Swiss Meringue Buttercream

This frosting is super rich, smooth, and buttery. and I can’t lie, I love butter. So, I think this recipe rocks! It is a lot different than a typical buttercream, but it’s sturdy=great for stacking cakes and more elegant/gourmet=perfect for fancy cakes. It’s also great because you can add so many different flavors: lemon or strawberry for example.

This recipe can seem a little complicated, there are a few steps. I recommend reading the entire recipe before starting. And if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to comment or email!

Swiss Meringue Buttercream (adapted from a few different recipes I’ve found)

Things that will be helpful, but are not required:

• double boiler

• standing mixer

• candy thermometer

2/3 C Egg Whites (from about 5 Large eggs)

1 C Sugar (not powdered!)

1 pinch of salt

1 1/2 C (3 sticks) unsalted butter cut into 1T bits, room temp

1 tsp vanilla

Start with a double boiler. Don’t have one? Make one! That’s what I do. Start with a pot, and add an inch or two of water. Put it over medium heat. Then, place a non-plastic bowl (for 1 less dish, use the bowl from your standing mixer if it works) and place it in/on the pot:

the bowl needs to sit high enough so that the bottom is not touching the water.

Now add your egg whites, granulated sugar and salt, and whisk together

Keep whisking/stirring. It doesn’t have to be vigorous, just enough to keep it all mixed together, and to prevent the egg whites from cooking around the edges. Believe me, you don’t want scrambled eggs in your frosting. Continue until at least 1 of 2 things happens: 1. your candy thermometer reaches about 160 degrees F and/or 2. If you dip a finger in and rub it against your thumb, it is completely smooth, the sugar is dissolved:

it will probably take 3-5 minutes

Transfer this mixture to your standing mixer. (I definitely recommend standing mixer, but it’s doable with a hand mixer too!) Use the whisk attachment and turn it on high. Let whip until the egg mixture becomes room temperature (the bottom outside of the bowl no longer feels warm) and you have pretty glossy peaks forming:

this can take anywhere from about 5-10 minutes

If you’re using a standing mixer, while the mixture is whipping is when I cut my butter into 1T bits. I like to cut the butter when it’s cold, it seems easier, then lay them out on a plate and microwave it for just a bit to get it to room temp

note: those are 2 Tblsp slices, I cut them in half before adding.

Once your eggs/sugar mixture is room temp with the glossy peaks, turn your mixer to low, and start adding the butter 1T at a time. Only add 1 at a time, and be sure that each incorporates, probably 10 seconds, before adding another bit of butter.

after you’ve added all the butter, it might look kind of weird:

a little soupy and probably not what you were expecting. Fear not! We’ll fix it.

• Turn your mixer on high, and whip away!

It might take another 5-10 minutes to get the mixture to come together, and it will start to look like this:

Isn’t it pretty??

Once it looks like this you can add your vanilla extract (or another extract) and mix it on medium to incorporate it.

Now, to help with air bubbles, I suggest switching to the paddle attachment and mixing on low for a couple of minutes. Then you’re ready to use!!

Because of the high butter content in this frosting, you will want to store the frosted cakes/cupcakes at room temperature. Otherwise, it will probably melt, or if you refrigerate it, it will become hard. Also be careful if you’re piping with it, since you’re holding it in warm hands, it can melt even faster.

If you want to store for future use, you can store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a few weeks. Before using, bring to room temperature, and whip to get light and fluffy.

Raspberry & White Chocolate Cupcakes

I actually had a hard time naming this post, because they are white cupcakes, filled with raspberry jam, with a white chocolate butter cream.  Got it?

How about now?

I know it’s a long description, but these are tasty!!  And I really wish that I had thought to bake these in blue cupcake holders, because that would have been super cute for the 4th.  Blast.  But you could do it. Or white holders with blue sprinkles? Or forget what they look like and just eat them……  because they taste great.

I started with 1/2 batch of the same recipe for white cake as this post.  But you could make it with a white cake mix, just know that it will make more than this recipe.

Raspberry & White Chocolate Cupcakes (makes about 20)

1 stick unsalted butter, room temp

1 1/6 C sugar (I just filled my 1/3 C measurer half full)

2 XL or 3 L eggs room temp

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 C flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 C milk warmed in the microwave a little bit to bring to room temp

• Preheat oven to 350F and line the cupcake pans
• Sift together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside
• Cream the sugar and butter, then add eggs one at a time, letting each one mix in before adding another
• Add the vanilla and mix until incorporated
• Then, alternating between wet and dry, add the flour and milk
• Divide evenly between the cupcake holders and bake 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick comes put clean
• Let cool in pan for about 10 minutes then flip on a cooling rack to cool completely

 

• While the cupcakes are cooling, I like to make the frosting.  I made a white chocolate buttercream, it compliments these cupcakes perfectly.

White Chocolate Buttercream (if you made a box cake, I would recommend doubling this recipe)

1/2 C (1 cube) butter, room temp

1 1/2 C powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

4 oz white chocolate *to make sure it is truly white chocolate, the ingredients need to include cocoa butter.  If it’s made with palm kernel or some other kind of oil, it will have a vanilla/candy melt flavor not white chocolate.  I buy Baker’s white chocolate squares

• melt the white chocolate squares in the microwave, in 30 second intervals, stirring after every 30 seconds. Then let cool

• Cream butter.  Add powdered sugar 1/2 C at at time, making sure it’s completely mixed in before adding more.
• After adding all the sugar, add the vanilla and mix in.  turn on medium high and mix for a couple of minutes
• Add all of the melted/cooled chocolate and mix on medium high until all incorporated, scraping sides as needed

 

• When the cakes are all cooled, fill them with jam.  I used the seedless raspberry, but I’ve also made these with strawberry jam and that is delicious as well.  This is totally your preference.

After they are filled, go ahead and frost them! I (surprise) used a 1M wilton tip for frosting

Enjoy!!