Italian Meringue Buttercream Frosting (2024)

How to make Italian meringue buttercream

The method for making an Italian buttercream frosting recipe goes in two stages, make the Italian meringue, then beat in butter.

For an Italian meringue, you need to work concurrently to heat the sugar syrup and beat the egg whites. Ideally you want the whites to be whipped to stiff peaks just as the syrup comes to temperature.

Step 1: Make the sugar syrup

As with making caramel, sugar can crystalize if stirred while boiling. Give the sugar and water a quick stir just to moisten the sugar, then leave it to boil.

Heat the sugar syrup to firm-ball stage, between 248°F to 250°F (photo 1). It's best to use a digital thermometer or candy thermometer to be precise. If the syrup is done before the meringue is ready, add a very small amount of hot (not cold) water to lower the temperature slightly.

Step 2: Whip the egg whites

As soon as the sugar syrup starts to boil, it's time to start whipping your egg whites. When they're fluffy, add the cream of tartar and 1 tablespoon of sugar, then whip them to stiff peaks (photo 2).

Don’t overwhip or the meringue can start to separate. If it’s ready before the sugar is to temperature,turn the mixer to the lowest speed and let it continue to run.

Step 3: Slowly stream in sugar syrup

When the syrup and meringue are both ready, pour the hot syrup into the meringue in a thin, steady stream along the side of the bowl while the mixer is running (photo 3). This is now Italian meringue, and will be beautifully thick and glossy.

Continue beating until the bottom of the bowl feels cool to the touch. The meringue needs to be completely cooled before adding in the butter.

Step 4: Add the butter and flavoring

Italian buttercream is an emulsion, like Hollandaise sauce or Caesar dressing. You need to achieve a stable mixture of fat and water. In this case, you want the butter to be at room temperature so it will mix in easily, but not too soft that it melts before it's incorporated.

After the meringue has cooled completely, slowly add the butter two tablespoons at a time (photo 4). Make sure the butter is almost completely incorporated before adding more.

What can go wrong with Italian buttercream

Even if you're really careful and precise while making an Italian buttercream recipe, things can go wrong.

I'm of course not speaking from personal experience. ( * cough * )

Here are a couple of tips for correcting any mishaps.

• If the buttercream looks curdled or runny, the butter has melted because the meringue is too warm. Place the mixing bowl in the refrigerator for about 15 to 20 minutes, then return to beating until the buttercream is smooth.
• If the butter doesn’t mix well into the meringue, either the butter or the meringue are too cold. Hold a heating pad set to medium-high onto the bowl while beating. You can also use a hair dryer set to warm, blowing around the bottom of the bowl.

It's worth the effort

Italian meringue frosting is creamy on the tongue, but doesn't feel like your tongue is coated in butter. Sweet but not cloying, it will enhance whatever you're using it for.

Here I've spread Vanilla Italian buttercream on a simple chocolate cake that's been filled with Chocolate Italian buttercream. It's a blank canvas just waiting for decoration.

Silky smooth, easy to spread and pipe, this frosting is perfect for your next cake, batch of cupcakes, or as a filling for macarons.

Italian Meringue Buttercream Frosting is greater than the sum of its parts!

I hope you like this recipe! Do you have any questions I can help with? Let me know! Or, if you made the recipe, I'd love for you to leave a comment and rating. Thanks!

• ▢ ¾ cup sugar, divided
• ▢ 1 teaspoon white vinegar, or lemon juice, see Recipe Notes, optional
• ▢ 4 large egg whites, at room temperature, see Recipe Notes
• ▢ ¼ cup water
• ▢ ½ teaspoon cream of tartar, optional
• ▢ 1½ cups butter, at room temperature
• ▢ flavorings, see Recipe Notes
• ▢ food coloring, see Recipe Notes

• ▢

  Remove 1 tablespoon of sugar and set aside.

• ▢

  Wet a paper towel with white vinegar or lemon juice and wipe the bowl of a stand mixer. Place the egg whites in the bowl and fit the mixer with the whisk attachment.

• ▢

  In a small saucepan, combine the remaining sugar and water and stir. Place the pan over medium high heat and boil until it reaches firm-ball stage (248 °F to 250 °F). Do not stir the sugar while the mixture heats as that can cause the sugar to crystalize.

• ▢

  When the sugar starts boiling, begin beating the egg whites on a medium speed until frothy. Sprinkle in the cream of tartar (if using) and the 1 tablespoon sugar. Increase speed to medium high and beat until stiff peaks form. Don’t overwhip or the meringue can start to separate. If it’s ready before the sugar is to temperature,turn the mixer to the lowest speed and let it continue to run.

• ▢

  When the syrup and meringue are ready, pour the hot syrup into the meringue in a thin, steady stream along the side of the bowl while the mixer is running. Continue beating until the bottom of the bowl feels cool to the touch, and is thick and glossy. The meringue needs to be completely cooled down before adding the butter.

• ▢

  With the mixer running at medium speed, add the butter 2 tablespoons at a time. Beat until each addition of the butter is mostly incorporated before adding more. The buttercream may start to look curdled, but it should smooth out. See the Recipe Notes for troubleshooting tips.

• ▢

  After all the butter has been fully incorporated, add the flavorings and or food colorings of your choice. Your Italian Meringue Buttercream is ready!

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  Storage Instructions: You can make the buttercream ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for a week or freeze it for up to 2 months. Bring it to room temperature then beat to a smooth consistency before using. If it’s frozen, allow the buttercream to defrost overnight in the refrigerator before having it sit out on the counter.

• ▢

  This recipe will easily frost 12 cupcakes. Double it for a standard 9-inch layer cake.

Egg whites need to be absolutely free of fat to whip into a meringue. To make sure there is no yolk, separate the eggs over a bowl and dump the whites into another bowl (an egg separator can help). Also, wiping the mixing bowl with white vinegar or lemon juice prior to adding the whites help to ensure there is no fat in the bowl that can inhibit the meringue formation. This step is optional but highly recommended.

You want to have the sugar syrup reach the right temperature as the meringue just comes to stiff peaks. If the syrup is done before the meringue is ready, add a very small amount of hot (not cold) water to lower the temperature slightly.

If you want to color your buttercream, gel food coloring works best because it won't thin the product.

Flavor variations: Here is where you can get creative by adding these flavorings after all the butter is incorporated.

• Vanilla: 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• Chocolate: 1 cup (170g) melted chocolate or chocolate ganache
• Lemon: ¼ cup lemon curd or 2 tablespoons lemon juice with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Mint: 1 teaspoon mint extract
• Vanilla Orange: 1 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia or to taste
• Coffee: Dissolve 1 tablespoon of espresso powder in 2 teaspoons boiling water and let cool.
• Kahlua or another liqueur: 2 to 4 tablespoons or to taste. Remember though, the buttercream is no longer kid-friendly.

Troubleshooting Tips

• If the buttercream looks curdled or runny, the butter has melted because the meringue is too warm. Place the mixing bowl in the refrigerator for about 15 to 20 minutes, then return to beating until the buttercream is smooth.
• If the butter doesn’t mix well into the meringue, either the butter or the meringue are too cold. Hold a heating pad set to medium-high onto the bowl while beating. You can also use a hair dryer set to warm, blowing around the bottom of the bowl.

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