This is a basic 3 ingredient swiss meringue buttercream recipe. It creates a simple white fluffy buttercream, that is a little sweet and is a great neutral base for any add ons!
tips for a perfect swiss meringue buttercream
The key to this is room temperature buttercream. You do not want hard, cold butter because it will not incorporate properly into the meringue.
The first step for this meringue is to heat it on a double boiler. If you do not have a double boiler, you can take a regular pot and fill it with about 2 inches of water. Then take a heat safe bowl and use that as your double boiler. I use a large metal bowl for this step because it gives my hands room to avoid the heat + it gives me space to whisk my eggs and sugar without any risk of spilling.
When cooking your eggs, you can heat to 160 degrees F or you whisk it until you no longer feel sugar between your fingers. I prefer the first option, that way I know my eggs are always cooked and safe for consumption, especially if the cake is for a client. By the time your mixture heats to 160 degrees F, your sugar will be dissolved. Another key to cooking your eggs is constant whisking, this assures that your eggs do not scramble.
adding your butter
When it comes time to incorporate your butter into your meringue, you want to use your paddle attachment. Incorporate it 1 – 4 tbsp at a time, mixing in between each addition. Once all of your butter has been added you can switch back to your whisk attachment. Whisk on medium to high speed till you have a fluffy buttercream.
Sometimes your buttercream may look clumpy, do not worry, just keep mixing on high. It will come together. If your butter is in chunks and is not incorporating correctly, you can heat the side of your bowl with a torch. In the case that you do not have a torch, you can heat the side of the bowl over a burner on your stovetop for a couple of seconds, then proceed with mixing. If you think that is helping but your butter is still not incorporated, you can continue to heat it on and off whisking in between until your butter is incorporated.
flavor options
There are pretty much endless options of add ons and flavor combinations that you can put into this base. Here are a couple of my favorites.
Chocolate – To create a chocolate smb, you can simply melt 1 – 2 cups of chocolate chips till smooth. Let the chocolate mixture cool for 5-10 until it’s no longer hot to the touch. Once cooled, add in the melted chocolate after the butter has been fully incorporated. Whip it on medium – high for 1-2 minutes, or until combined and fluffy.
Vanilla – For a strong vanilla buttercream, add 1 tsp of vanilla extract plus 2 tbsp of vanilla bean paste to the mixture. Once your butter has been fully incorporated and your mixture is fluffy.
Strawberry / Any kind of berry – In a pot combine 8 oz of frozen strawberries (or berry of choice) + 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. Heat the mixture until the strawberries are soft and the sugar has dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes. Once cooked through, blend mixture with a hand blender, if you want it smooth. Let the mixture cool in the fridge for a few hours or overnight, it needs to be chilled. Pour desired amount into buttercream, I would recommend starting with 1/2 cup and adding in more a 1/4 cup at a time. Whip in berry mixture once your butter has been fully combined. Beat on high for 1-2 minutes or until berry mixture has been fully incorporated.
I use this recipe to frost majority of my cakes. In the images seen in this post, I used it to fill + cover my peach upside down cake that I turned into a stacked cake. If you want the recipe for the peach upside down cake, you can find it here. You can also find detailed instructions on how to layer, fill + stack your cake in that post!
if you make this recipe, be sure to tag me on instagram or leave a comment below!
swiss meringue buttercream
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsalted butter softened, room temp
- 7 egg whites
- 2 cups granulated sugar
Instructions
- Add eggs whites + sugar to a heat safe bowl and mix to combine.
- With the stove on medium high heat, bring the water to a simmer. Place egg white mixture over the simmering water, whisking constantly until it reaches 160 degrees F or until you can longer feel the sugar between your fingers.
- Pour hot egg mixture into your mixing bowl or kitchen aid and beat on high with whisk attachment until you form a meringue with stiff peaks.
- While that is beating, cut your 2 cups of softened, room temp butter into tablespoon pieces. Once your meringue is set, switch to your paddle attachment and slowly add butter, 1 – 3 tbsp at a time. Mix well between each addition, continue until all butter is gone.
- Once all of your butter is added, switch back to your whisk attachment and beat on high until mixture is light and fluffy.
- If your mixture curdles, you can heat the side of the bowl slightly with a torch or over a gas stovetop for about 5 – 10 seconds. Then continue beating on high until you have a light, white, fluffy buttercream. At this point, you can add in any flavoring or colouring if you choose to include it!
