Swiss Meringue Buttercream can look intimidating, but really, it is totally doable! And the glorious satiny smooth delight makes up for it. What I love best about it is that it’s stable and resilient — looks good on cake but totes better on cupcakes! This recipe makes as much frosting for up to 14 cupcakes.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting
Recipe by Stay at Home Mum
Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting is silky, smooth, and creamy, perfect for frosting cakes and cupcakes with a light, buttery sweetness.
Course: Baking, Biscuits/Slices, Desserts, Icings, RecipesCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings
+
–
4
servingsPrep time
15
minutesCooking time
10
minutesCalories
100
kcalTotal time
25
minutes
Cook Mode
Keep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
2 Egg whites
1/2 cups Sugar
Pinch salt
1/2 cups Unsalted butter
1 Vanilla bean pod
Directions
- In a double boiler, whisk together egg whites and sugar until sugar melts and the mixture reaches 70°C while you stir it continuously for about 5 minutes.
- After that, transfer the mixture into a clean mixing bowl with a whisk attachment. Now, whisk on low speed for a minute, then slowly increase the speed to medium-high for 10 minutes and then beat until hard peaks form and the mixture is cool when touched.
- Cut vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape the seeds from inside.
- Now, switch to a paddle attachment. Add butter slowly, one cube at a time with those scraped vanilla beans. Make sure that the butter is fully incorporated before adding the next one. The mixture might curdle, but that’s normal so you don’t have to panic. Go on beating the mixture until it looks smooth. When the frosting reaches the right consistency, you will start hearing slapping sounds.
Notes
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream can’t be frozen so make sure you use it all up!
- Substitute 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract for vanilla beans if you wish to.
Clare Whitfield
Chief Editor
Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney, she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work.

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