35 minutes
A luxurious and smooth buttercream perfect for cakes and cupcakes.
Egg Whites, from 5 to 6 large eggs
cups
Plain Or Lightly Toasted Sugar
cups
teaspoons
Cream Of Tartar
teaspoons
Vanilla Bean Seeds, scraped from 1 split vanilla bean
each
Unsalted Butter, softened to about 65°F (18°C)
0.25 sticks
teaspoons
teaspoons
1. Prepare Water Bath
Fill a wide pot with about 1.5 inches of water and crumple some tinfoil to place at the bottom. Heat the water until it becomes steaming-hot but not boiling.
2. Combine Ingredients and Heat
In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine egg whites, sugar, salt, cream of tartar, and vanilla seeds if using. Place this bowl over the steaming water bath. Stir continuously with a flexible spatula until the mixture reaches a temperature of 185°F, about 10-12 minutes. The mixture should become glossy and smooth.
3. Whip the Meringue
Transfer the bowl to your stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip on high speed until the meringue is glossy, stiff, and cool to the touch, about 10 minutes. The meringue should feel around 90°F (32°C).
4. Incorporate Butter
Start adding the softened butter to the meringue, one or two tablespoons at a time, keeping the mixer running. As you incorporate the butter, the buttercream will thicken and become creamy. This step is done when the mixture reaches about 72°F (22°C).
5. Add Extracts
Mix in the vanilla extract, and almond extract if using, on low speed until everything is well combined.
6. Store or Use
Your silky Swiss buttercream is now ready to use. You can either use it immediately or transfer it to a zipper-lock bag for storage. Refrigerate for up to two weeks or freeze for several months. If your buttercream becomes too warm and starts to separate, refrigerate it for about 15 minutes before re-whipping. Conversely, if it's too cold and stiff, set it briefly over steaming water and then re-whip.
Add melted and cooled chocolate to the core recipe. Use high-quality dark, milk, or white chocolate depending on the desired outcome. Ensure the chocolate is cooled to prevent melting the buttercream.
Fold in cooled salted caramel sauce into the buttercream for a rich and decadent variant. Make sure the caramel is at room temperature.
Gently melt dark chocolate and let it cool slightly before folding into the buttercream. This will create a rich and decadent chocolate Swiss buttercream.
Make a quick salted caramel sauce and let it cool to room temperature. Gently fold it into the finished buttercream to create a marbled effect with a delicious balance of sweet and salty.
Incorporate fruit purees, jams, or reductions into the core buttercream. For instance, a raspberry reduction can provide a vibrant burst of flavor and color. Be mindful of the moisture content; too much liquid can cause the buttercream to split.
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