I’ve had many questions about Italian buttercream so I made a step by step video! Scroll down to check it out. You can also watch my make it in my strawberry cake video. Just skip to the 2:45 mark. Did you know Italian meringue (same recipe without the butter) is incredible on tarts and baked Alaska!
**Note: it’s important to use room temperature egg whites and butter. Monitor the temperature of your sugar syrup — add your pieces of butter slowly — and let your buttercream sit. You’ll need to give it a quick whip to bring it back to life. I know it’s a bit finicky BUT this buttercream adds a silky, not too sweet, touch to your cakes. It also pipes beautifully!
Want some tips on how to use this buttercream when decorating a cake? Check out my How to Decorate a Cake post, it has lots of helpful tips and a full how to video.
If you don’t have Cream of Tartar
- Cream of tartar is added to help stiffen the egg whites. It’s an acid so if you can’t get your hands on it sub in an equal amount of white vinegar or lemon juice. I’ve made it without and the recipe turned out fine by the way.
How your meringue should look before adding butter
- After adding in the 240F sugar syrup your meringue will look very silky, white and it will feel marshmallowy, and not warm when you touch it. As soon as you add the butter in the consistency will change and it will deflate a bit. Don’t worry, that’s fine! Just keep adding all of the butter in and whip. If it’s still soupy you can pop it in the fridge or freeze to cool down a bit maybe 10 minutes, then keep whipping and it should be fine!
- I love flavoring my buttercreams with a high-quality vanilla extract, but there are so many more flavors to choose from. Orange blossom water, rose water, fruit reductions (make sure they’re strained and cooled before adding), and of course chocolate (melted and cooled).
My brown butter orchid cake is decorated completely with Italian meringue buttercream. You might not be able to taste how good it is but I hope you can see the smoothness and detail possible with this frosting.
Common Problems: If your buttercream is “soupy,” just pop it into the fridge for a couple of minutes, then beat it. It should thicken up. I find consistency problems arise mostly from the meringue being too warm when the butter is added. Chilling it will help improve the consistency.
If you’re adding flavorings (i.e. chocolate, fruit, etc). to your Italian buttercream, I suggest doing this as the very last step.
Storage:If you’re not using your buttercream IMMEDIATELY — and it will be sitting for a few minutes — then just keep in mind that you will have to give it a short whip to “bring it back to life” as it loses its consistency quickly. If you want to make the buttercream ahead of time, it can be refrigerated for a few days. Once you’re ready to use it, allow it come to room temperature and give it a short “whip.” For those people that are used to regular buttercream: Italian buttercream is LESS SWEET and more BUTTERY! You can always add MORE SUGAR SYRUP to your meringue to sweeten it a bit further.
Steps to Make Italian Meringue Buttercream
1. In a medium saucepan add 1 cup sugar and 1/3 cup water, then place on medium-low heat.
2. Stir until sugar melts and becomes clear. Use a kitchen thermometer to maintain a medium-high heat.
3. Separate room temperature egg whites into a stand mixer. Beat the egg whites.
4. Add a pinch of salt.
5. Add in the cream of tartar
6. Add the remaining sugar.
7. Beat until the soft peak stage.
8. When the temperature reads 235F-240F, drizzle the sugar mixture into the mixer immediately. Run the mixer until meringue is cool/tepid.
9. Switch to a paddle attachment. Add room temperature butter into running mixer one tablespoon piece at a time.
10. Add vanilla or any other flavors. Beat until butter is combined and mixture has reached a silky consistency.
11. Transfer the buttercream to multiple bowls.
12. Add a drop of food coloring to each and mix until a desired gradient is reached.
If you’ve tried this frosting then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
How to make Italian Buttercream
This creamy, silky buttercream is perfect for decorating cakes and beyond delicious! It's easier to make than you think and might just become your go to frosting!
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS
- 4 egg whites large
- 1 1/3 cups sugar 267g
- Pinch kosher salt optional
- 16 ounces unsalted butter 454g, room temperature cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract optional, 4.9mL
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar .84g
- 1/3 cup water 79mL
Instructions
INSTRUCTIONS
Beat the egg whites, salt and cream of tartar, slowly add in 1/3 cup of sugar and continue beating until soft peaks form.
In a medium saucepan add the remaining sugar and 1/3 cup water then place on medium-low heat.
Stir until sugar melts and becomes clear.
Maintain at medium-high heat until temperature reads 235-240F.
Drizzle the sugar into the mixer immediately.
Run mixer until meringue is cool/tepid.
Switch to a paddle attachment. Add room temperature butter into running mixer one tablespoon piece at a time.
Add the salt and vanilla if using
Beat until butter is combined and mixture has reached a silky consistency.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Common Problems: If your buttercream is "soupy," just pop it into the fridge for a couple of minutes, then beat it. It should thicken up. I find consistency problems arise mostly from the meringue being too warm when the butter is added. Chilling it will help improve the consistency.
If you're adding flavorings (i.e. chocolate, fruit, etc). to your Italian buttercream, I suggest doing this as the very last step.
Storage:If you're not using your buttercream IMMEDIATELY -- and it will be sitting for a few minutes -- then just keep in mind that you will have to give it a short whip to "bring it back to life" as it loses its consistency quickly. If you want to make the buttercream ahead of time, it can be refrigerated for a few days. Once you're ready to use it, allow it come to room temperature and give it a short "whip." For those people that are used to regular buttercream: Italian buttercream is LESS SWEET and more BUTTERY! You can always add MORE SUGAR SYRUP to your meringue to sweeten it a bit further.
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John, how big of a cake will this recipe cover? Thank you!
Which frosting goes well with chocolate cake – Italian meringue or American buttercream ?
Neenu,
It’s really up to you! I love Italian meringue because it’s less sweet, but use American if you have more of a sugar tooth!
John
Hi john, the receipe calls for 4 egg white & on your highlight story on your page you say 6 egg white & are using 6, please can you let me know weather its 4 ot 6 egg white, thank you, I did post this coment before not sure what happened so posting again. Please awaiting for your reply as i need to try this italian swiss meringue receipe.
Naz,
My eggs were a bit smaller in the highlight stories, so I used 6 instead of 4. The recipe on the blog is the tried and true version though! Try to buy 4 large eggs! Hope you enjoy!
John
Thank you john will be trying this out soon, your page is great & awesome & will be triying your cookie receipe this wkend. Thank you
Naz,
You’re welcome! I hope you enjoy the cookies! They are sooo yummy!
John
I have seen some recipes that instruct you to
switch to the paddle attachment before adding butter. I see you used the whisk attachment the entire time. If you switched to the paddle, is there a likelihood that the buttercream would split?
Yes, switch to a paddle attachment before adding in the room temperature butter! Hope you enjoy!
John
Can it works with Russian flower tip on cup cakes ?
Amal,
I’ve heard that it does work with the Russian flower tip, but I haven’t tried it! Also, make sure you whip it right before piping! Hope you enjoy!
John
Hi. I maked it tihis buttercream but it wasn’t soft and smoth😔
Zahra,
What was the consistency?
John
What buttercream is better to Frost a cake?
Noe,
It all depends on your taste preferences! If you want a softer, buttery consistency, the italian meringue buttercream is for you! If you want something sweeter, go for an American buttercream! Hope you enjoy!
John
Hello! Will I be able to pipe roses with this recipe or will it be too soft?
Trianna,
You can absolutely pipe flowers with Italian buttercream! Check out my orchid cake !
John
Thanks for this lovely recipe but I will like to know if this Italian buttercream is stable under fondant in summer weather?
Kate,
Depending on where you live, it should be fine! If you’re in a very hot climate, I would keep your kitchen cool and prepare a spot in the fridge to keep the cake! It should be stable, but will become softer in the heat! Hope that helps!
John
Dear John,
Many thanks for sharing this recipe. I live in Israel and have tried to do this recipe twice already without any positive result 🙁 Everything was doing okay until I started adding the butting, everything started to liquify. What can I do to save the ingredients? How can I make the frosting back to its consistency? Can I add cream chease? Should I put it in the fridge? I don´t know if I am doing something wrong or just that in here the ingredients are of different quality than the US.
Many thanks!
Alicia,
If it’s a but too warm, it can liquify! Try tossing it in the freezer, then give it a whip until it comes back to life! I’m assuming that the sugar you added to the meringue wasn’t the right temperature! Hope that helps for next time!
John
I am so excited to try this recipe. I made your cookies and cream cake last week and it was a big success! My only question with this is that I am making/icing the cake one day and serving it at my daughter’s birthday party the following day. I live in hot, humid Houston. Should I refrigerate the cake overnight or leave at room temp? Thanks for your help!
Ally,
Try to keep it covered in the fridge. It may get too hot overnight! You could even add final decorations the day of!
John
Hi John,
I’m going to be making a birthday cake for my son this weekend but want to ease off the sugar a bit. Having never made anything but American buttercream before, would you recommend Italian or Swiss for my first non-American buttercream try? Love the blog and YouTube channel. It’s inspired me to take out the mixer from storage 🙂
Kat,
Thank you very much! You should try Italian buttercream! It’s my favorite!
John
Hi please can I try this recipe with out a mixer as am a new Baker and yet to acquire one thanks
Chivas,
You really need to use a stand mixer for this recipe! I don’t know how to make it without one! Hope that helps!
John