This is my fave buttercream of all time! Yes, it does require a bit more time than traditional American buttercream but I promise you the results are soooo much better! This light and silky buttercream is not too sweet and beautifully stable at room temperature. It's the perfect vanilla frosting for layer cakes, where it glides on effortlessly, but just as easily swirled over your favorite cupcakes, or sandwiched between two macarons. The finished product can be customized with a splash of extract, a drizzle of melted chocolate, a spoonful of peanut butter, concentrated fruit purées, or just about whatever you're craving!
Note: This recipe yields about 10 cups of buttercream which is enough to fill, cover, and decorate a three 8” layer cake. You can cut this recipe in half if you are just making it to fill macarons, or decorate a dozen cupcakes.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipe
450g (2 1/4 cups) granulated white sugar
795g (3 1/2 cups) unsalted butter (room temp and cut into smaller cubes)
Pinch of salt
9 egg whites
2 1/2 tsps vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Add egg whites, sugar and salt in your heatproof standing mixer bowl.
2. Give the mixture a brief whisk.
3. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Make sure the water does not touch the bowl.
4. Whisk the egg whites occasionally while it warms up. When the mixture has warmed, whisk it constantly. You will heat the mixture until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 F.
5. Transfer the bowl to a stand mixer, mix with a whisk attachment until you get room temperature glossy peaks about 5 minutes.
6. With the mixer on the highest setting add the butter a few TBS at a time, mixing well after each addition.
7. Once all the butter is added, add vanilla and continue to mix for an additional 2 minutes.
8. Store buttercream in an airtight container for up to two weeks.