If you’re looking for the perfect, fluffy and naturally sweetened buttercream, look no further! This swiss meringue buttercream is my go-to recipe for frosting cakes and cupcakes. I love it because it’s not ridiculously sweet, like powdered sugar buttercream, plus it’s so creamy and pipes perfectly too!
Don’t be intimidated by making meringue. The hardest part is waiting for the meringue to form as it can take up to 15 minutes to fluff up. After adding in all your butter, sometimes the mixture can begin to curdle. This happens if the butter is added too quickly and the fat and liquid can’t emulsify correctly or if the butter is too warm or too cold (temperature difference). If this happens, don’t freak out (like I did the first time!😂) usually if you just keep whipping it, it will come together in a few minutes. Butter that is softened but still a little cold in the center usually works best.
If your kitchen is really warm and the mixture isn’t coming together, like in the heat of the summer, just stick your bowl into the fridge for an hour or so (until the butter around the edge of the bowl has begun to harden) and then beat it again. This should help the mixture cool down enough to fluff back up. If your buttercream is stiff and hard, then it’s probably too cold. This can easily be remedied by placing the bowl over a pot of boiling water or using a blow dryer to warm up the outside of the bowl, until the outside layer of the buttercream begins to melt. Beat again and it should whip up nicely.
Remember, this buttercream can be temperamental, but can usually be salvaged once you get the mixture to the right temperature and the ingredients are able to emulsify. Please don’t throw away what you think is ruined buttercream without trying these tips first! Also, watch the video I recorded below of me making the buttercream. This may help answer any questions you may have. If you still need help, feel free to send me a message! For more info, I also found these posts helpful:
The Kitchn: How to fix a broken buttercream
Serious Eats: How to Rescue Swiss Buttercream, No Matter the Problem
Watch me make this buttercream in this video tutorial!
- 4 egg whites, room temperature
- ¾ cup honey
or maple syrup
(I used half of each)
- 1¾ cup butter, slightly softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½–2 teaspoons arrowroot
or cornstarch
, optional
or 
(I used half of each)
or 
, optional- Meringue is very finicky and does not fluff up well with any oil/grease residue. Make sure you use squeaky clean bowls, beaters, and that no egg yolk is left in your egg whites.
- Combine sweetener and egg whites together in a heat-safe bowl (or stand mixing bowl) and place over a pot of boiling water (Also known as a double boiler. Be sure water does not touch the bowl.)
- Heat mixture for 4-5 minutes, or until a thermometer
reads between 150-160F, stirring often. (If your mixture is really lumpy for any reason, you can strain it before beating.)
- If you have a stand mixer
, use whisk attachment and begin beating the egg mixture on high speed until it is thoroughly cooled, fluffy, and holds its shape well (beaten to stiff peaks; can take between 8-15 minutes).
- Switch to the paddle attachment (if using a stand mixer
- When it's nice and fluffy, mix in vanilla.
- Because this buttercream has liquid sweetener, I find it can make the mixture heavy and sometimes adding a bit of cornstarch or arrowroot powder helps it to fluff up, especially on warm & humid days. This is optional and may not be necessary if your buttercream is fluffing up fine.
- Use right away or store in an airtight container in the fridge if making in advance. Beat for a few minutes before using to fluff it back up. Makes about 4 cups.
reads between 150-160F, stirring often. (If your mixture is really lumpy for any reason, you can strain it before beating.)
, use whisk attachment and begin beating the egg mixture on high speed until it is thoroughly cooled, fluffy, and holds its shape well (beaten to stiff peaks; can take between 8-15 minutes).Chocolate—add ½–2/3 cup melted and cooled white or dark chocolate (milk or semi-sweet also work) to your finished buttercream and beat until fluffy.
Strawberry/Raspberry—mix ½–1 cup freeze dried strawberries or raspberries, ground to a fine powder and sifted, into your finished buttercream (use more or less to taste)
You may also enjoy these similar recipes:
I used a version of this buttercream to make this yummy Chai-Spiced Cake with fresh figs and coconut sugar caramel!
I also made a white chocolate variation for this White Forest Cake, pictured below.
Hi there! This looks so delicious; I’ve been searching for a refined sugar free frosting for some time and haven’t found one as simple and quick as yours. I’m curious about adding rhubarb compote to this, do you think the moisture in it would make it too runny? Could I add more cornstarch to compensate? Thanks so much!
Hi Erica! Thank you! I’m not sure how adding a fruit compote would work, especially if it’s on the liquid-y side. If it’s on the thicker side it may work, but I would add it little by little to make sure. You don’t want to add too much cornstarch though because it could make it taste grainy. Another option is to add ground freeze-dried fruit, like raspberries or strawberries, which adds the flavor without any additional moisture. Either way, please let me know how it goes if you give it a try! 🙂
Hi
How does this keep in the fridge, rewhip from freezer?
Have you tried adding any fresh fruit?
Thanks!
Hi Elisabeth, it does keep well in the fridge, but needs to come to room temperature and be rewhipped before using. I wouldn’t recommend freezing though. Fresh fruit may make it too runny, but you can try grinding freeze dried fruit to a powder and mixing it in to give it flavor. Let me know how it turns out if you give it a try!
Hi, how many cupcakes can I frost for this recipe? Thanks
Hi Connie, it really depends on how much buttercream you plan to use on each cupcake. The recipe makes approximately 4 cups, so if you top each with about 1/4 cup, then you may be able to frost a little over a dozen. If you pipe a tall swirl of frosting, a little less. It should be enough for at least a dozen.
Great recipe, I love the subtle honey flavour!! I stirred an extra 150g of honey in at the end as I wanted a verrry strong honey flavour for a bee themed cake. I’m so thrilled that there are no refined sugars in this icing!
I was searching for a maple flavored SMBC to top pumpkin cupcakes with (I wanted something different than the traditional cream cheese frosting) and came across this recipe. How perfect! I love how easy it is too. I added a little maple extract to up the maple flavor and a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. So yummy! My butter was a bit cold and therefore I had a soupy curdled mess at first, but after about 5 minutes, it all came together. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
First….I am SO excited about this recipe. I like my frosting less sweet so this was a big win for me! It came out beautifully. My first attempt at Swiss Meringue Buttercream failed. I tried everything…for several hours…but finally faced the reality that it was beyond troubleshooting. I was thrilled to have this one come together so easily without any need to troubleshoot.
However, it has a strong butter flavor. I used vegan butter and added extra vanilla as well as some almond extract to help cut down the butter flavor. Any other suggestions to try? I love the texture – so light and creamy – perfection. I just need to shift the flavor a tad. We’re allergic to dairy so I can’t use regular butter. It doesn’t taste too salty….simply too buttery.
Thank you for this recipe! One of my cake goals this year was to find a new frosting I love. It’s so close….and I’m excited.
Hi Heather, I’m so happy you enjoyed this buttercream! It can have a strong butter flavor, especially when using non dairy butter because they add butter flavoring to compensate. What you could try next time is to substitute a portion of the butter with quality vegetable shortening, which should help cut down on the butter taste. Just make sure it’s also at room temperature so it mixes in well.
Hopefully this fixes the problem and you’ll finally have the perfect go-to frosting! Please keep me updated if you give it a try! 🙂
How well will this frosting hold up if left out for a a few hours? Should it maintain it’s structure like a traditional smbc? I’m making it for a client who is planning to drive with it for a few hours. It won’t get hotter than room temp but not sure it will hold up…planning to refrigerate it frosted overnight until they pick it up. Going to do a naked cake with it.
Hi Stacey, it’s very similar to regular smbc, but like all buttercream, I would suggest keeping it in ac at least and definitely not in the trunk! I’ve kept it on the counter in a cool kitchen for a couple days with no problem. Maybe she could keep it in the passenger floorboard and use the dual head/foot ac option?
Perfect! Haha yes the trunk would be a bad idea. I made it today, and it is just awesome! So glad to have another frosting option that is free of refined sugar! Great work, and thank you for sharing this 🙂
Yay, that makes me so happy to hear, Stacey! Glad you enjoyed it and I hope everything goes well with the naked cake! Have a wonderful weekend!
Hello,
What is the ratio for the egg whites:honey:butter?
Hi Gezzerree, there’s not really an exact ratio for this particular recipe, but it’s about 1 egg:4 Tbsp sweetener:1/2 cup butter, again it’s just an approximation.
Your recipe looked so easy and beautiful to me. I found it a month before my son’s second birthday. I was so excited to make it. I, unfortunately, made it twice and wasted a lot of ingredients. I could cry. I followed every step. Both times I got a soupy, curdled mess. I used organic maple syrup and Kerry Gold butter. I’m not sure what went wrong.
Hi Marie, I’m sorry the buttercream didn’t turn out for you. It will often be soupy and curdled before it comes together. You have to continue to beat it for 8-10 minutes or more until enough air whips into the butter. As I say in the post, if your kitchen is warm, it may be helpful to pop the bowl into the fridge for a bit to chill the butter. Swiss meringue buttercream can be a pain to make, but I’ve never had a batch not turn out, although it does take lots of time and patience to get to the end. Again, I’m so sorry it didn’t work out for you.
Maybe it has something to do with the Kerrygold? I just made it with Kerrygold and it was turning out fine at first, but seemed a bit warm, so I stuck it in the fridge. When I took it out and beat it to “fluff it up” it turned to the curdled soup. I spent a long time trying to rescue it with no luck. I was able to spread some on the cake by scooping out the thicker part and leaving the liquid behind, but it wasn’t very pretty.
Hi Anna, I’m sorry the buttercream didn’t come together for you. I don’t think using Kerrygold should make a difference (unless it’s too soft) but I haven’t tried it myself so I can’t say for sure. Buttercream usually curdles when the fat and liquid don’t emulsify correctly, either from being opposite temperatures, too warm, or too cold. Chilling warm buttercream until it’s colder usually helps (and you may need to chill a second time if the first time doesn’t help) although it may take some patience to really beat it until it’s fluffy. I’m not sure if you watched the video in the post, but my buttercream was pretty runny and curdled after I added the butter, but I just kept beating it, probably 10–15 minutes or so and it eventually whipped up beautifully. I found this helpful post on The Kitchn with tips on how to salvage broken buttercream. There’s usually a way to fix it, whether it’s heating it up or cooling it down, so ingredients shouldn’t ever have to be wasted. Hopefully it will help anyone encountering problems: https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-rescue-how-to-save-a-br-69323
Kerrygold is notoriously bad for buttercream… I think it has to do with the fat content? It never works for me. I’m very excited to try this out!!
Hey, your recipe says to use right away. When I make it, could I frost a cake right away and store the whole cake in the fridge for an hour or two before serving or do you think it would not last?
It’s just more fresh and spreadable right away. You can definitely frost the cake and store it in the fridge, however it can sometimes make the buttercream firm, since it’s made with butter. How long beforehand are you making it? I would suggest taking the cake out of the fridge about an hour before serving, so it can come to room temperature. Let me know how it turns out for you!
I was planning to make it in the morning probably around 9 and serve it around 2pm. It’s just for my daughters first birthday cake. I’m going to frost the cake and stick a few berries on it for decoration.
I can’t wait to try it! Will probably do a test round. I’m a little nervous cause I do not own a counter mixer, just a hand mixer.
Hi Anita, a test batch would be a great idea, just to make sure you’re happy with the results. It would be fine in the fridge for a few hours. Maybe take it out around 1-1:30 for it to come to room temperature before serving. Let me know if you have any questions about the recipe!
Hey! I tried this, loved it, and it was my first ever go at making buttercream or baking at all. Thank you for making it so easy!
I just have 1 question, is it possible to cut down on the honey to say 1/2 cup 8nstead of 3/4, or will that ruin the buttercream? Also, is it possible to use 100% vanilla powder instead of the extract? Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Sara! I’d say you can cut down on the sweetener, especially by that small amount. I’ve never heard of vanilla powder, but I’m sure that’d be fine as well! Let me know how it turns out with the new changes! Thanks for giving it a try! 🙂
Hello! 🙂 I tried this, and the video really helped, so thank you!! I am not eating cane sugar at this time, so this recipe is a lifesaver!! Mine turned out well, but it is a little dense, and the butter taste is really strong. I think I should have whipped my eggs longer, but I was afraid of overworking them!! I’ll whip them longer next time and see how it goes. Thanks again for the recipe! Also, I did this all by hand, so for those of you without a stand mixer: it will take some arm power, but it works!! 🙂 Happy Baking!
Hi Savannah! That makes me so happy to hear! Yeah, the meringue should be nice and fluffy when you add the butter, so hopefully it won’t be as dense the next time 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback! Have a great weekend!!
Hello! Something happened with the format of the recipe, is it 3 teaspoons of vanilla extract?
Hi Hima, thanks for bringing that to my attention! I don’t know what happened, but it should be 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla. I’ll fix that as soon as I can get back to my computer! Sorry about the confusion!! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
I love making traditional swiss meringue buttercream but I wondered if I could do it refined sugar free! Thank you for sharing this, your whole blog is amazing.
Buttercream is my favorite-I’m going to have to pin this recipe for the next time I’m baking!
xoxo, SS
Southern And Style
Thank you! Have a great weekend!
Great blog and tutorial! It does look easy to make. I’ll have to try this sometime!
Thank you Vivienne (what a pretty spelling of your name)! Please let me know how it turns out if you try it.
I will have to try the buttercream recipe. All of your pictures look so heavenly. I especially like the chai cake.
Aw, thank you Gina! I appreciate your kind words
my mouth is so watering, this is incredible.
Thanks, Jessica!
Wow this looks really tasty and easy to make!
Aw, thanks Raj!
Your cake is gorgeous! I love that you used honey/maple syrup as the sweetener. I’m sure it provided just the right amount of sweetness. I’m saving this to try later!
Thanks Cheryl! Please let me know how you like it if you try it out!
This looks amazing. Your photographs are stunning. I cannot wait to try this, especially after the hellish weekend I had with buttercream. Let’s just say it took 3 batches and I still wasn’t happy with it. Can’t wait to try this out.
Thank you Erin! Wow. It’s sounds like you had quite the experience with buttercream! I hope this recipe helps. Please let me know if you have any questions as you try it out.
oh i am salivating! I can taste it!
Lol, thanks Rachel!
I always struggle to get the perfect buttercream: it usually ends up tasting like butter and I hate it. Hope this recipe will work for me. The pictures are amazing!