Italian Meringue Buttercream (Printer-Friendly)
Silky-smooth Italian meringue buttercream with delicate sweetness, ideal for cakes and cupcakes.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Sugar Syrup
01 - 1 cup granulated sugar
02 - 1/4 cup water
→ Egg Whites
03 - 4 large egg whites (about 1/2 cup), at room temperature
04 - 1/4 tsp cream of tartar (optional, for stability)
05 - 1/4 tsp salt
→ Butter
06 - 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into cubes
→ Flavoring
07 - 1-2 tsp pure vanilla extract
# How To Make It:
01 - Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Stir gently to dissolve, then heat over medium heat without further stirring until the syrup reaches 240°F on a candy thermometer.
02 - While the syrup heats, place egg whites and cream of tartar (if using) in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until foamy, then add the salt.
03 - Once the syrup hits 240°F, immediately remove it from heat. With the mixer running on medium-high, slowly pour the hot syrup into the egg whites in a thin, steady stream, avoiding the whisk and the sides of the bowl.
04 - Increase the mixer speed to high and whip until the meringue holds stiff, glossy peaks and the mixing bowl feels cool to the touch, approximately 10 minutes.
05 - Switch to the paddle attachment. With the mixer on medium speed, add the cubed butter one piece at a time, waiting until each cube is fully blended before adding the next. If the mixture appears curdled, keep mixing — it will come together into a smooth emulsion.
06 - Pour in the vanilla extract and continue beating until the buttercream is silky and uniform. If the frosting feels too soft, refrigerate briefly, then re-whip to the desired consistency.
07 - Use immediately to frost a cake or cupcakes, or transfer to an airtight container for storage.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- This buttercream tastes like you spent all day in a pastry kitchen but your secret is a candy thermometer and twenty minutes.
- Once you master it you will never go back to the overly sweet canned stuff again.
02 -
- If the buttercream looks curdled or separated after all the butter goes in just keep beating because it will magically emulsify and turn gorgeous.
- The butter absolutely must be room temperature and I mean soft enough to leave a fingerprint not straight from the fridge with a quick microwave zap.
03 -
- On humid days your buttercream may stay softer than usual so a brief chill in the refrigerator followed by a quick re-whip fixes everything.
- Save your egg yolks from this recipe in a sealed container in the fridge because they are perfect for custards or pasta dough the next day.