Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Swiss meringue buttercream is a silky, mildly sweet frosting made by warming egg whites and sugar together before whipping in butter. Heating the sugar until it fully dissolves gives a smooth texture with no grittiness, and the meringue base makes it far less sugary than a powdered sugar frosting. It spreads cleanly between cake layers and holds its shape for piping, so one batch handles both filling and decoration.
Instructions
Put the egg whites and sugar together in a heat-proof bowl.
Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir steadily. The mixture is ready when it feels warm and no sugar grains remain when you rub a little between your fingers. Do not let the egg whites cook.
Take the bowl off the heat and whip the mixture into a stiff-peaked meringue.
With the mixer running on medium-high, add the butter a chunk at a time. Wait until each piece has disappeared into the meringue before adding the next.
The mixture may look curdled partway through. Keep beating and it will come together into a smooth frosting.
Beat in any flavorings or extracts you want, then use the buttercream to fill, frost or pipe. Make sure the butter is soft before you start, because cold butter will not blend in properly.
Make it personal.
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