder (preferred), or choose from a variety of flavourings to add in.
How to Make Swiss Meringue Buttercream
I’m going to take you through each step of the process here and call out tips or issues you may run into. I recommend using a stand mixer for this buttercream. You likely could do it with a hand mixer, but it would be a more painful process — you’d be holding that hand mixer for a good 20+mins. As such, the steps I describe are for a stand mixer, but you can adapt to a hand mixer if that’s all you have to work with.
The very first thing you must do, this is NOT optional, is:
Step #1 – Wipe down all tools with lemon juice or vinegar
To help ensure a stable and stiff meringue, you must make sure that everything that will come in contact with the egg whites is completely grease free. This includes things like your:
- mixer bowl
- whisk attachment
- hand whisk
- measuring cup (that will be used to scoop sugar)
- small bowl(s) (to crack eggs into when separating whites)
Grease is meringue’s enemy. Even the tiniest speck of grease (or egg yolk) will cause the meringue to not whip to a stiff peak and result in a less-than-perfect (aka dense and greasy) Swiss meringue buttercream.
Another important tip here is to not use plastic tools, especially bowls, when making Swiss meringue. Plastic has a tendency to retain grease no matter how thoroughly it’s cleaned. Best to be safe and stick to metal (preferred) or glass bowls.
Step #2 – Bring a medium pot of water to a simmer (1-2 inches of water)
You’ll want a pot that’s big enough to comfortably place your mixer bowl onto, but not so big that the bottom of the bowl touches the water. You want a maximum of 1-2 inches of water in the pot. Bring this to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer.
Step #3 – Separate your egg whites
Separate each egg white into a small bowl, then transfer into your mixer bowl. Do not separate the egg whites directly into your mixer bowl. If you do that and have even one cracked yolk, you will ruin the whole batch of whites.
It’s best to separate each egg individually. Even a speck of yolk will cause the meringue to not whip up properly. Do not attempt to make a meringue if your egg whites are not completely yolk-free.
Note that the eggs do not need to be room temperature, since you’ll be cooking them anyhow.
Some people have had success with carton egg whites but, at this time, I cannot recommend them myself. The carton whites I have tried have caused my meringue to stay flat and never stiffen. If you do want to experiment with carton whites, make sure the carton says something like “egg whites only” or similar.
Step #4 – Cook your egg whites & sugar
Once you’ve separated all your eggs, add them and your sugar into your mixer bowl and place it over the pot of simmering water. I stir constantly at this point, with a clean hand whisk, to make sure the egg whites cook evenly. This process will take 2-3 mins depending on the amount of egg whites you’re working with.
You’ll know the egg whites are done when the mixture is hot and no longer grainy to the touch. I dip a (clean) finger into the mixture and rub it between my thumb and forefinger. If there is any graininess at all, I keep cooking them.
You want to make sure the mixture is hot to the touch too. Ideally, you’d use a candy thermometer to check that it has reached 160F. This is the most accurate way to make sure your whites are cooked fully.
I am too lazy to whip out a thermometer, and not concerned about eating raw eggs, so I do the touch test. If this is a concern for you, I recommend using a thermometer.
Step #5 – Whip your meringue
Remove your mixer bowl from the pot, wipe the bottom of the bowl, and place it on your stand mixer. Attach the whisk attachment and begin whipping. I usually crank it right up to high speed (about 8-9 on my KitchenAid). You’ll want to whip this until the bowl is completely cool to the touch — this can take anywhere from 5-10mins.
You’ll know if your meringue was successful if it holds a stiff peak. This is what it should look like – no droopy peaks!
If your meringue is droopy, it was likely affected by either grease, yolk, or carton whites. See step #1. Unfortunately, if this happens, you will need to start over. There is no way to save the meringue at this point.
Step #6 – Cube your butter
While the meringue is whipping, cube your softened but still slightly cold butter. I roughly do 1″ or so cubes. It’s not an exact science, about 1 Tbsp or so each.
You will know your butter is the right consistency when you can press it with your finger and leave a bit of a dent in it.
It’s important to note that your butter should not be too soft. If it’s so soft that you can press your finger through it easily, it will be too soft for your buttercream. You can still use it, but you may need to chill your buttercream for a bit if it becomes soupy (see Troubleshooting section below). I find it easier to deal with an SMBC that has used butter that’s too cold vs too soft.
Step #7 – Add the butter
When your meringue is completely cooled, stop your mixer and switch to the paddle attachment. This isn’t critical, you can leave it on the whisk, but I like to switch to the paddle as I find that the whisk can incorporate too much air into the buttercream. I also like that my paddle scrapes the sides of the bowl for me, which is a time saver.
Set your mixer to medium speed (4 or so on a KitchenAid) and slowly start to add your butter cube by cube. Once all of the butter has been added, crank the mixer back up to high to beat the buttercream.
The buttercream can go through a few undesirable stages while it mixes. It can become soupy:
And it often curdles:
I find it best to walk away and come back after 5 mins to a (hopefully) perfect SMBC. See Troubleshooting section below if this is not the case.
Once the buttercream is completely smooth, fluffy, and creamy, you can add in your flavourings (see below for a list of recipes).
How do I make my buttercream white?
This is a bit off topic, but also comes up often. SMBC can turn out a bit yellow depending on how much butter you use. This is not always a desirable effect, especially if you’re going for an all white cake. The trick is to neutralize the yellow color by adding a bit of blue/violet to it.
And I mean a bit. The amount on the toothpick above is more than I added. I basically swiped the toothpick over the buttercream on the whisk, so really only used one side of it. I’d recommend starting with less and adding more as needed, or you’ll end up with a grey or bluish looking buttercream.
Once the gel has been added (I used Americolor Violet), give the buttercream a good whip and you’ll see the yellow tint fade away. Add more color gel as needed.
Troubleshooting Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Swiss meringue buttercream can be finicky. It’s temperamental and can cause a whole lot of unnecessary stress. The good news is that as long as your meringue was stiff before the butter was added, whatever issue you encounter after that is fixable.
Here are some common issues you may run into while making Swiss meringue buttercream, as well as my tips and suggestions on how to avoid/fix them:
- My meringue won’t whip up. This is either due to grease or egg yolks or both. See Step #1 of tutorial above.
- My buttercream looks curdled. This is a common step when making SMBC. Once all the butter is added, it often goes through a phase where it looks curdled. If you keep whipping it, it will come together.
- My buttercream still looks curdled. If the temperature of the butter is too cold, it can be harder to get it to come together. You can either put it over a double boiler again like in Step #2, or warm the sides of the bowl with a hair dryer. One time, I had thawed some frozen SMBC and I didn’t completely bring it to room temperature before rewhipping. It looked like cottage cheese soup in my mixer. I thought it was a lost cause, but I heated the bowl a bit with a hair dryer and walked away for a few mins. When I came back it had come together perfectly! If you use the double boiler method, warm the buttercream just until the very edges start to melt, and then rewhip. You can also try to microwave 1/4 cup of the buttercream for a few seconds then drizzle it back into the buttercream with the mixer on low speed until it comes together.
- My buttercream is soupy. This is the opposite problem of a curdled buttercream. This occurs because either the meringue was too warm when you added the butter or your butter was too soft, or both. Pop the whole bowl and whisk into the fridge for 20mins and then rewhip. Depending on how warm it was, you may need a couple sessions in the fridge.
- My buttercream is grainy. This is due to the sugar not being dissolved properly in Step #4 above. Once the meringue is whipped, there is nothing you can do to fix this. It’s best to start over.
- My buttercream is greasy. SMBC is more buttery than an American buttercream, but it should not feel greasy. If you haven’t added more butter than the recipe calls for and your meringue was stiff, then the greasiness is likely due to the buttercream not being whipped for long enough. It’s also good practice to rewhip the SMBC if it’s been sitting out on the counter for a while.
- The buttercream gets hard in the fridge. This is normal. Just like the butter it’s made from, it will firm up to the consistency of butter in the fridge. When you let it come to room temperature it will soften again.
- It tastes too buttery. Some people just don’t like meringue buttercreams — they’re not for everyone! But the buttercream should be light and fluffy, not thick and greasy. If yours tastes like you’re eating a stick of butter, perhaps your meringue wasn’t whipped to stiff peaks before adding butter, or the butter was too cold, in which case it just needs some more whipping. Or you added too much butter.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make Swiss meringue buttercream in advance? Yes! You can leave it at room temperature for a day or two, refrigerate for up to two weeks, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Be sure to store it in an airtight container. You must bring the buttercream completely to room temperature and rewhip before use. If the buttercream separates, it was still a bit too cold. See Step #3 above in the Troubleshooting section.
- How do I thaw my buttercream? Thaw it on the counter. It will be too hard if you thaw it in the fridge. I thaw mine overnight. Rewhip before use. See above.
- How long does Swiss meringue buttercream last? It will last for a day or two at room temperature, 2 weeks in the fridge, and 3 months in the freezer. Be sure it is properly stored in an airtight container or a freezer bag.
- Is Swiss meringue buttercream safe to eat? Yes. If you cook the eggs to 160F the buttercream will be safe to eat.
- Can I flavour Swiss meringue buttercream? Yes. Once the buttercream has come together, you can add any kinds of flavourings, extracts, powders, or chocolate — see list below for a list of recipes.
- Can I color Swiss meringue buttercream? Yes. Though SMBC is more difficult to color than an American buttercream. The color doesn’t take as well, so you may need more color gel. Be careful not to add too much, as the buttercream may split. You may want to look into powdered food coloring if you’re wanting to do very vibrant colors.
- I don’t have a stand mixer. Can I use my hand mixer to make Swiss meringue buttercream? You probably can, but I do not recommend it. You’d be whipping forever! First to cool the meringue, and then when the butter is added. It can be a 10-15min process with a stand mixer, so I imagine it could take twice as long. So… doable if that’s all that you have at your disposal, but just know you’re in for a long haul.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipe
The recipe I’m including below is the standard SMBC recipe that I use, though I tend to experiment a lot with it and sometimes add an extra egg white or use a bit less butter, depending on the amount of frosting I need. I haven’t run into any issues doing this, but it’s important not to add more butter than the recipe calls for unless you’re also increasing the egg whites & sugar.
The recipe below is enough to frost a two layer 8″ cake or 3 layer 6″ cake (using 2 cups butter) or a three layer 8″ cake (using 3 cups butter).
Swiss Meringue Buttercream Variations
- Blueberry (or any kind of berry)
- Brown Butter
- Brown Sugar
- Caramel
- Chocolate
- Cinnamon
- Coconut
- Dulce de Leche
- Espresso
- Honey
- Maple
- Mint
- Mocha
- Peanut Butter
- Vanilla
- White Chocolate
Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 large egg whites
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2-3 cups unsalted butter softened but still a bit firm, cubed
- flavouring
Instructions
Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk until combined.
- Place bowl over a pot with 1-2" of simmering water and stir constantly with a whisk until the mixture is hot and no longer grainy to the touch or reads 160F on a candy thermometer (approx. 3mins)
- Place bowl on your stand mixer and whisk on med-high until the meringue is stiff and cooled (the bowl is no longer warm to the touch (approx. 5-10mins)).
- Switch to paddle attachment (optional). Slowly add cubed butter and mix until smooth.
- Add flavourings as desired whip until smooth.
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Notes
Michelle says
Hi. Could I add less butter?
Olivia says
Hi Michelle! Yes, you could give it a try with less.
Lianne byrne says
I was wondering how far in advance could I make the sugar/egg white part?
Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Lianne! I wouldn’t make just that part in advance, but you can store the buttercream once it’s made. See post for details.
Melanie says
Hi there! Do you think it would be a bad idea putting melted Kinder chocolate on the SMBC? I’m afraid the cream will melt or go runny.
Thanks for the lovely recipe!
Olivia says
Hi Melanie! I use melted chocolate in my SMBC all the time. Be sure it’s cooled (not warm at all) and add it slowly with the mixer going on low. Check out my Chocolate Cake recipe to see the proportions I use.
Frances says
Hi Liv,
Made your cinnamon version today and it was great. Thanks for the detailed instructions!
I always find with SMBC that I need to add a greater amount of flavoring than I would compared to American Buttercream. Was wondering if this is just me or if this is a known thing? Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Frances! I don’t make ABC often anymore, but I know I have to add more vanilla to get the flavour to come through with SMBC. It also doesn’t take color as well as ABC, so maybe a similar issue.
Kay says
Hi, I was wondering if this Swiss Meringue Buttercream would work to fill macarons because I’m out of powdered sugar. Would I burn my finger if I do the touch test when cooking the eggs and sugar?
-Thanks
Kay says
Oh and How much vanilla extract would you recommend when using 2 cups butter.
Olivia says
I recommend about 2tsp, but just add more to taste. I find a vanilla SMBC can be a bit… boring? Vanilla bean paste does a much better job of getting that flavour to shine through 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Kay! It will work great to fill macarons! And no, the mixture should just feel hot but it shouldn’t burn unless it’s been overcooked.
Kay says
Thanks everyone one loved them! I made root beer macarons and vanilla SMBC to fill them and made what I call a root beer float macaron!
Olivia says
Awesome! 😀
Jemma says
This was my first time making SMBC and although I (thankfully) didn’t run into any of the issues in the troubleshoot guide, it did give me the confidence to try it out 😅 I also added strawberry flavour and pink food colouring. It was surprisingly enough to frost about 56 cupcakes
Olivia says
Awesome! So glad it worked on your first go 😀 Thanks for the tip re: cupcakes!
Hannah Sawyer says
I love this recipe!
If I were to make the bigger batch with 3 cups of butter, does the amount of sugar and eggs stay the same. If so, does the cake taste more buttery?
Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Hanna! I most often make the larger batch — eggs and sugar stay the same. It will have more of a buttery flavour, but should still be perfectly fine provided you whip it enough 🙂
Kristina Park says
So I have tried multiple Swiss meringue buttercream recipes and can never get the peaks to stiffen before adding butter. I heat it to 160 and everything, cleaned everything well beforehand, but only the bowls with lemon juice. Do you think it’s because I didn’t clean everything that touched the ingredients with lemon juice or vinegar? Could it have to do with my Bosch mixer having a plastic bowl? Or could I be over mixing? I have gone up to like 25 mins mixing on pretty high speed.
Olivia says
Hi Kristina! The plastic bowl could definitely be the culprit. Plastic tends to retain grease no matter how much it’s cleaned, but you should definitely wipe the whisks with lemon juice too. Any residual soap, etc can also affect the meringue. Best practice is to wipe everything the egg whites will be in contact with.
Vivien says
Thank you Olivia for sharing your recipe and the excellent tutorial. My question is about storing a frosted/decorated cake. I will be hosting a ladies lunch and birthday party and will need to frost the cake the day before, will the SMBC hold up well on the cake in the refrigerator for 24 hours prior to serving? Will the SMBC look/become dry? Should it be covered, if so, do you having any tips on the best way to cover the cake. The cake will be a 3 layer, 7″ round.
Also, I live in Texas and it is very hot and very humid at the moment, can this effect the SMBC?
Thank you for any help you can give.
Olivia says
Hi Vivien! The SMBC will be perfect in the fridge — that’s how I store all my cakes. The frosting will become quite firm (like butter does) once chilled, so it’s best to leave the cake at room temp for 2-3 hours before serving so it softens again. You don’t “need” to cover it, but if you have any particularly potent smelling things in your fridge (onions, etc), you may want to so that the buttercream doesn’t take on any of those flavours. The humidity might affect the whipping of the meringue, but it shouldn’t be too bad. Just be sure it’s not soupy before you add the butter. I hope that helps. Let me know how it turns out!
Sharon Casey says
Loved the result. Thanks for a detailed and well-written tutorial.
Mine took forever to cool down. But it got so stiff that it actually slowed the motor on my KitchenAid. I think next time I will do the touch test instead of heating to 160. Mine would have passed the touch test at a cooler temp.
Olivia says
Hi Sharon! I always just go by the touch test, but the temp is for people who are worried about eating “uncooked” eggs. So glad you loved it, I hope it doesn’t take as long next time!
Amy says
I just made this and could not get the sugar to melt. 6 egg whites, 2 cups sugar over, not in, simmering water. I stirred for half an hour. I did get the temp up to 160 degrees F, but it turned out very grainy. I had nothing but grainy sugar at the 3 minute mark that you noted in the recipe. What did I do wrong? I eventually gave up and just made it with the grainy sugar.
Olivia says
Hi Amy! So strange, that is a LONG time of stirring. Was the water simmering the whole time? How big was the pot & bowl you were using? I wonder if a larger bowl (more surface area) and a larger pot (so it covers a lot of the bottom of the bowl, but the bowl doesn’t touch the water) would help. Did you use regular granulated sugar? You can also try a finer sugar like caster sugar (not powdered sugar). Let me know if you try again!
Sally says
Hi Liv! I had a question about the amount of butter to add. the ingredients say to add 2-3 cups of unsalted butter but how do I know if I add 2 or 3 cups or a little in between?
Olivia says
Hi Sally! I talk about that in the recipe notes:
This recipe makes enough to frost a two layer 8″ cake or 3 layer 6″ cake (using 2 cups butter) or a three layer 8″ cake (using 3 cups butter).
Either works perfectly fine, it just depends on how much buttercream you need 🙂
Jackie Carpenter says
Made for the first time every today, it’s perfect! Absolutely love the texture, and how beautifully silky it looks and feels. Thank you so much for the easy to follow recipe and tips!
Olivia says
Hi Jackie! So glad you found the tips helpful. Yay to a successful first SMBC!
Daisysweetcakes says
Hello Olivia🙋🏻♀️I just finished making your Swiss meringue buttercream and the step by step you provided is awesome, I follow exactly as you explain and walla I made my 1st Swiss meringue buttercream I added almond extract and it is banging 😋😋. Thanks for the information it was super helpful no mistakes if you follow exactly the recipe not cutting corners 🙌🏼 Thanks again Olivia will look forward to more recipes on you site. Happy baking 🎂 from Daisysweetcakes
Olivia says
Yay! so happy to hear it worked out for you and that you loved it 🙂
Ashley says
This recipe and tutorial is amazing! Thank you, thank you for all the troubleshooting tips!! As I made this, there were a couple times I would’ve thought I spoiled the recipe had I not read your tips beforehand. I followed your advice and saved the frosting!
This recipe is delicious. I made the base recipe and it tastes yummy on its own, but I added raspberry puree (about 1 cup) to get a pink color and raspberry flavor. It was light and airy and had a lovely, light raspberry flavor (I love raspberry, so think it could’ve used a stronger flavor, but it was sufficient for the cake). I used this to frost 2 chocolate 2-layer cakes, with a different buttercream frosting between the layers.
Olivia says
Hi Ashley! So happy to hear that and thank you for your tips on the raspberry version 🙂
Adriana says
This turned out super well and the troubleshooting section was very helpful! One of the better SMBC recipes I’ve used!
Olivia says
Thanks so much Adriana! Glad you found it helpful 🙂
Amy says
I am making cupcake a with a fondant flamingo coming from it. The recipe calls for the MBC to be made with powdered sugar which once you put the flamingo head on it goes in fridge for a bit to keep the flamingo from falling off. My question is if I use the grain sugar method instead will it be sturdy enough to keep the flamingo in tact.
Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Amy! I suppose it depends on how heavy the flamingo is. This frosting gets very firm in the fridge so I feel like it would support it just fine if chilled.
Kirsten says
Hi Liv,
I often find my SMBC to be greasy, I notice it more when I am covering my cake and scraping the sides. sometimes it doesn’t stick as well to the cake. From your trouble shooting guide I think its that I’m not whisking in the butter for long enough (I’ve definitely got stiff peaks and clean bowl etc). I have a kitchen aid… how long roughly do you whisk once all the butter is added?
Thanks!
Kirsten
Olivia says
Hi Kristen! It sounds like the buttercream just needs a good whip. Once I add all the butter I whip it all for a good 5mins or so on high, but really until it just looks nice and light and fluffy. Sometimes I rewhip it after I crumb coat the cake before doing the final coat as I find it tends to settle a bit. I hope that helps!
Rhian says
Hey! I made this beautiful recipe today and although delicious, found it a bit thick to pipe with, is that normal? And how could I make it easier to pipe? 🙂 Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Rhian! Strange, it should not be thick at all. In fact it should be very light and fluffy. Did you chill the buttercream at all?
Ramee says
Thank you so much for the detail we’d recipe. Just wondering what would happen to the buttercream if you use salted butter instead of unsalted butter.
Olivia says
Hi Ramee! The buttercream would be less sweet and would taste salty. I don’t like it with salted butter, but it’s a personal preference.
Robyn says
These instructions were so helpful! Mine turned out perfect, no curdling or anything! I halved the recipe and it was just enough for 12 cupcakes with nice big fluffy swirls of icing!
Olivia says
Hi Robyn! Yay! So happy to hear that it went off without a hitch on your first try!
Anu says
Hi
I want to use this for daughters birthday cake. I if I use this for crumb anf final coat and then use it for for piping, do I have to store the cake in fridge afterwards as I would be doing this early morning and we have party late afternoon.
Please share your insight on storing the cake after decorating.
Thanks for heaps..
Olivia says
Hi Anu! It should be fine out of the fridge as long as it’s not too hot in your place.
Mollie says
Want to make lemon butter cream. Already used your recipe to make regular buttercream. Can I add lemon powdered drink mix to flavor or extract?
Olivia says
Hi Mollie! I haven’t tried that myself but either should work fine. Just add it to taste.
Melanie Curtin says
First time I made it it worked AMAZING…… 2nd time I was in more of a hurry cause i waited till the last minute to make a cake for a birthday party, BAD mistake if something could go wrong it did go wrong. IT has taken me FOREVER to get this frosting to whip up so I can frost my cake! Other wise I Love this frosting it is now my go to for when I frost a cake!!
Olivia says
Hi Melanie! Rushing is a recipe for disaster and I know it all too well!! I hope you were able to get it whipped up properly 🙂
Mary Kay says
I’m excite to try this recipe on my cupcakes. How many will the recipe cover? I pipe my buttercream.
Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Mary Kay! It should work for about 24-36 cupcakes or so depending on how much frosting you use.
Thea says
Very good tutorial, my first try was a total success. I made the buttercream, crumb coated the cake and stored both in the fridge overnight. The next day I let the buttercream warm to room temperature, beat it and it was perfect again. Silky and smooth,.yet when cold holds its shape really well. Im not a huge fun of the buttery taste, but everyone else loved it. Thank you
Olivia says
Hi Thea! Yay! So happy to hear your first go at this was successful. Thanks for your feedback!
Kirsten says
Hi! I tried making this recipe with dairy free baking sticks because my family has a sever milk allergy but we still love SMBC much better than traditional American buttercream. Unfortunately, I found myself with a soupy mess due to the low fat content in said vegan baking sticks. I’ve done a small amount of research in the last day or so and many people recommend a high-ratio shortening if attempting a dairy free version. Do you have any experience with that? Would it be the same amount of shortening as butter? Thanks for any advice!
Olivia says
Hi Kristen! Thanks for the tip re: the dairy free butter. I haven’t tried it with shortening myself. Honestly I don’t think anything will work as well as actual butter, but if anything the hi ratio shortening would be your best bet. Let me know if you try it!
Kirsten says
Hi Olivia! Thanks for the tips! I finally had a few moments to try the frosting with some high ratio shortening today. As expected, flavoring is difficult. The liquid extracts seem to flavor the frosting only a little bit and I’m afraid to add too much liquid. I haven’t tried any fruit flavorings yet but I would assume it’s much more effective. As difficult as the flavor is, the texture is amazing! It’s light and fluffy without being even the slightest bit greasy – yay! I’m excited to keep playing with flavors to find a good method 🙂
Olivia says
Yay! Thanks so much for your tips and feedback. Definitely give some powdered freeze-dried fruit a try for flavouring, I find it works amazingly!
Isabel says
Do you know if SMBC holds well under a poured ganache?
Olivia says
Hi Isabel! It should work fine provided the cake is chilled and the frosting is firm 🙂
Isha says
Hi there, just wondering if I can make a double quantity of the SMBC in my Kitchen aid ? Will it fit in the bowl ? I have the KSM150 Artisian mixer.
Olivia says
Hi Isha! I don’t think that bowl would be big enough for 12 large egg whites.
Beatrix Mattyasovszky says
hi! I am wondering, can I add a bit of berry jam to color the frosting or would it spilt?
Olivia says
Hi Beatrix! You can for sure, I would add a little at a time (1 Tbsp or so at a time) to make sure it doesn’t split and be careful not to add too much. My favourite is using freeze-dried berry powders to flavour and color though.
Elizabeth says
How many cupcakes would this Frost I see how much cake it would frost but not cupcakes. Thank you.
Olivia says
Hi Elizabeth! Depending on how much you use on each cupcake it should be good for abut 36 +/-.
Amanda says
I love SMBC but no matter what I do I always get air bubbles, so the final cake never has that super smooth finish. What am I doing wrong?? Tell me your secrets! 😄
Olivia says
Hi Amanda! I run my mixer on low for a couple mins at the very end to knock out some of the bubbles and then use a spatula by hand to knock out some more. Also, when smoothing on the cake, be sure to use light pressure as pressing too hard can make more bubbles show.
tohid says
would u plz tell us how many grams is the butter???. is it written 2 or 3 cups??? I didn’t get it
thank u a billion
Olivia says
Hi there! There is a metric converter below the list of ingredients – 454-680g depending on how much buttercream you need. I’ve made it both ways. See my notes in the blog post for how much is needed depending on the size of the cake.
Kristen says
I love SMBC and this is one of my favorite recipes! I love that it includes troubleshooting, which was crucial when I was first learning to make this buttercream.
I do have a question! When I frost a cake using SMBC, the frosting often has bubbles in it, which makes it really difficult to smooth out to get nice crisp edges. Do you have any tips?
Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Kristen! So glad you found this post helpful 🙂 I usually run my mixer on the lowest setting for a couple minutes after the buttercream has come together to knock out some of the bubbles. I then knock some more out with a spatula. When smoothing a cake though, be sure to use light pressure as pressing too hard can cause bubbles too. I hope that helps!
Shannon says
I got to the curdled soup panic stage and tried the double boiler trick. It turned out perfect after a few more minutes of whipping!! Than you!
Olivia says
Awesome!!
Sean Gillis says
Would you recommend this recipe to go under fondant? Thanks, Sean
Olivia says
Hi Sean! For sure, it works great under fondant! Just be sure to chill the cake well so that the frosting is firm.
Maryann says
This was my first time attempting a Swiss Meringue buttercream. Your Instructions were really easy to follow and I had amazing results. The buttercream looked and tasted amazing! Thank you 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Maryann! I am so glad you had a successful first attempt and that you loved it! Thanks for the feedback 🙂
Liz says
THANK YOU for this tutorial!! This has to be one of the best posts I’ve seen about SMBC. I’ve always been an American Buttercream type of girl but you’ve given me the confidence to give SMBC a try!!
Olivia says
Hi Liz! So happy that you found it helpful 😀 Please let me know how your first SMBC turns out!
Angie says
I see you didn’t have a “key lime ” flavor…I’m assuming you can add key lime/lime juice with zest at the end of mixing the frosting ?
Olivia says
Hi Angie! Yes, I would start with the zest and the add juice as needed. Be careful not to add too much liquid.
Janet W says
You can get freeze dried lime (ot lemon) juice on Amazon. It’s called True Lime. It would work fantastic for this and would not add any liquid. It tastes like fresh lime juice.
Olivia says
Hi Janet! This is an awesome tip, thank you!!
Chelsea says
I really want to make your Lemon Blueberry cake and try it with the fault line trend using thin lemon slices. I’m thinking white frosting would look sleeker – do you have an idea on lemon SMBC instead of blueberry? Should I use lemon extract or try freeze dried lemon powder?
Also, I ALWAYS go back to your SMBC recipe after having tried a few. It has saved me on numerous occasions (i.e. my first 3 tier wedding cake) from freaking out when little things may go wrong. Thank you thank you!!
Olivia says
Hi Chelsea! So happy you love my SMBC recipe! For lemon there are a few things you could do — I love using lemon zest, I find it adds a delicious flavour, but you will have flecks of it in there. You could also just use some juice, but I don’t like to add too much liquid to my SMBC. Lemon curd is an amazing addition, if you feel like making it (you will have the yolks left over from the SMBC and all 🙂 ). Freeze-dried lemon would be the easiest most flavour impact if you can find it. Lastly, if all else fails, you can use lemon extract. I don’t love using extracts because I find them to taste artificial. I hope that helps! Let me know what you decide 🙂 Oh and for all of these I just do them to taste, so just add a little at a time until you get your desired flavour.
Pat says
so….not sure what I am doing wrong…..
I have made this many times. Each time with a thermometer (and several times i’ve used 3 different ones…all with the same temp showing). I use a gas stove.
problem:
my whites/sugar takes FOREVER to heat to 160* (ike 20 min…) and another 45 min (with ice bags surrounding the mixer bowl) to cool down and come to a soft peak.
any suggestions??
HELP!!
Olivia says
Hi Pat! Sorry to hear you’re having some trouble with this one. Is your bowl sitting directly over a pat of simmering water? It should not take that long to heat! Are you using a glass bowl by change? Those do not conduct heat very well and could be why it’s taking so long to heat/cool.
pat says
I use my stainless kitchen aid bowl direct over the boiling water…
Patricia says
Takes me almost 20 minutes to heat the sugar and egg whites to 160. Other than that this is an awesome recipe for SMBC.
Olivia says
Hi Patricia! Strange that it takes so long 😮 Is your bowl directly over the simmering water? So glad you liked it!!
Alyssa says
I just want to say I love your recipes and blog! It’s so helpful and down to earth. I was wondering if you have ever added cream cheese to SMBC? Is that a thing or does that go against rules? I’m new to baking and not sure, but I love cream cheese frosting and SMBC and wondered if they can be mixed.
Olivia says
Hi Alyssa! Thank you for your sweet comment! I haven’t added CC to SMBC myself and I know people have had trouble doing that. I’ve added mascarpone before and I swear it was fine, but that was years ago and I can’t totally remember. What I’ve head with CC SMBC is that you should whip up the CC and the SMBC separately and then slowly add the SMBC to the whipped CC (1 Tbsp at a time). It seems like a lot of effort so I haven’t been bothered to try it yet. Let me know if you do!
Katie says
Hello! I was just wondering what you do with all your egg yolks when you make SMB?
Olivia says
Hi Katie! Honestly, most of them go into the organics bin, but you can use them to make pastry cream (custard, pudding) or various types of curds.
Deborah Chapman says
Make lemon curd! It freezes beautifully. You can then add it to stabilized whipped cream for a lovely, light lemon mousse cake filling. Or serve it just as mousse. You can add lemon curd to cream cheese frosting, too, for a good lemon frosting.
Donna Augustyn says
I love the idea of this recipe but the printing options are not convenient. why all the steps and ‘adding extensions’, etc.? Can you make this simpler to enjoy and use…
Olivia says
Hi Donna, I’m not totally sure what you mean. If you hit Print in the recipe card it should open a new tab with an easily printable version of the recipe.
Georgia says
Hi.. can you paint SMBC with gold (luster dust and vodka) once it has set?
Olivia says
Hi Georgia! I’ve never tried it myself but suspect it would be fine once the buttercream firms up.
Eydie says
I will be baking my daughter’s wedding cake & will be using both your simple vanilla buttercream & your swiss meringue buttercream. The wedding is 6 hours from where i live. My plan is to do the crumb coating at my house, then finish the frosting once I arrived. My question is two-fold: 1) can both frostings be made ahead of time 2) do both frostings freeze?
Olivia says
Hi Eydie! Yes and yes! Both freeze very well and just need a good rewhip before using.
C Clark says
Just made your dulce de leche buttercream. I have never worked with SMBC before and was a little surprised by the final product; purely smooth and light, buttery and sweet but not sickly sweet like American buttercream can be. Thanks for the recipe.
Olivia says
Hi Carolyn! I love that recipe, so glad you liked it too!
Holly says
I need to make this with an articifal sugar, like Swerve, any thoughts?
Also, I’ve noticed the recipe could easily be halved. Do you think that would be ok for a trial run?
Olivia says
Hi Holly! I haven’t tried artificial sugar myself, but I suspect it won’t whip up as firm a meringue. I think it’s definitely worth trying though and yes you can halve the recipe!
Sharon says
Hi i am just worrying about ..others are adding some powdered sugar to smb .. i tried it for how many times but the result is became runny….after adding powdered sugar
Olivia says
Hi Sharon! I’ve never added powdered sugar myself. I know some people add American buttercream and mix the two.
Sophie says
Been trying to do the buttercream but tried twice and have made sure to do everything perfectly but won’t peak to save my love maybe my mixer is not great but can’t see why this would effect it now my cake is going to have to have normal buttercream as ran out of. Eggs sadly !!!????
Olivia says
Hi Sophie! Have you made sure the under side of your mixer is clean too? If you’ve followed all my tips and troubleshooting that’s the only other thing I can think of.
Margarita Álvarez says
Hello. My query is: there is variation in the recipe, depending on whether it is for the coverage of the cake, or if it is to make flowers for the decoration
Olivia says
Hi Margarita! It depends on the size of cake you’re making and how much frosting you need.
Anu says
Hi
How many cupcakes will this batch frost ?
Olivia says
Hi Anu! I’m not sure as I’ve never used it for cupcakes myself. Hopefully someone else can help!
Kaila says
Hi! I used half a batch to frost 16 cupcakes!
Olivia says
Thanks for the tip Kaila!
Shawnie says
Just made this for the first time. Frosting is really smooth. My hubby likes it.
Olivia says
Hi Shawnie! So glad he liked it!
chahinez says
Hello Olivia!
I just wanted to let you know that you have an awesome blog! I personally loved this specific swiss meringue recipe!!
I have been working on a small batch cream cheese frosting that I recently posted and I made sure to link back to your website for those interested in this beautiful Swiss meringue buttercream!
Have a great rest of your day!
Olivia says
Hi Chahinez! Thank you! I’m so glad you like it. I’ll have to check your post out!
Sylvie Gauthier says
I was having a hard time with my SMB, I finally tried whipping my butter ahead of time. That works great for me .
Thank you for all your tips and recipes ,
Olivia says
Thank you Sylvie!
Kandace says
Thanks for sharing all the tips! I tried three different recipes multiple times….. probably 10 lbs of butter all together…. and I think it was your lemon juice cleanse that made it finally work!! Came out perfectly the first time!!
Olivia says
Yay! So glad to hear that!! The lemon juice really makes all the difference — it’s a step I never skip!
Irma says
thank you for your detailed instruction. Can I used this to pipe rosette for the cake?
Olivia says
Hi Irma! Yes, this will work fine to pipe rosettes.
Linda says
This is my new favorite type of frosting! I have a question: As an activity to thank my staff I am bringing in unfrosted cupcakes along with frosting and different items so that my staff can decorate the cupcakes and bring them home to share. If I make the SMBC the night before, put it in pastry bags and bring it in the next day – will they be able to pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes?
Olivia says
Hi Linda! Yay! I’m so happy to hear that you love it. They will be able to pipe it onto the cupcakes. You can refrigerate it or not, either way, but it will need to come to room temp again before piping. The only thing is that the frosting won’t be as perfect and smooth. SMBC could always use a rewhip if sitting for a while, but I don’t think it would be a disaster at any rate 🙂
Irma says
Hi Liv
First of all let me tell you that my son love your Oreo cheesecake cupcake. Every year for his birthday, he always asked me make that cupcake as his treat to his classmates. Thank you for this detailed instructions and troubleshooting guide. Can I use this Swiss meringue buttercream to pipe rosette on the cake?
Olivia says
Hi Irma! So glad your son likes it 🙂 You can totally use this buttercream to pipe rosettes!
Emy says
The recipe is perfectly detailed and the additional tips are awesome.
Can I use a mixture of sunflower oil and butter to make this?
If yes, then in what ratio?
Olivia says
Hi Emy! I’m so glad you found it helpful! And no, I would stick to only butter.
L says
I’m confused — when would you use 2 C. butter, and when would you use 3 C. butter? The variance seems extreme to me.
I’d love to try this recipe.
Olivia says
Hi there! Per the notes in the recipe: This recipe makes enough to frost a two layer 8″ cake or 3 layer 6″ cake (using 2 cups butter) or a three layer 8″ cake (using 3 cups butter). It just depends on how large your cake is and how much buttercream you need.
Julie norris says
I have never made Swiss Buttercream before and this recipe made it so easy! I cut the recipe in half and used it for cupcakes I will be making this again!!
Olivia says
Hi Julie! So glad to hear that you loved it and found it easy!
Marni says
First, thanks for this!! I’ve made it a few times now and SMBC is my preferred frosting!
It says it’s good for 1-2 days on the counter and up to two weeks in the fridge. If I make a cake Sunday night, can I take it to work Monday and leave it out the entire day (it will be eaten Monday so probably less than the whole day lol). How should I store it in the fridge Sunday?
Thanks!!!
Olivia says
Hi Marni!! That will be totally fine. If you leave it out, the buttercream will get quite soft, but that’s how I prefer to eat it. If storing the cake whole, you can just pop it in the fridge — if you have an airtight container it will fit in that’s even better, but I never bother. If your fridge has some strong smells though, you might want to consider the container for sure!
Juliana says
👋🏼 , in grams could you do the conversion? from cups to grams?
Olivia says
Hi Juliana! There is a metric converter below the list of ingredients.
Jessica Chow says
Hi, thank you for sharing the receipe and your steps of making is so clear and easy. Especially love the tips for white frosting. I do have a question … what size egg do you use (medium or large) for the egg white. Do you have it in gram?
Thank you Jessica C
Olivia says
Hi Jessica! I use large eggs — should be about 30g per white.
Vivien says
Hi Olivia,
This is probably a silly question but can I heat up the egg white and sugar mixture in another bowl and then transfer it to the stand mixer bowl? My stand mixer bowl is glass and heavy so don’t want to put it over a double boiler.
Thanks,
Vivien
Olivia says
Hi Vivien! Sure thing, just make sure both bowls are wiped down with lemon juice or vinegar.
Melissa says
This is a great post! I’ve never tried making SMB before but I’ve been wanting to for a while and this makes me feel ready! One question that I feel kind of dumb asking but…. if you frost a cake with SMB and then keep it in the fridge for a day will it be fine once it comes back to room temperature? Or will the frosting somehow separate while already on the cake?
Olivia says
Hi Melissa! Not dumb at all. The frosting gets very firm in the fridge (like butter), but will soften up again at room temperature. It will not separate — it will be perfect!
Zara says
Hi Olivia, thank you for the tip to add some blue/violet to the SMBC to get that white color. Question, could I do the same with a white chocolate drip cake?
Thank you for all your great recipes!
Olivia says
Hi Zara! I imagine that would work in a similar fashion 🙂
Michelle says
Amazing recipe and great tips!. May I please ask if I can use lemon curd to the buttercream? If so how much of lemon curd should one add? Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Michelle! You sure can. I would start with 1/4 cup and see if the flavour comes through. Add more (by small amounts) until it’s where you want it to be.
Bożena Witka says
Hey. Can you specify the amount of butter in grams. I am from Poland and we have a different measure.
Olivia says
Cześć Bożena! I’m from Krakow 🙂 There is a metric converter below the list of ingredients. Butter would be 454-681g depending on if you use 2 or 3 cups.
Kelly says
Can you heat it in a separate bowl over the double boiler and then pour it into your mixing bowl?
Olivia says
Hi Kelly! Yes, that will work. I wouldn’t recommend using a glass bowl though as they don’t conduct heat as well.
Rebecca Hamilton says
I used a glass bowl as a double boiler and it came out perfect!!!! I did need to standby by and adjust my heat a few times but my stove is electric.
Gideon says
Oh wow!!!! This is currently my FAVORITE SMBC recipe 💚💚 I’ve made it 4 times within the last month 😂😂 I just can’t get enough of it…my motherinlaw will come over to eat some with her cookies like a sandwich too…and she is a TOUGH one too please with bake goods!!
Olivia says
Hi Gideon! Four times, wow! That is high praise. I am so glad you (and your MIL 🙂 ) both like it!
Gideon says
Annnnnnd I just made another batch again today 🤣🤣 I tried it with brown sugar like in your GCC recipe…SUPER good too!! Brown sugar gives it such a beautiful flavor…thanks for the idea and the perfect recipe!!
Olivia says
LOVE the brown sugar version!! So glad you did too 🙂
Kat says
Thank you for all the tips and tricks. The frosting was divine on a banana cake!
Olivia says
Hi Kat! So glad to hear you liked it!
Janice says
I’m making a Golden Wedding anniversary cake, 2 layers, an almond cake, and a vanilla cake. Could this recipe be used to fill and crumb coat? Also, could I add 2 or 3 tablespoons of homemade lemon curd to the finished SMBC without ruining it?! Thank you for any advice.
Olivia says
Hi Janice! Yes, this recipe works great to fill and crumb coat and sets very firm. And yes to the lemon curd!
Tiff says
I would like to try this for a three layer 8″ cake. Does your suggestion of 3 cups of butter mean the sugar and eggs amounts remain the same no matter how much butter you use?
Olivia says
Hi Tiff! Yes, that’s correct for this particular recipe. I wouldn’t add more than 3 cups of butter though without increasing the whites/sugar.
Merilyn Torres says
I was given this recipe by friend and I kid you not, it is the best icing I have ever used or tasted! I separated my icing in 3 equal parts and made raspberry, peanut butter, and Oreo flavored icing for cupcakes and everyone raved about how good the icing was. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Olivia says
Yay! So happy to hear that Merilyn 🙂
Courtney says
I switch to a paddle when adding the butter and for some reason when I go to frost my cake I get a million air bubbles all over my cake. Any advise?
Olivia says
Hi Courtney! You’d get even more with the whisk! I always run my mixer on low for a few mins after the buttercream has come together to knock any bubbles out and then take a spatula to it to knock out even more.
Pema says
If I’m making a half sheet cake will the provided amount of buttercream be enough or should I double it?
Olivia says
Hi Pema! I’ve never used it on a sheet cake (or half sheet cake) but I think the amount would be plenty.
Yoko says
Hi Liv,
Love SMB, too. Just wondering, have you tried it using under fondant?
Thank you, this is very informative. Saved this already, been using your recipe.❤
Olivia says
Hi Yoko! It should work just fine under fondant. I recommend chilling the cake first so the buttercream is firm.
Jo says
The whitening tip is genius!! Thank you Olivia xx
Olivia says
Thanks Jo! I am seriously impressed with how well it works!
Rachel says
Everything you do is so amazing you gave me courage to try SMBC (I love the acronym – like a secret club!)
But my first attempt came up ‘curdled’ and freaked me out. A semi panicked but mostly annoyed google search later I found a Serious Eats tutorial that shared the magical number 74 degeees. If you cool (or heat it – if yours has chilled out in the fridge or freezer) it to 74 degrees it will be perfect!! That was so helpful for me to know if I needed it warmer or colder to get the texture right.
Olivia says
Hi Rachel! So glad to hear you made your first SMBC! And awesome tip about the temp! Super helpful for sure.
Amanda Liberato says
Ignore my comment about the grams Liv! I’ve just found out the metric option!
Thanks for your time!
Olivia says
No worries! Leaving it here in case other’s have the same question 🙂
Amanda Liberato says
Thank you so much for sharing all these useful information! It’s very precious for people like me who are beginning to use SMBC.
I have a small doubt, how much in grams or oz is one cup of butter? I never know if I should press the butter on the cup to fill it all or not.
Olivia says
Hi Amanda! There’s an option to convert to Metric right below the list of ingredients. I haven’t verified the accuracy of these numbers, but they should be correct for the basics like butter, flour, sugar, etc.
Zina says
Can I substitute butter with baking margarine. I mean if I don’t have butter can’t I use the margarine instead. Would it have any effect on the end product. Thank you very much for your good work
Olivia says
Hi Zina! I don’t think the margarine would give the correct flavour texture since it’s not dairy based and softer than butter when chilled. I could be wrong, I’ve never tried myself, but my gut tells me it wouldn’t work as well. Can’t hurt to try it though if that’s all you have available?
Lamya says
You are such an honest person.
I have been almost studying butteecream last year and I can say you left nothing out!
I only have one thing to add to your very useful source, if you are short on time or in the mood for a short cut, I recommend a quick no cook version that really worked great for me, it is great, easy and predictble.
Olivia says
Thanks Lamya! For the no cook version do you just whip the whites and sugar right away? Or do you dissolve the sugar somehow? How do you ensure it’s not grainy?
Beth says
I have never made SMB but I made it for the lemon elderflower cake. After adding the butter, it got soupy-curdly until I added the elderflower syrup. Once I added that it suddenly became perfect. I can’t wait to try other flavors!
Olivia says
Hi Beth! Interesting that adding the syrup fixed it, I wonder if it just needed extra time whipping? Either way, I’m glad it worked out!
Elina says
Thank you so much for such detailed instructions and troubleshooting tips! You are the best! 🙂
Olivia says
Thanks Elina! I’m glad you found them useful!