Italian Meringue Buttercream

Rating: 4.67 stars
6 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 4
  • 4 star values: 2
  • 3 star values: 0
  • 2 star values: 0
  • 1 star values: 0

Everyone thinks that I got the cake from a professional bakery when I use this buttercream. It is fluffy and not too sweet, perfect for wedding cakes or layered with pound cake and fruit preserves. Tightly-wrapped, it can be frozen for a month or two. Makes enough to frost an 8-inch layer cake.

By Emo G.

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Recipe Summary test

prep:
23 mins
cook:
7 mins
total:
30 mins
Servings:
12
Yield:
4 1/2 cups
Nutrition Info
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Ingredients

12
Original recipe yields 12 servings
The ingredient list now reflects the servings specified

Directions

  • Pour egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment; beat on low speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until stiff peaks form.

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  • Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Cook until syrup reads 240 degrees F (115 degrees C) on a candy thermometer or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when placed on a flat surface.

  • Increase mixer speed to high and pour syrup in a slow and steady stream down the side of the bowl, beating until meringue is no longer steaming, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in butter one cube at a time until buttercream reaches a soft and spreadable consistency, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla extract.

Cook's Note:

For a chocolate hazelnut buttercream, beat a whole container of chocolate hazelnut spread (such as Nutella(R)) into the finished buttercream. It is delicious on a rich chocolate layer cake.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:
360 calories; protein 1.8g; carbohydrates 21.1g; fat 30.7g; cholesterol 81.3mg; sodium 27.7mg. Full Nutrition
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Reviews (5)

Read More Reviews

Most helpful positive review

emmie
Rating: 5 stars
08/29/2019
Excellent recipe. A lovely light and fluffy buttercream, very buttery with a very nice sweet finish. The only changes I made were to temperatures. Egg whites were cold, butter was room temp. I find this helps hugely in getting stiff peaks and cuts your post butter mixing time down. If your butter is too cold the buttercream will crack and you'll endup needing to warm it anyway. Read More
Helpful
(6)
6 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 4
  • 4 star values: 2
  • 3 star values: 0
  • 2 star values: 0
  • 1 star values: 0
Reviews:
Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest
emmie
Rating: 5 stars
08/29/2019
Excellent recipe. A lovely light and fluffy buttercream, very buttery with a very nice sweet finish. The only changes I made were to temperatures. Egg whites were cold, butter was room temp. I find this helps hugely in getting stiff peaks and cuts your post butter mixing time down. If your butter is too cold the buttercream will crack and you'll endup needing to warm it anyway. Read More
Helpful
(6)
Bailey Chabot
Rating: 5 stars
03/11/2018
I infused the water with a white tea before I mixed in the sugar. It made for a delicious, floral frosting. Read More
Helpful
(5)
Melanie Salzman
Rating: 5 stars
04/25/2021
New family favorite! I did follow the other reviewer’s advice and used room temp butter and I think that worked great but it scared me at first because the first stick of butter definitely melted as threw the pieces in. As I continued to add the butter and the mixture cooled it changed to a great consistency that I was able to pipe. Read More
Helpful
(1)
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lyn
Rating: 5 stars
12/22/2017
I added cocoa powder when I added vanilla and the frosting was light, stable, and delicious! Read More
Helpful
(1)
liesl
Rating: 4 stars
01/14/2017
Very good. Made the recipe exactly and it came out silky smooth and not too sweet. Definitely will use often. Read More
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