Faux Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Faux Swiss meringue buttercream is silky smooth and sweet like traditional Swiss buttercream but is super easy to make. With pasteurized egg whites and powdered sugar, you don't need to worry about heating egg whites or dissolving sugar. Even with shortcuts, the rich, creamy, vanilla flavor isn't compromised!

Swiss meringue buttercream (or SMBC) is one of the most delicious frostings out there. It's less sweet than American buttercream but even more buttery and rich. No joke, it tastes exactly like vanilla ice cream! It isn't greasy at all and doesn't form a crust, making it perfect for decorating cakes and cupcakes.

It can be inconvenient, takes a lot of trail and error, and requires extra equipment, like the bain-marie and a candy thermometer.

In this faux or mock Swiss meringue buttercream recipe, we completely skip the step of heating egg whites thanks to pasteurized egg whites. These egg whites are heat-treated to kill bacteria and are totally safe to eat. This buttercream has the same rich, silky characteristics as traditional SMBC but without the fuss! It's so delicious and easy to decorate with. I don't know if I'll make another frosting again.

But if you do want to try some different frostings, check out my lavender buttercream, brown sugar buttercream frosting, and small batch cream cheese frosting recipes.

This recipe is inspired by Sugar Geek Show's Easy Buttercream Frosting Recipe!

Ingredient Notes

• Pasteurized egg whites: Pasteurizing is a method to make food safe to eat or drink by heating it up just enough to kill any harmful bacteria or food-borne illnesses. Lots of stuff we consume is pasteurized, like milk and orange juice. Pasteurized egg whites are safe to eat, and using them instead of raw egg whites eliminates the need to heat them over a double boiler like you would making traditional Swiss Meringue buttercream. You can usually find pasteurized egg whites in the egg section at the grocery store; just double-check that the box says "pasteurized." Pull them out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking so they reach room temperature so they whip easily.
• Powdered sugar: Using powdered sugar eliminates the need to melt granulated sugar in hot egg whites. You don't need to sift it.
• Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract adds a little extra flavor to the buttercream. Use clear vanilla for the purest white color.
• Salt: Adding finely ground salt keeps the frosting from being cloyingly sweet.
• Unsalted butter: Use unsalted butter for the most flavor control. Make sure it is softened and at room temperature. If the butter isn't softened, the buttercream will look curdled and clumpy. Pull it out of the refrigerator about an hour before baking.

For the ingredient quantities and full instructions, see the recipe card below.

Substitutions

• Butter: Use vegan buttery sticks to make this recipe dairy free. And before you say anything, egg whites aren't dairy!

Helpful Equipment and Tools

• You'll need a 5-quart stand mixer to make the frosting in. Make sure the bowl you use has at least a 5-quart capacity or the powdered sugar will fly out everywhere. I know from experience!
• You will need 2 attachments for your mixer, the wire whip and the paddle attachment (or flat beater). The wire whip is used to whip air into the egg whites to make them light and fluffy. The paddle attachment is used to smooth out the frosting, prepping it for piping.

Step by Step Instructions

Here's how to make Swiss meringue buttercream with pasteurized egg whites! Before you start, make sure your egg whites and butter are at room temperature. Wipe down and dry your bowl and attachments to get rid of any residue.

Step 1: Fit your stand mixer with the wire whip attachment and add the egg whites and powdered sugar to the bowl. Start by mixing them together on low for 30 seconds or so to avoid a messy cloud of powdered sugar.

Step 2: Once lightly combined, increase the speed to medium-high. Whip for 8-10 minutes until a thick, opaque white meringue forms. It should have peaks that stand up with tips that curl on the ends.

Step 3: Mix in the vanilla and salt on medium-low and then gradually add the room temperature butter, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add 1 tablespoon of butter at a time, adding more after the previous addition looks relatively mixed in. Mix for about 10 minutes.

It's common for the buttercream to curdle at this stage, but it's an easy fix! Remove about ¼ cup of frosting from the bowl and microwave it for 20 seconds or until it's barely melted. Add it back into the rest of the buttercream and continue mixing to smooth everything out.

Once the frosting looks creamy, you can start testing it. It's done when it doesn't taste like butter anymore and is sweet, almost like ice cream.

Step 4: Once all of the butter is added, switch to your paddle attachment. Mix on low for a couple minutes to remove any air bubbles.

Step 5: After everything is smooth and tasting delicious, it's time to use your frosting! You can use a piping bag with a piping tip, an offset spatula, or a spoon to frost it on cupcakes, cakes, cookies, brownies, or whatever else you like.

Expert Baking Tips

1. Use clean equipment and tools. Wipe down the stand mixer bowl and the whisk attachment with vinegar before starting. If there's any fat or residue, the egg whites won't whip up properly, so making sure your equipment is clean and dry beforehand really helps.
2. Add the butter gradually. If you add all the butter at once, you'll have a soupy mess!
3. Just keep mixing! If you test your buttercream and it still tastes like butter, keep mixing it. The final product will be silky and sweet.
4. Add purple food coloring. For the purest white color, add a teeny tiny drop of purple food coloring to offset the yellow color of the butter.

Additions and Variations

Swiss meringue buttercream is so versatile; there are tons of different flavorings you can add to it! Here are some ideas you'll love:

• Chocolate: Make chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream by adding melted chocolate or cocoa powder!
• Fruit puree: Adding fruit puree to the frosting creates a fruity and fresh taste. You can use raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, or any other puree or jam you prefer.
• Freeze-dried fruit: ¼ cup of freeze-dried fruit powder adds great flavor. I did this with freeze-dried strawberries as pictured below for my strawberry vanilla cake recipe and it turned out great.
• Espresso powder: Adding espresso powder to the frosting adds a delicious coffee flavor that pairs well with chocolate cakes.
• Citrus zest: Citrus zest, like lemon, lime, or orange, creates a refreshing and tangy flavor that pairs well with vanilla cakes. I did this for the lemon Swiss meringue buttercream from my chocolate lemon cake.
• Food coloring: Add a couple drops of gel food coloring to the frosting to make it whatever color you like. I recommend gel because it is much more vibrant than water-based food coloring.

Storage and Freezing

Faux Swiss meringue buttercream should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It doesn't hold up in the heat as well as American buttercream, so it's important to keep it cool! It'll last up to 1 week. Make sure to give it a good mix to make it smooth and creamy again before using.

Freezing

I don't recommend freezing buttercream because the texture will change drastically. It won't be nearly as smooth and creamy. The egg whites can also weep as it's thawed out.

Frequently Asked Questions

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