Description
This delicious buttercream frosting can be used to frost everything from cakes to cookies. It pipes like a dream and is great for filling layer cakes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 large egg whites, room temperature (240g)
- 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar (500g)
- 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature (452g; 1 lb. box)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (8g)
- 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)
- gel food coloring (if desired)
Instructions
- Before making this frosting, be sure to thoroughly clean your mixing bowl. If there’s any grease it can make it difficult to whip up the meringue.
- In a medium sized pot, add about 1 inch of water and bring to a simmer.
- Add 8 egg whites and 2 1/2 cups of granulated sugar into a large metal bowl.
- Place the bowl on top of the pot filled with simmering water. The bowl should create a seal over the pot. Make sure the water isn’t actually touching the bottom of the bowl, or it can cook the egg whites.
- Whisk the mixture constantly for about 3 minutes, until it reaches 160°F/71°C. You can test the mixture to see if it’s ready by rubbing a tiny bit between your fingertips. The sugar should be fully dissolved, and it should feel super smooth and hot to the touch.
- Once it reaches this stage, lift the bowl away from the pot and dry the bottom with a towel. Pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on a medium-high speed with a whisk attachment. Mix for about 10 minutes, or until you have stiff, glossy peaks that stick straight up.
- While the meringue whips, I like to add something cold around the base of my bowl. I find the meringue stays quite warm while it whips up, and placing a bag of frozen veggies around the base of the bowl helps cool it back to room temperature. This can prevent your buttercream from becoming soupy in the next step.
- Mix in 2 cups of unsalted butter at a medium speed, 1 stick at a time. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. The frosting should have a thick, whipped consistency once all the butter is mixed in. If it looks lumpy or broken, keep mixing until it looks fluffy and thick. If it doesn’t seem to come together after an additional 10 minutes of mixing, check out the troubleshooting section in the post above.
- Once the consistency is right, swap out the whisk attachment for a paddle attachment and add in 2 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp fine salt. Continue mixing on a low speed for a couple of minutes to make the frosting extra smooth.
- This buttercream can sit out at room temperature for up to 2 days or be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- This buttercream frosting is versatile and can be colored with gel food coloring, if desired.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 50g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 120mg