Italian Meringue Buttercream
Italian Meringue Buttercream is light, silky, and not too sweet.
If you’ve never tried it before then you are in for a treat. It can be a little tricky but read on and I will help you make the best buttercream you have ever had.
This delicious buttercream is based on Italian meringue which in itself can have many uses. Italian meringue is made by pouring hot sugar syrup onto beaten egg whites to create a thick, marshmallowy meringue.
The hot syrup cooks the egg whites creating a very stable meringue that can be used to top pies and tarts. It is also the base for many desserts such as mousses and parfaits.
Why you’ll love this recipe
This recipe originally was from Warren Brown of the famous Cakelove Bakery in Washington DC founded in 2002 which I have slightly adapted.
All Italian Meringue Buttercream recipes are basically the same – Italian meringue with lots of butter incorporated until it is rich and buttery but still light from the meringue. You’ll love how smooth and stable this is to use on cakes and cupcakes and other pastries like Cream Horns and Jelly Cakes.
For complete ingredient quantities and full instructions, please scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Ingredients
- Sugar – Superfine granulated white sugar dissolves more easily. However, use regular granulated white sugar if that’s all you have.
- Egg whites – You’ll only need egg whites for this recipe. Leftover egg yolks can be used in recipes like Italian pastry cream or these delicious small batch Chocolate Chip Cookies.
- Butter – Unsalted butter is the best choice for this recipe. Salted butter will change the flavor completely so be sure to purchase good quality, unsalted butter.
Variations
This recipe for Italian meringue Buttercream is not super sweet so can be flavored easily. To this quantity, you can add either:-
- vanilla extract
- or the beans of a scraped vanilla pod
- melted and cooled chocolate
- espresso coffee
- raspberry or strawberry puree
- lemon curd
- liqueur of your choice
Instructions
This buttercream might seem difficult but follow my steps for success.
- Combine sugar and water in a saucepan and boil until it reaches 245°F or 120ºC. (photo 1 & 2)
- While that is boiling, start beating the egg whites. (photo 3)
- Once they start to get foamy add the remaining sugar and beat until peaks form. (photo 4)
- Once the syrup mixture reaches the correct temperature, add it to the egg whites in a steady stream. (photo 5)
- Continue to beat the egg whites until the mixture has cooled. (photo 6)
- Add cool room-temperature butter to the cooled meringue. (photo 7)
- Beat until silky smooth and thick. (photo 8)
Tips for Success
Most problems with this recipe are usually fixed by beating, beating, and more beating. This is an emulsion. As long as the temperature is correct – not too warm and not too cold – it will work. Don’t panic when you see the meringue collapse and separate as you add the butter because it will soon come back together again.
- This recipe is easiest if you have a stand mixer. You can use a handheld electric mixer but you will be beating for a long time.
- Grease is the enemy of meringue – clean the bowl and whisk thoroughly before beating egg whites also take care that no yolk mixes with the whites.
- Partially cover the saucepan when boiling sugar syrup – this ensures that captured steam dissolves the sugar caught on the sides of the saucepan.
- Bring the syrup up to the correct temperature – 120°C/245°F
- Don’t overbeat egg whites before adding sugar. Once egg whites collapse and become liquid again they can’t be rescued.
- Pour the hot syrup between the sides of the bowl and the beater directly into the meringue.
- Let the meringue cool before adding the butter. Check how cool the meringue is by stopping the mixer and testing with your finger. Often the bowl is still warm but the meringue has cooled
- Have the butter at room temperature but not melted or greasy. Butter must still be firm.
FAQ’s
This has happened because the meringue may have still been a bit too warm. Stop adding butter. Cool the mixer bowl. The best way is to place ice in a clean towel and wrap it around the bowl to cool the meringue.
If the mixture remains soupy, don’t add any more butter. Place bowl and whisk into refrigerator until cool then whisk again until the buttercream comes together.
If you find lumps of butter it means that the butter is too cold. Stop adding the butter. Bring the butter to room temperature. Also, try holding a warm towel against the sides of the bowl (while beating) until the butter softens and incorporates.
I have successfully adjusted the ingredients to make less buttercream. You can toggle the adjustment in the recipe card down to the desired amount of egg whites.
This buttercream will keep covered for up to a week in the refrigerator. Freeze any leftovers in a well-sealed container. To use refrigerated or frozen buttercream, allow it to come to cool to room temperature then whip in the stand mixer with the wire whisk until thick and light.
Italian Meringue Buttercream can be used as a filling and topping for cakes and cupcakes. This buttercream is easy to spread or pipe and holds its shape perfectly plus is more stable in warm conditions than regular buttercream. Master this recipe to complement all your delicious cakes and cupcakes.
Use this buttercream in these recipes
Mini Cream Horns
Jelly Cakes
Vanilla Layer Cake
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Italian Meringue Buttercream Recipe
Equipment
- stand mixer
Ingredients
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 5 egg whites
- ¼ cup white granulated sugar superfine
- pinch fine salt
- 1 pound (2 sticks/454grams) unsalted butter cool room temperature
Instructions
- Place the 1 cup granulated sugar and water in a pan. Pop in a candy thermometer and partially cover with the lid. The lid is ajar and will catch the steam as it rises, The steam dissolves the sugar caught around the edge of the saucepan.
- Place over low to medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup reaches 245°F/120°C.
- At the same time as the sugar syrup is cooking start the meringue. Beat the egg whites in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form – about 2 minutes. Don't overbeat.
- While still whisking, sprinkle in the ¼ cup sugar and fine salt. Beat well on high speed.
- By this time the syrup should be ready.
- Pour the sugar syrup into the meringue, whisking on high speed. in a slow and steady stream. Aim to pour the syrup between the whisk and the side of the bowl right onto the meringue. It should take about 1 minute to pour all the syrup in.
- After 2 minutes reduce the speed to medium and continue to beat until the mixture cools. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen this will take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes or longer. See my notes for extra tips.
- Once cool and not before, slowly add the butter tablespoonful by tablespoonful. The mixture will deflate slightly but all is well.
- If your butter melts the meringue is still too hot. Beat until it cools. If necessary, remove the bowl and place it in the refrigerator for a while. Then start again. Check the recipe notes.
- Increase the speed to high and beat for 2 or 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for a week or the freezer for 2 months.
Notes
- Grease is the enemy of meringue – clean the bowl and whisk thoroughly before beating egg whites.
- Partially cover saucepan when boiling sugar syrup – this ensures captured steam dissolves the sugar caught on the sides of the saucepan.
- Bring the syrup up to the correct temperature – 245°F/120°C
- Don’t over beat egg whites before adding sugar. Once egg white collapse and become liquid again they can’t be rescued.
- Pour the hot syrup between the sides of the bowl and the beater directly into the meringue.
- Let the meringue cool before adding the butter. Check how cool the meringue is by stopping the mixer and testing with your finger. Often the bowl is still warm but the meringue has cooled
- Have the butter at room temperature but not melted or greasy. Butter must still be firm.
- Once hot syrup is added, meringue must be beaten at continuously until cool. If your kitchen is hot, place ice in a clean towel and wrap around the bowl to cool the meringue.
- If the mixture becomes soupy after adding the butter, the meringue may have still been a bit too warm. Stop adding butter. Cool the mixer bowl using ice as per step 1.
- If the mixture remains soupy, place bowl and whisk into refrigerator until cool and whisk again until the buttercream comes together.
- Butter must be a cool room temperature. If you find lumps of butter it means that the butter is too cold. Stop adding the butter. Bring the butter to room temperature. Also try holding a warm towel against the sides of the bowl until the butter softens and incorporates.
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- beans of one scraped vanilla pod
- ¼ cup melted, cooled chocolate
- 2 tablespoons instant coffee granules dissolves in 2 tablespoons of water
- ¼ fruit puree such as raspberry or strawberry
- ½ cup lemon curd
- 2 or 3 tablespoons of liqueur of your choice
Nutritional Estimate Per Serving
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For accurate results, it is recommended that the nutritional information be calculated based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Each time I try this recipe, my merengue/frosting ends up soupy from over beat eggs. I generally whisk the eggs in my stand mixer on medium to high speed. Is that the problem?
Emily, timing is crucial with this recipe. The egg whites need to be ready at the same time the syrup reaches 245°F/120°C. If this takes too long the egg whites will over beat. I suggest increasing the temperature of the syrup so that it reaches the correct temperature faster. Also delay whisking the egg whites for a minute or two. Are you adding the 1/4 cup of sugar to the egg whites as specified in the recipe? This stabilizes the egg white.
Could the soupy consistency come from adding the butter to the egg whites before they have cooled? That is also very important. Sometimes I wrap ice cubes in a kitchen towel then wrap the towel around the bowl of my mixer to cool the egg whites before adding the butter.
I hope these suggestions help. Let me know if you have any more issues.
Can this be stored at room temp for a day or so?
Amanda, I have never left Italian Meringue Buttercream out for any length of time. Here in North Queensland, I think it is too hot and would melt (not sure because I’ve never done it). However, a little bit of research tells me and it can be left out for a day maybe two. But I’m not a food scientist so this is not an answer I can safely recommend.
You contradict yourself You say after adding the sugar syrup( #7) To turn your mixer to medium until cool But in your tips at the bottom (#1)you say it must be on high speed Which is it?
You have read the recipe very carefully to have picked that up! Thank you! I have changed that wording to:- “must be beaten continuously”. The point is, you will need to beat for 10-15 minutes without stopping until cool. You could beat on high if you have a good strong mixer motor. But reducing the speed to medium just keeps it beating without driving you crazy with the high speed sound. Either way it wouldn’t be wrong – just keep beating is the main thing. Hope this helps.
When do I add the flavoring?
Hi Cheryl, add the flavouring at the end – after you have added all the butter and the buttercream is light and fluffy.
Marcellina, I love Italian meringue buttercream and this post is such a keeper! Thanks so much for your very thorough step by step explanations and tips. Especially for when things go wrong! Pinning!
This is so pretty! I want to take a bath in it!
My hands feel so moisturised after I decorated a cake – it might actually be good for your skin! xx
Delicious! This would be a lovely addition to so many cakes – or just to try with a spoon 😀
True! Hard to resist eating this buttercream right from the spoon!
Can you use meringue powder instead of egg whites?
While I don’t use meringue powder it is a good substitute for egg whites. Make up the meringue powder as instructed on the packaging to equal 5 egg whites. Then proceed with the recipe.