This Italian Meringue Buttercream is silky, light, and perfect for piping. Unlike traditional American buttercream that relies on large amounts of powdered sugar, this version is built from a hot sugar syrup and whipped egg whites, giving a less-sweet, more balanced frosting that still tastes wonderfully buttery.
Italian Meringue Buttercream ranks among my top frostings. It’s different from the overly sweet bakery-style frostings and the dense, sugar-heavy American buttercream. Italian meringue has a light texture and a clean butter flavor because the sugar is cooked and added to whipped egg whites, then finished with generous amounts of real butter and a touch of vanilla.
Bakery Buttercream: Many commercial bakery frostings use solid shortening, artificial butter flavor, and a lot of powdered sugar instead of real butter. The result is very sweet with a greasy aftertaste. People who enjoy that style often haven’t tasted real buttercream made with butter and a carefully prepared meringue.
American Buttercream: Made with real butter, vanilla, cream, and a large quantity of powdered sugar, American buttercream is rich and delicious but can be quite sweet. I like to add a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness. It pipes and spreads well, but Italian meringue takes the texture and flavor to the next level.
Italian Meringue Buttercream: This frosting uses a cooked sugar syrup (instead of cups of powdered sugar) that’s poured into stiffly beaten egg whites to make a stable meringue. Softened, chilled butter is then added in pieces, along with pure vanilla. The finished buttercream is creamy, light, and just sweet enough without being cloying.
Don’t be intimidated — this frosting is straightforward and takes just a few minutes once you’re set up. It pipes beautifully and is ideal for cakes, cupcakes, and celebration desserts.
How to make this recipe
Make the simple syrup –
Add the water and granulated sugar to a small saucepan. Heat over medium and stir during the first minute until the sugar dissolves. Continue cooking without stirring until the syrup reaches the soft-ball stage (238–240°F / 114–116°C) using a candy thermometer, or test with the cold water method. Remove from heat immediately when it reaches temperature.
Make the meringue –
While the syrup cooks, place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or use a hand mixer). Whisk on medium until foamy, add a pinch of cream of tartar, then increase to high and beat until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overbeat — the whites should be glossy and hold their shape.
With the mixer running on high, pour the hot syrup into the whipped egg whites in a thin, steady stream. Avoid letting the syrup run down the side of the bowl. Continue beating on high for about 5 minutes, until the meringue has cooled to room temperature and is thick and glossy.
Add the chilled, cubed butter a few pieces at a time while mixing on high. Continue until all the butter has been incorporated, about 3–4 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix on medium for about 30 seconds. If the mixture looks curdled at any point, keep mixing — it will usually come back together into a smooth, creamy buttercream.
Keep mixing until the texture is silky and uniform.
If you enjoy this style of frosting, my Swiss meringue buttercream is another excellent option with a similarly smooth texture and balanced sweetness.
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Italian Meringue Buttercream
- Author: Cindy Gibbs @ My Country Table
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 25
- Yield: 2 cups
- Category: Frosting
Description
This smooth and silky frosting is perfect for decorating cakes, cupcakes, and wedding cakes. It pipes beautifully and holds its shape while remaining light.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cups water
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 5 large egg whites
- Pinch cream of tartar
- 4 sticks (2 cups) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add the water and sugar to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring during the first minute until sugar dissolves. Cook the syrup to the soft-ball stage (238–240°F / 114–116°C) and remove from heat.
- While the syrup cooks, place the egg whites in a mixer bowl and whisk on medium until foamy. Add a pinch of cream of tartar and increase to high speed until stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat.
- With the mixer on high, pour the hot syrup into the whipped egg whites in a thin, steady stream, avoiding the sides of the bowl. Continue beating on high for about 5 minutes until the meringue cools and becomes glossy and thick.
- Add the chilled butter a few pieces at a time while mixing on high. Continue until all butter is incorporated, about 3–4 minutes. Stir in the vanilla on medium speed for about 30 seconds. If it appears curdled, keep mixing until smooth.
- Store buttercream up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 2 weeks refrigerated. Do not freeze.
- Yields: about 6 cups.
Notes
- Stiff peaks: when the mixer stops, the peaks should stand upright and not fold over.
- Soft peaks: if the peaks fall over, continue beating until they hold their shape.