This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.
This is the Easiest Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe you’ll ever make! Once you try it, you’ll want to use it to cover all of your cakes and cupcakes.
Hello, and welcome to SugarHero!
If you’re looking for the Easiest Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe (aka cheater’s Swiss Meringue), you’ve come to the right place! While you’re here, make sure you sign up for my newsletter so you get every future dessert post sent straight to your inbox!
Swiss Meringue Buttercream is my FAVORITE type of frosting—it tastes delicious, is a dream to work with, doesn’t crust, and isn’t overly sweet or greasy. In short, it’s almost perfect!
✨ JOIN THE PARTY! ✨
Want to get recipes sent right to your inbox? Sign up for the free SugarHero newsletter! You'll get the first peek at every new recipe, plus fun news, giveaways, special offers, and much more!
Our promise: We'll never send you spam, just sweet, sweet sugar!
The only problem? It can be a big pain to make. I won’t go into all the steps—for that, you’ll want to read my post on how to make traditional Swiss Meringue Buttercream. But the point is, the whole Swiss Meringue shebang has been a necessary evil…until now. Introducing your new favorite recipe, The EASIEST Swiss Meringue Buttercream!
Traditional Swiss Meringue involves heating egg whites, then lots and lots of whipping. This recipe skips the heating step entirely, and still produces a rich, smooth, ultra-creamy buttercream with the characteristic texture and taste of Swiss Meringue. It’s as easy to make as American Buttercream, but it doesn’t crust over and it isn’t teeth-shatteringly sweet. You seriously NEED to try this recipe!
First things first: this is based on a frosting recipe by the amazing cake decorator Lauren Kitchens. If you want to see some real talent, check out her site! The frosting is not technically a Swiss Meringue, because the technique is different, but the ingredients and final product are so close, I have no problem calling this a lazy version of SMBC! I did a lot of tweaking and ended up with some very different ingredient quantities than the original recipe, to find the right balance of sugar + butter for my personal taste buds.
This recipe is so good, it’s the starring player in my NEW Craftsy class! This is my second class I’ve filmed with them, and I am THRILLED to share it with you. I am so proud of this one! It’s called “Get Started Decorating: Quick Birthday Cake Ideas,” and it has twelve (twelve!!!) different cake designs/techniques. Most of the cakes also have accompanying cupcake suggestions as well, so there is a serious boatload of information packed into these videos.
I love this class because it’s not fussy. None of the cake designs require a piping bag, we are NOT covering cakes in fondant, there are zero gumpaste flowers, and in short, it’s for people who might not have a ton of decorating experience or a ton of time to construct a super-elaborate cake. (Soooo, basically everybody!) The cake designs use common ingredients you can find in a store, they’re colorful and fun, and once you have the basic methods down, you can translate the specific design ideas to any occasion you want! (“Birthday Cake” may be in the title, but these are NOT reserved for just birthdays!)
Here’s a little glimpse of all of the cakes we make in the class. This was taken at the very end of the last day of filming. We shot all of these cakes and cupcakes in TWO days! Believe me when I tell you I collapsed in bed at the end of that week!
My Craftsy cake decorating class is now live, and you can read about it and watch a trailer here!
Now let’s get down to the business of buttercream.
Because the Craftsy class is aimed at beginners, I wanted a frosting recipe that would be easy to make—no heating of egg whites required! But I also didn’t want the standard American Buttercream, both because I think it tastes gross, and because it crusts over when it dries, and many of the designs require a non-crusting buttercream. Easiest Swiss Meringue to the rescue!
This frosting will seriously change your decorating life. I used it as a base for all of the cakes in the Craftsy class, and it was easy to work with, tasted great, and didn’t crust over, so I could press the various candies, sprinkles, and many (MANY) other assorted goodies into it, even hours after I frosted the cakes. That is gold, people.
FAQ About the Easiest Swiss Meringue Buttercream Video
What piping tip are you using in the video?
It’s a closed star tip, Ateco #849. You can get the closed star tip here.
What is that mixer attachment you are using?
It’s called a beater blade, and I LOVE it. Literally never use my regular paddle, ever! Get one!
Where can I get those cupcake cups?
Sadly, I don’t know! I bought them at Michael’s Craft Store, but can’t find a link to them online anywhere. If you search for “paper baking cups” online, you’ll find similar shaped cups in lots of cute patterns, though.
Is it safe to eat raw egg whites? / Do I have to use egg whites in a carton?
I recommend using pasteurized egg whites for food safety reasons. Pasteurizing means the whites have been heated to kill the bad bacteria, so you can safely consume raw whites. If you cannot find pasteurized whites in a carton, look for pasteurized whole eggs, and separate out the whites yourself. If you cannot find either, and you personally feel comfortable eating raw egg whites, then you can use regular whites. OR just use this recipe for traditional Swiss Meringue! The whites are cooked in that recipe, so it is safe to use regular eggs.
The EASIEST Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Ingredients
- 6 fl oz pasteurized liquid egg whites (3/4 cup)
- 24 oz powdered sugar (6 cups)
- ½ tsp salt
- 24 oz unsalted butter (3 cups) , at room temperature
- 2 TBSP vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine the whites, powdered sugar, and salt in the bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix everything together on low speed, until the sugar is moistened and no dry patches remain. Turn off the mixer, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula, then turn the mixer to medium speed. Beat on medium for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, turn the mixer to medium-low and start adding the softened room temperature butter, 1-2 tablespoons at a time. Once all of the butter is incorporated, add the vanilla extract and mix it in. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bottom and sides once more. Turn the speed to medium and beat the buttercream for 10 minutes. At the end, you’ll have a frosting with a wonderfully light and creamy texture. It can be used right away, or stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or the freezer for up to two months. If you have chilled the frosting, let it come to room temperature and then beat it for several minutes to smooth it out and restore its texture before using it.
- To make chocolate buttercream, chop 12 oz unsweetened chocolate, and place it in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after every 30 seconds to prevent overheating. Once the chocolate is melted, let it cool until it is completely room temperature. Make the frosting as described, and after it is finished, add the melted and cooled chocolate. Mix on low speed until the chocolate is completely incorporated.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Want to learn to make traditional Swiss Meringue buttercream? I have a Swiss Meringue Buttercream photo tutorial and recipe right here!
Here are a few of my favorite cake recipes that would be great with this Easiest Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Cakes
Cabt wait to try this out…..Instead of the pasteurized egg whites can I use meringue powder? I dont want to have to run to the store for the pasteurized egg whites.
Hey Kimberly, Yes I have made this with meringue powder! It works and it gives a nice and stable texture. With the meringue powder I used I did notice a subtle after taste. Meringue powder does have citric acid in it. From that it was slightly tangy, it wasn’t bad just noticeable. It works best if you are going to be using other flavorings, and or if you don’t mind a bit of a tangy taste! The proportions I used were 1/2 C Warm Water, 3 TB Meringue Powder, 1 LB of Powdered Sugar, 1/2 tsp of Salt, 2-3 tsp of Vanilla, and 1 LB of Butter. I hope that helps, I would love to hear how it goes!
Hi! I’m assuming anything frosted with this frosting. would need to be refrigerated. Am I correct or can it be kept at room temperature?
Hey Shelly, I’ve left this frosting out for a couple days and had no problems with it! It is fine to be put into the fridge as well. I would suggest whatever you serve it on, you let it come to room temperature before serving if put in the fridge! I hope you enjoy it, I would love to hear how it goes!
The best
Thanks so much Donna!!
I’ve followed this recipe to the T twice, and both times it’s come out not quite smooth and very buttery tasting. I don’t know if that’s how it’s supposed to taste or if I’m doing something wrong? But both times it’s come out that way.
Hey Fiona, sorry to hear it’s not to your taste. Sometimes it’s a function of the butter you use, or a matter of preference. You can try and add some flavor of extract you prefer and see if you like it more. If not, it may just come down to the preference of buttercream. I hope that helps! Thanks!
I made this recipe with success for my girls’ birthday cakes and froze the leftovers and recently used the leftovers for a friend’s daughter’s cake and then covered the cake in fondant. Does this recipe of swiss buttercream have the same 2 day shelf life (room temp) as a regular swiss buttercream? I am worried it won’t due to the uncooked eggs.
Hey Victoria, I am so happy you have had such great success with the recipe! It should be totally fine at room temperature for multiple days. I have left it out for multiple days myself and had no problems. Since the eggs are pasteurized they are completely safe to eat and that’s why they are suggested in the recipe. Pasteurizing means the whites have been heated to kill the bad bacteria, so you can safely consume raw whites. If you have any other concerns I have some more info about in the FAQ section on the post. I hope that helps, thanks for the feedback!
I LOVE this recipe and it’s always worked out great for me. I’m wondering, has anyone successfully doubled the recipe? I always tend to run out of frosting when I’m finishing a cake so I’d rather make one big batch from the kickoff if I can!
Hey Phil, I actually usually make a bigger batch myself. At the top of the recipe card there is a serving size box. If you adjust how many cups you are wanting to get, it will do the math for you and tell you how much you will need. I usually make 12 cups for a bigger batch, and it works great! I am happy to hear you love the recipe so much! Thanks for your feedback!
I made this today and it’s come out very soft. Doesn’t hold its shape at all. Would you suggest adding more sugar? Thanks
Hey Jessiva, If it seems to soft I would add more powdered sugar yes. Keep an eye on the consistency as you add it, another thing I have been trying is adding the butter when it is still a bit cold. That has seemed to help! I hope that it comes together if you have more questions and want to trouble shoot don’t hesitate to send me an email! Thanks!
This is truly the best and simplest Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting EVER!
Hey Shari, I am so glad you love it! It is by far one of my favorites too! Thanks for your feedback!
Hi! The buttercream tastes good and it’s easy to make. But I can feel the graininess in my mouth. How do I get that smooth texture?
Hey Maame, I’m sorry to hear that happened! When it gets grainy it usually comes down to ingredients, specifically the powdered sugar. Did you by chance switch up your brand of powdered sugar? Powdered sugar has corn starch in it which can make that happen. One way to avoid this is to make sure you are using quality powdered sugar. I would recommend that when looking for powdered sugar you look for pure cane rather than brands that may use beat sugar. My preferred brands are C&H, or Domino. I hope that helps! If you have anymore questions about it feel free to send me an email. Thanks!
Followed the recipe exactly (cut it down to 3 cups) and it’s DELICIOUS!
American buttercream is always way too sweet for my liking so this recipe is PERFECT. It’s not too sugary and has a perfectly whipped texture. This is my go-to icing from now on!
Hey Amy, I am thrilled to hear you enjoyed it so much! I feel the same, it is a good go to recipe to have. Thank you so much for your feedback!
Hi, can this recipe be successfully made using margarine instead of butter, without causing the frosting to become too runny? Thanks 🙂
Hey Mt, I know a lot of people swap about half the butter for margarine or shortening and have great results! I hope that helps. I would love to hear how it goes once you give it a try. Thanks!