How to make Swiss Meringue Buttercream - Our Complete Guide

Swiss Meringue Buttercream is the silky smooth, delicious icing of choice for many cake professionals! It is a little more time consuming to make than your classic American Buttercream - but that extra effort is always worth it!

So, to help you add this option to your baking repertoire, we've created a complete guide to Swiss Meringue Buttercream. We're covering everything from how to make it to storage options and fixing any issues you run in to.

And if you're not sure this is the right choice for your next bake, we're here to help. Swiss Meringue Buttercream is different from American Buttercream in a few ways, so doing your research is important! You can learn more in our comparison guide which explores The Difference Between American, Swiss & Italian Buttercream.

Contents:

How to make Swiss Meringue Buttercream How long to whip Swiss Meringue Buttercream for Do I need a stand mixer to make Swiss Meringue Buttercream? Removing air bubbles from Swiss Meringue Buttercream Storing Swiss Meringue Buttercream - how long will it last?

How to make Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Swiss Meringue Buttercream involves a little more effort than American Buttercream. So, if you are a beginner, just note that this will take a little bit more time and effort to get right!

Ingredients

The recommended ratio of ingredients varies - different bakers have different approaches, and over time you'll learn what you like best! You can start off with a 1:1:2 ratio of sugar to egg whites to butter. If you want a slightly lighter, less creamy option, you can reduce the amount of butter.

Caster Sugar (200g)

Egg Whites (200g)

Unsalted Butter (400g)

1 tsp of Vanilla Extract

Swiss American Buttercream Recipe

Begin by placing a pan of water onto the stove and bring it to a gentle simmer - you want it to be barely simmering to avoid burning your ingredients.

Place your caster sugar and your egg whites in a heatproof bowl and pop this on top of your pan of simmering water. It's important that the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl, so take the time to check that.

Stir your mixture gently for a few minutes until it has all combined. You can test it by rubbing a little between your fingers - it's good to go when it no longer has a grainy texture!

Using a stand mixer (whisk attachment) whisk the mixture together until it has formed that classic meringue texture with noticeable stiff peaks. Allow it to fully cool before adding your room temperature butter, one tablespoon at a time (don't add the next spoonful until the previous butter has fully mixed in).

Once all the butter is mixed in you can add your vanilla extract, and keep mixing until you have a smooth and fluffy Swiss Meringue buttercream.

What temperature should the egg whites reach?

Heat the egg whites and sugar to 160°F (71°C) to make sure the sugar has dissolved. A sugar thermometer is very handy for this step! However, if you don't have a thermometer, it isn't a disaster. Again, just test the mixture by rubbing it between your fingers to ensure the grains of sugar have all dissolved.

How long should I whip Swiss Meringue Buttercream for?

Making Swiss Meringue buttercream does take a little while, but the results are worth it!

Ingredients	Timing
Egg whites and sugar	Whip for 10-15mins
Final mix including butter	Whip for 8-10mins

Timings will vary, so remember it isn't an exact science, and if you need to keep going to get the right consistency, that is totally okay!

An approximate guide, however, is to whip the egg white and sugar mix for 10-15minutes. Then, allow this to fully cool (you can pop it in the fridge to speed this up!) and then, after mixing the room temperature butter in, mix for another 8-10minutes.

Do I need a stand mixer to make Swiss Meringue Buttercream?

Ideally yes, you do need a stand mixer if you want to make Swiss Meringue Buttercream. You could give it a go using a hand mixer but, given how long it needs to be whipped together for, this would be quite hard work!

How to remove air bubbles from Swiss Meringue buttercream

When it comes to getting your icing perfectly smooth, there can often be bumps in the road! So, if you're struggling with how to remove air bubbles from Swiss Meringue buttercream, don't panic. There are a few ways to fix this and have it as good as new!

Paddle Attachment:

The first method to remove air bubbles is to switch to a paddle attachment on your mixer and mix your buttercream on low speed. Let it mix for a few minutes and this should knock any bubbles out.

Microwave:

A faster option is to microwave a little bit of the buttercream until it has melted and add it back in, mixing slowly until it has all combined together again. It should be silky smooth!

Food Processor:

Another recommended solution is to pop your mixture into a food processor and whisk it up. While this does work, it can darken the colour of your buttercream, so be aware of that before diving in.

Spatula and chopping board:

And finally, an effective (but slightly more time consuming) option is to put your Swiss Meringue buttercream on to a clean counter or chopping board and, using an offset spatula, spread it back and forth. This should knock out any pesky air bubbles that are hanging around!

How long can I store Swiss Meringue Buttercream for?

After taking the time and effort to get your perfect buttercream whipped up, you'll want to know how long it will keep for. Especially if you aren't using it immediately!

Without refrigerating, Swiss Meringue buttercream will last (covered up) for about two days at room temperature.

However, if you pop it in the fridge (keeping it covered and away from strong smelling foods) it will last for approximately two weeks!

Can I freeze Swiss Meringue Buttercream?

Yes, you absolutely can! If you're really planning ahead, Swiss Meringue Buttercream will last for up to three months in an airtight container in the freezer! It's ideal to have some stored for last minute cake projects.

Simply take it out to defrost and, once at room temperature, beat in your mixer for about two minutes until it is smooth and glossy.

We hope you've enjoyed our beginner guide! You're all set now for creating a delicious, smooth Swiss Meringue Buttercream to compliment your next bake! Don't forget that if you are working to a short deadline, however, we have do a range of delicious ready-made buttercreams and frostings available.

For more cakey inspiration and tips you can find us on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook - tag us in your next masterpiece so we can see it ourselves! Happy baking.

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