Swiss Meringue Buttercream

First, bring your butter to room temperature. Buttercream can only be prepared with softened butter, neither cold nor too hot (melted butter) will work.

Prepare a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Alternatively, use your electric hand mixer.

Make a double boiler by placing a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Mix the egg whites and sugar in the bowl over the double boiler and whisk constantly until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture reaches 160F / 71C.

Make the meringue; Add the egg white and sugar mixture to the bowl of the stand mixer and start whipping it. Continue whipping for 6 minutes until shiny, stiff peaks are achieved or until the bowl of the mixer is no longer hot.

Once the mixture reaches room temperature, switch to the paddle attachementand start adding the softened butter tablespoon by tablespoon on medium speed, then turn the mixer back on medium-high speed and whip it for an additional 4 minutes or until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and increases in volume.

Lastly, add the vanilla extract and salt and continue whipping for another minute until it is smooth and silky.

At this point, the Swiss meringue buttercream should have the perfect pipeable fluffy texture. If, for some reason, it is too thin, place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Note that the buttercream texture is best when the butter is at the right temperature (room temperature), and the mixture is freshly whipped. I like to use the frosting immediately or store it at room temperature in a piping bag for a few hours. If stored in the refrigerator, you will need to bring it back to room temperature before using it and might need to give it another minute or two to whip in the stand mixer to increase the volume again.