The Perfect Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Are you okay? Are we surviving the last few weeks of winter? Are we preparing for spring cleaning? Is there a way to push through this weather so we can enjoy the elements once again? I sure hope so. Here is my antidote to a long winter: The Perfect Series. A place where we can talk about the perfect cakes and frostings… the basics, you know?

And today, we are diving into one of my favorites…. The Perfect Swiss Meringue Buttercream. I mean, it’s truly perfect. If anything, I want this blog post to read like a love letter to the SMBC. Because, it truly is the superior frosting. It wins all the awards. It’s nothing like you’ve ever known. Here’s why.

1. It’s supremely creamy and light.

2. It is the *actual* perfect amount of sweetness. Not overwhelming and not underwhelming. It’s perfectly whelmed.

3. It doesn’t crust like an American Buttercream or White Chocolate Buttercream. It stays creamy and smooth until you decide to either, a) throw it out or, b) eat it all.

Yes, fam, the correct answer was b) eat it all.

4. As far as decorating layered cakes, this is the frosting that makes it easiest for getting those razor-sharp edges. It’s very light but gets nice and firm when cooled making it really easy to shave any excess off the top.

With this meringue-based frosting, we use 7 egg whites and cook them over a double boiler with the sugar until all the sugar granules are melted (and I mean ALL). No one wants to have a few small crunches of sugar while eating cake. Make sure they have all dissolved. This usually happens anywhere between 140 and 160 degrees.

By the way this double boiler will literally save your life. You don’t have to worry about your bowl slipping, it’s all in one… guys, trust me.

Then we whip those sugared egg whites into glossy stiff peaks in a standing mixer. I highly recommend using a standing mixer for this. You can definitely do a hand mixer, but you’ll get very fatigued.

And by the time you reach those stiff glossy peaks, the mixture has cooled down enough to add the butter without it completely melting. So, take about a tablespoon of room-temp butter and drop that guy into the egg whites while mixing on low.

The mixture will deflate, but our spirits won’t. Continue to whip until the frosting starts to separate and then eventually it will come together. It will look really clumpy and airy. This is the time where I remove the whisk attachment and change to the paddle attachment. I turn the mixer back on to the lowest speed and mix until creamy again. This process removes all the air. Feel free to hand fold the mixture with a rubber spatula if you’re into it.

Okay, you’ve made my favorite frosting.

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