I haven’t made Swiss Meringue Buttercream (SMBC) for a while and this time, I was all raring the try piping some buttercream flowers and therefore, I made them again! SMBC is smooth and silky and very suitable to ice cakes. Here’s a basic recipe.

(Frosts 12 cupcakes)

Ingredients

  • 170g unsalted butter cubed and room temperature
  • 118g castor sugar
  • 67g egg whites
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

  1. Place the egg whites and sugar in a mixing bowl and heat to 60 degrees over a pot of simmering hot water, whisking constantly. The constant whisking is necessary to avoid cooking the egg whites.
  2. With the balloon whisk, beat the heated egg whites and sugar mix till stiff peak and glossy.
  3. Switching to a paddle attachment, add butter a little at a time and mix at low speed.
  4. Once all the butter are added and the buttercream smooth, at the vanilla extract and mix well.
  5. Fridge till ready to use. Note that the SMBC needs to be brought to room temperature again before using, whisk slowly and if the SMBC seems to curdle, do not panic, just keep whisking slowly and the buttercream will come together again.