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TL;DR (Quick-Answer Box)
- What it is: Swiss meringue buttercream—egg whites + superfine sugar warmed over simmering water, whipped to stiff peaks, then room-temp butter beaten in a piece at a time. Silky, not sugary.
- Why you’ll love it: Cooking the sugar is the whole trick. It makes this frosting sturdier, less sweet, and more buttery than the confectioners’-sugar stuff. Edd Kimber built it for his vanilla cake.
- My best tip: If it goes grainy, don’t toss it. Keep beating until it warms up and comes back silky.
- How I zhuzh this: Save the spent vanilla pod. Bury it in sugar. Free vanilla sugar.
A great vanilla cake deserves a very special buttercream, so I have turned to a super smooth and silky Swiss meringue version. As vanilla is the dominant flavor, this is a recipe for which I would splurge and use a vanilla pod for the buttercream.–Edd Kimber
Featured Review
Thank you David! Your recipes never fail me! The buttercream came together exactly as stated with the instructions. I used the whisk attachment on the stand mixer, and I believe that helped it come together faster with the desired result. I doubled the recipe for a 2-layer 8-inch cake. Had a little leftover, and the kids + husband licked the bowl clean.
Theresa Maduzia
What’s the difference between Swiss meringue buttercream and regular buttercream?
Regular buttercream is another way of saying what Americans typically refer to as frosting. It’s typically made with butter or shortening, confectioners’ sugar, and milk or cream, whereas Swiss meringue buttercream calls for the sugar to be cooked, which makes the resulting buttercream waaay more stable and exceptionally satiny smooth. Swiss meringue buttercreams tend to be slightly less sweet than most frostings and more buttery in flavor, which is not at all a bad thing in my experience. Not a t’all.
More sinfully rich frosting recipes
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If you make this Swiss meringue buttercream, or any cake or frosting recipe on LC, consider leaving a review, a star rating, and your best photo in the comments below. I love hearing from you.–David
Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Ingredients
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 3/4 cup superfine sugar (or blitz granulated sugar in a food processor until finely ground)
- 2 sticks plus 1 tablespoon (8 1/2 oz) unsalted butter, diced and at room temperature
- Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla pod (*See Note below)
- Pinch of salt
- Sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- In a large heatproof bowl, stir together the egg whites, cream of tartar, and sugar. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water (making certain the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water underneath), stirring regularly, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hot to the touch, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and, using an electric mixer, whisk until the mixture has stiff peaks, 7 to 10 minutes.
- Slowly add the butter, a piece or two at a time. Beat until the mixture forms a buttercream-like texture and is silky smooth, 4 to 6 minutes.
- Gently beat in the vanilla and salt.
- Use the buttercream to frost a cooled cake and top with sprinkles, if using. Cut into portions and serve. Store, covered, for up to 3 days.
Notes
*What Can I Do With That Used Vanilla Pod?
Don’t discard the used pod. There’s a ton of flavor left inside. You can use it to roast fruits, to make vanilla sugar, to make your own vanilla syrup, or to make your own vanilla extract with vodka or bourbon or rum…oh my!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
Did you know only 68% of the recipes we test make it onto the site? This recipe survived our rigorous blind testing process by multiple home cooks. It earned the Leite’s Culinaria stamp of approval—and the testers’ reviews below prove it.
I would need to swallow a thesaurus to have enough adjectives to describe this singular frosting. It is so good that it almost makes you want to abandon chocolate frosting.
The frosting is a snap to make. It’s light and seductive and doesn’t reveal the sinful amount of butter used in the recipe. I was anxious about the frosting because I have a love-hate relationship with egg whites. I fear them almost as much as meat cleavers and mandolines. No matter how many photos I look at, I am always trying to figure out when I have reached soft peaks versus stiff peaks. I cannot count the number of overbeaten disasters I’ve produced. That being said, I was not to be deterred and the egg whites had the good sense to surrender and give me a lovely shiny set of stiff peaks.
With the biggest hurdle conquered, I added the butter, salt, and vanilla as directed. The frosting was velvety smooth and the taste was more vanilla than butter. It makes the vanilla cake whole as the two flavors join together. It’s also a frosting which could be eaten directly from the bowl when no one is watching.
I had a moment of panic when I discovered that my vanilla beans were really dry and crumbly, well beyond the bounds of rehydration. After a quick bit of research, I determined that I could substitute a teaspoon of either vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for the vanilla bean. I used a teaspoon of Nielsen-Massey vanilla bean paste in place of the vanilla bean. The frosting did not suffer as a result of the substitution.
For anyone who is apprehensive about a Swiss buttercream, just take a leap of faith. Seriously. It’s so quick to make and even better to eat—straight out of the bowl or on your cake! I would gladly make this recipe again, perhaps in a sheet pan with double the frosting. That’s one place you don’t want to skimp. Using my stand mixer, after achieving stiff peaks, I whipped the butter in and had a perfect silkiness in about 7 minutes.
Thank you David! Your recipes never fail me! The buttercream came together exactly as stated with the instructions. I used the whisk attachment on the stand mixer, and I believe that helped it come together faster with the desired result. I doubled the recipe for a 2-layer 8” cake – Had a little leftover and kids + husband licked the bowl clean.
Theresa, you’re braver than me! I don’t often double a recipe, but rather make two batches. I’m thrilled it worked for you. And I’m Team Husband + Kids: A bowl of frosting is a terrible thing to waste. Chow!