Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipe (SMBC)
Printed From https://www.cakecentral.com/recipe/29598/buttercream-swiss-meringue 2024-04-20
Renee from Renee Conner Cake Design teaches you how to make Swiss meringue buttercream. This is the buttercream she uses in her New Hampshire custom cake shop. With her step-by-step instructions, she shares her best practices for flawless SMBC:
- weigh your ingredients
- ensure grease free mixing bowl and whisk by wiping with lemon juice
- refrigerate buttercream that won't thicken for a few minutes
- apply light heat to buttercream that stays lumpy
- have patience
She even makes recommendation for storing unused egg yolks for later use.
Ingredients
- 4oz egg whites (use fresh and not packaged pasteurized egg whites)
- 8oz granulated sugar
- 12oz softened butter (unsalted!)
- Pinch of salt
- 1 to 2 Tbsp vanilla extract (or other flavoring; in this video I used about 1 tbsp)
*Tip: Wipe utensils and stand mixer bowl with lemon juice to make sure they are grease-free.
Step 1 Fill a small small saucepan with 1 to 2 inches of water and bring to a simmer.
Step 2 Add egg whites and salt to mixer bowl and whisk lightly.
Step 3 Add sugar and whisk to combine.
Step 4 Set mixer bowl over saucepan containing simmering water.
Step 5 Heat mixture and whisk continuously. Mixture is ready when it has reached 160°F. It will appear whiter in color and more opaque, and will no longer feel grainy between your fingers.
Step 6 Beat mixture using stand mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and mixture has cooled to room temperature. When it is ready, the mixture will be thick like marshmallow fluff.
Step 7 Scrape down whisk attachment and sides of bowl, and switch to paddle attachment.
Step 8 Set mixer to low speed and slowly add butter.
Step 9 Stop mixer and scrape down paddle and sides of bowl.
Step 10 Set mixer to low speed and mix until buttercream thickens and reaches a smooth consistency.
*Buttercream will likely go through stages as it mixes. Lumps may form, and it may curdle or liquify. Continue mixing. Eventually it will become thick and smooth.
Step 11 Scrape down paddle and sides of bowl. Set mixer to low speed and add vanilla. Mix to combine.
Things to note about this video:
- The recipe will make about 3 cups of icing, enough to fill, ice & decorate a 6″ round (4″ tall) cake. If you are working with a larger size you will want to make an extra 1/2 to double batch.
- The finished product looks a little yellow in the video, that is just from the lights over my kitchen prep space! In actuality SMBC will be an off white, to light cream color, and that is mostly from the vanilla! You can use clear vanilla instead, and/or add a touch of violet food color to offset any yellowness.