How to make Swiss Meringue Buttercream (2024)

What is Swiss meringue buttercream

Swiss meringue buttercream is probably one of the most popular types of buttercream next to American. If you compare it to whipped cream or plain meringue, it’ll feel heavy but for a buttercream, it’s very light and fluffy while also being really stable.

The name comes from a small town in Switzerland called Meiringen. The Swiss meringue was developed there by a Chef named Gasparini. Then the method was used to make the buttercream.

How to make a Swiss meringue buttercream

Swiss meringue buttercream is made up of two parts, the meringue and the butter. The meringue is basically egg whites whipped with sugar. Then butter is beat in until it emulsifies into a smooth creamy and fluffy buttercream.

How to flavor the buttercream

If you’re used to American buttercream and have never made Swiss meringue buttercream, you’ll be surprised at how much it can hold. Instead of 1 tsp of vanilla, I usually do about 1 Tbsp per batch because you just can’t taste it as much as you can in American buttercream.

For one batch of Swiss meringue buttercream I usually do:

• Vanilla: 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or 1 Tbsp of vanilla extract
• Almond or Lemon Extract: 1 tsp (same with anything equally as strong)
• Chocolate chips – melted: 1/2-1 cup (3-6oz), depending how strong you want it
• Cocoa powder – unsweetened: 1/2 cup (40g), you can go up to 3/4 cup (60g) but that’s risky lol
• Nut butters – creamy not natural kind: 1/2-1 cup, depending on how strong you want it
• Coffee: 1 tsp of espresso powder or 1 Tbsp of instant coffee dissolved in equal amounts of water
• Jam/Preserves: 1/2 cup, or slightly more if it’s not super runny
• Freeze dried fruit – ground: 1/4-1/2 cup; I recommend this over jam/preserves because it has a lower water content so it is less likely to break the buttercream and it has a stronger flavor and color.

If you have any other flavors you’re questioning, comment below and I’d be happy to give a recommendation.

Troubleshooting Buttercream

Runny Buttercream

If your buttercream looks smooth but is really soft and runny, place it in the refrigerator for 20-40 minutes. Then scrape the bottom and edges of the bowl and beat it again at medium speed. If this doesn’t work, then refrigerate it longer, until the mixture is visibly thicker and feels more pasty, then beat it again.

Split/Curdled Buttercream

If the buttercream splits and looks curdled, like cottage cheese, it means the mixture didn’t emulsify because the temperature of the butter was either too cold or the meringue was still too warm. There’s a few different ways to fix this:

• Remove a few spoonfuls of the buttercream and place it in a heat safe bowl. Microwave the bowl until the mixture is warm and fully melted, about 30 seconds. Then turn the mixer up to medium speed and pour in the melted cream into the mixer bowl.
• Turn the mixer up to medium speed and use a culinary blow torch to gently heat the outside of the mixer bowl, moving it back and forth to evenly heat the buttercream. Do this until it emulsifies. This works much better with a metal stand mixer bowl rather than a glass or ceramic bowl.
• Place the entire mixer bowl over a double boiler and whisk until the mixture is melted. Once the mixture is fully melted and looks smooth and runny, then refer to the Runny Buttercream section.

What if it curdles only after adding flavors/other ingredients OR if the above recommendations don’t work?

I believe this happens when the water content is too high for the amount of fat in the recipe. This can happen if some eggs are larger than usual, if the butter has an abnormally high water content or if you’ve added too much of an ingredient like a jam or too much cocoa powder.

What I would do here is add an extra 1/4 cup of butter and beat it at high speed. You may still need to reheat it to get everything to the same temperature and then cool it again before beating.

If you’re having issues, DM me on Instagram @baranbakery and I’d be happy to help so you don’t waste a batch 🙂

How to store buttercream

Swiss meringue buttercream can be made in advance and just rewhipped to a smooth consistency. Make sure to always store it in an airtight container.

Store at room temperature for 2 days, whether it’s in a container or frosted on a cake.

Store in the refrigerator for 7-10 days, in a container or frosted on a cake.

Store in the freezer for up to 3 months in a container or frosted on a cake. Make sure to double seal it if it’s frozen so you don’t get any frostbite.

Frequently Asked Questions

Recipes that use Swiss meringue buttercream:

• Chocolate Chip Bourbon Caramel Cake
• Mocha Cake with Coffee Swiss Meringue Buttercream
• S’mores Cupcakes with Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
• Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee Cake
• Rhubaran Vanilla Cake
• Chocolate Chip Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Buttercream
• S’more’s Layer Cake with Homemade Fluff