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 flavorings.
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 flavor to your heart’s content. A simple and standard recipe will include vanilla, but the flavor 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 flavor and color, peanut butter/peanut butter powder (preferred), or choose from a variety of flavorings 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 number 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 the 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 the Troubleshooting section below if this is not the case.
Once the buttercream is completely smooth, fluffy, and creamy, you can add in your flavorings (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.
Be sure to check out my detailed tutorial on How to Make Buttercream White for other tips.
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 the 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 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 of 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 flavor Swiss meringue buttercream? Yes. Once the buttercream has come together, you can add any kinds of flavorings, 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 recommend using liquid food coloring as it is not intense enough an can cause the buttercream to split. For more tips on getting rich, dark colors with SMBC see my Chocolate Peppermint Cake post.
- 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.
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
I hope you’ve found this guide helpful and that it’s given you the courage to give Swiss Meringue Buttercream a try! It truly is one of the most delicious buttercreams out there.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 large egg whites
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups unsalted butter softened but still a bit firm, cubed
- vanilla or other flavoring to taste see post for options
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 flavorings as desired whip until smooth.
Notes
- This recipe makes enough to frost a two layer 8″ cake or a three layer 6″ cake.
- The recipe can be made with 3 cups of butter instead, if you need more frosting.
- See blog post for tips and troubleshooting.
Updated Nov 2, 2022. Originally published Jan 2, 2019
Kat says
I love this recipe and use it all the time for cakes, just wondering how many normal sized cupcakes would this cover. I’m planning to make 24 with a generous swirl and wondering whether it will be enough? Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Kat! I haven’t tried it on cupcakes myself but I think it should work for 18-24.
chelsea says
Do you think I could use salted butter instead of unsalted?
Olivia says
Hi Chelsea! I do not recommend salted butter as the salt will be overpowering.
Alexandra says
Hi there – I want to pipe succulents for a cake. Does this buttercream work for piping very well?
Olivia says
Hi Alexandra! Yes, it pipes beautifully!
Danica says
I made this recipe previously and loved it. I am making this tomorrow for a birthday cake! Can I use pasteurized egg whites? I don’t use the yolks for anything and end up throwing them out which is wasteful. Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Danica! I haven’t had success with carton whites myself (I talk about it a bit in the post). Some people have though, but I think it really depends on the brand.
Danica says
Thank you so much I really appreciate it!
Hileen says
Hey
Do you think its possible to add lavender?
Olivia says
Hi Hileen! Yes, for sure. I would use either a lavender oil or extract and add it at the end. Alternatively, you could infuse the butter — melt the butter with some lavender and let it steep for a bit, then strain and let it set completely.
Elena says
Super
Olivia says
So glad you like it, Elena!
Colette says
Liv, love your site, thank you! I tired granulated sugar for the first time and I find that powdered sugar dissolves so much faster and easier. Is there a reason why you prefer regular sugar? My SMBC turned out fine but a tiny bit grainy, hoping when I re-whip it it will dissolve some more. Also, I’m trying to cut the “butter taste” a bit– can I add a dab of vanilla or something else to help cut the butter taste? Thanks 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Colette! Granulated is the traditional way to make SMBC and it makes a smooth and silky frosting. I think the powdered sugar frostings will always have a bit of grit to them 🙁 It might depend on the brand of powdered sugar though. There is often starch added to it to prevent clumping which you don’t see with granulated.
You should definitely add some sort of flavoring to the buttercream as it will just taste like sweet butter otherwise 🙂 For sure vanilla is a good place to start, but that is my least favourite SMBC flavour. You have to try the mocha!
oluchi omorodion says
Thanks a lot. But can I get the measurements in grams?
Olivia says
Hi Oluchi! There is a metric converter below the list of ingredients.
Melissa says
Can you make a lemon flavor using zest of a lemon and the juice
Olivia says
Hi Melissa! For sure, just don’t add too much juice as it could cause the buttercream to split (add it 1 Tbsp at a time up to 4 Tbsp). Alternatively you could add lemon curd which will incorporate better 🙂 https://livforcake.com/lemon-curd/
Keshika says
Hi. I want to try this recipe and I have a ton of egg whites in my freezer. Is it possible to make SMBC with thawed egg whites?
Olivia says
Hi Keshika! Yes, that should work no problem as long as the eggs were stored in a grease-free container and they are free from any yolk.
Emma says
Hiya, I’m so thankful for this recipe but have a quick question – I want to put some ground strawberry powder in to frost the cake but not sure how much?
Olivia says
Hi Emma! I would add 4 Tbsp but add it 1 Tbsp at a time. You can add a bit more/less to taste.
Lori says
Just made the Swiss meringue frosting for the first time. . It was spot on no issues, followed your prep exactly, so helpful . It’s not my fav overall but had to try it. I did learn one thing, there is no better way to make meringue , can’t wait to try your seven minute frosting.
Olivia says
Hi Lori! So happy to hear that! It’s definitely not for everyone. Some people can find it a bit too buttery. The meringue is so nice though, right??
Tsvetelina Brezeanu says
Hi. Trying to make some buttercream for my macarons. Will it be ok if I add just one cup of sugar? I don’t want it too sweet
Olivia says
Hi Tsvetelina! No, it will affect the structure of the meringue. You can add a pinch of salt to cut the sweetness or try one of these buttercreams as they are not very sweet at all: https://livforcake.com/ermine-frosting/, https://livforcake.com/german-buttercream/
sam moro says
Hi thanx so much for this recipe. Mine came out perfect. Can I add melted chocolate to this recipe or not.
Olivia says
Hi Sam! Yes, you can add melted, cooled chocolate to it. I have a recipe for that here: https://livforcake.com/chocolate-cake-recipe/
Christine says
I don’t know what it is, maybe it’s my frigid hands, but my meringue NEVER seems to cool down. Every recipe online says 5-10 mins to cool. I am talking 20 mins, mixer struggling…still warm. I tried to use bagged frozen peas, but it was a huge pain. I saw a recipe that said once the sugar/egg mixture is cooked, let it sit for 20 mins then start whipping. I hadn’t tried it, but I was curious on your opinion of that? Thank you! Love your blog!!! Also – do you find Natrel is the brand of butter you use most? Maybe it was the brand I was using that made it difficult….I think in Ontario we have the same brands. Thank you!! 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Christine! Thank you!! Strange that it takes so long but it could be due to the size of the mixer or the type of bowl too. What size is your mixer and do you use a glass bowl? I think you can try using slightly colder butter and see if that works. And if the meringue is too warm and the buttercream turns soupy the frozen peas should work well then! I’ve never tried letting the mixture sit for 20mins but I don’t see an issue with that.
Natrel is what I use most because I can get it at Costco and it’s less expensive than other places. What were the issues you had after you added the butter?
Daniella says
I’ve made this frosting twice and I have the same problem 🙁 it never cools down. I use a standard kitchen aid mixer with a metal bowl. Any tips?
Olivia says
Hi Daniella! Make sure you’re not heating the bowl/mixture too much. The water should just barely be simmering and not touching the bottom of the bowl. Once the meringue is stiff, you can put a bag of frozen peas (or similar) along the bottom of the bowl to help cool it 🙂
Hannah says
Hi,
Do you have a tutorial on how to get your SMBC perfectly smooth? I always seem to have air bubbles no matter how long I try to smooth with my pallet knife or bench scraper 🙁
Thank you!
H
Olivia says
Hi Hannah! I always run my mixer on low for a couple mins at the end to knock out the air bubbles and then knock some more out by hand with a spatula. Also, it’s important to use very light pressure with the bench scraper as pressing too hard will create a ton of bubbles. I hope that helps!
Manasa says
Hi Olivia,
Thank you so much for this super detailed recipe! I finally got the courage to try Swiss meringue buttercream after reading this post and I haven’t gone back to any other type of buttercream ever since !
Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Manasa! I am so happy you tried it and loved it 🙂
Sammy says
Hello!
Have you ever painted SMBC with gold lustre dust? I am curious if it will work on this frosting. I want to make a gold painted cake. Do you have another frosting recipe you can recommend for painting if SMBC wouldn’t work?
Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Sammy! I haven’t tried that myself but I think it should be fine on SMBC, but I would do it when the cake is cold. I believe you’ll need to mix the lustre dust with alcohol or similar first to get it to the right consistency.
Kayla says
I have used this recipe twice following each step and tip to the T. Both times my frosting has come out perfectly. I am so thankful for this in depth post!
Olivia says
So happy you found it helpful!
Ashlie says
Hi! I’m been tying to make SMBC and my marange won’t come to stiff peeks. It’s glossy and a bit like marshmello. I’ve been whipping it on high for about 20 minutes. And it’s still the same. Will it still work out ok?
Olivia says
Hi Ashlie! Is it super soft and droopy? See my post for details on why this happens. If you use it this way the buttercream won’t be as fluffy and will be a bit thicker and taste more buttery.