Swiss Meringue Buttercream

5 from 25 votes

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A super silky, not-too-sweet buttercream that pairs perfectly with cakes and cupcakes!

Prep: 20

Cook: 5

Total: 25

Servings: cups

Author: Cakes by MK

IMPORTANT: For accuracy, I would recommend using the gram measurements provided, as those are the exact quantities I use. Cup measurements are given as estimates (based on US cup measurements) to make it easier for those who do not have a scale.

Ingredients

▢ 1⅔ cups (400 g) unsalted butter - room temp, cut into small cubes
▢ 5 large (150 g) egg whites - see note 4
▢ 1½ cups (320 g) castor sugar - regular white sugar okay - see note 3
▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract/essence

Instructions

If this is your first time making SMBC, I would recommend watching the demonstration video below. This will help with understanding what things should look like at each step :)
Begin by separating your egg whites from your egg yolks (if using fresh eggs). Make sure there are no yolks in the whites, otherwise this will prevent the whites from whipping up properly when we make our meringue.
In a heat proof bowl, whisk together the egg whites and caster sugar, and gently heat the mixture over a double boiler. Keep gently mixing the mixture so it heats evenly. The goal is to get a smooth texture without over-cooking the egg whites. After a few minutes, check the mixture by rubbing it in between your fingers. If you can't feel any sugar granules then it is done. If you're not using pasteurised egg whites, then ensure the mixture has reached 75 °C so that it is safe to eat.
Transfer the mixture into a stand mixer (see note 1). Using the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites and sugar on medium-high speed (speed 8 on KitchenAid) for 10-15 minutes until the mixture is cool and stiff peaks have formed.
Turn down your mixer to a medium speed (speed 6 on KitchenAid) and slowly add in the butter, about a tablespoon at a time (see note 5). It is important to ensure that the butter is at room temperature (soft enough to make an indent with your finger, but not melted or losing it's shape). See note 2
Once all the butter is mixed in, add in your vanilla and continue to mix your buttercream until it is smooth in consistency, about another few minutes. At some stage it may look like the buttercream is curdling, but this is totally normal! Just let your mixer do it's thing and it will come together.

Video

Notes

Note 1. Ensure there are no fats or oils on your bowl or whisk attachment as this will prevent the meringue from whipping up properly.

Note 2. If you've forgotten to take your butter out of the fridge beforehand, you can cut it into cubes and put it in the microwave for 10 second bursts, mixing it in between each burst so it heats up evenly until it is slightly soft.

Note 3. You can use regular sugar in replacement of castor sugar. It just means that your sugar will take a little longer to dissolve in the egg whites. Watch your mixture very closely to ensure you do not overcook your egg whites. Keep gently stirring the mixture to prevent this from happening.

Note 4. My original recipe had 4 egg whites (as shown on the video), which still tastes amazing, but I decided to try with 5 egg whites and I like it ever so slightly better (it's a bit lighter and fluffier), so have amended the recipe to 5 egg whites :)

Note 5. If you add in the butter too quickly, this will deflate the meringue which we don't want. Add the butter in about a tablespoon at a time to allow it to slowly incorporate into the meringue without weighing it down.

Note 6. I also have a chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream recipe.

Nutrition

Nutritional information are estimates only as they are automatically calculated by a third party application. Actual values may differ based on brands and types of products used.

Keyword: buttercream, swiss meringue buttercream

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