Meringue Buttercream
makes enough to frost a couple dozen cupcakes or a 9-inch layer cake
based on Classic Meringue Buttercream from The Baker’s Dozen Cookbook
1 cup organic granulated sugar (less 2 tablespoons)
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 tablespoons water
28 tablespoons organic unsalted butter (that’s 3 1/2 sticks), at cool room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Â Set a frying pan with about an inch of water in it over medium heat to simmer. Â This is going to be your “double boiler” of sorts.
2. Â In the mixing bowl from a stand mixer, whisk the sugar, egg whites and water to combine. Â Place this mixing bowl in the simmering frying pan of water and continue to whisk until sugar is completely dissolved and an instant-read thermometer reads 160 degrees F.
3. Â Return mixing bowl to the stand mixer, fitted out with the whisk attachment. Â Whisk on high speed until meringue is cool, glossy and forms stiff peaks, about 6 minutes.
4. Â While machine is running, add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, being patient to let each butter pat get fully incorporated before adding the next. Â Keep up the mixer-whisking until you have a beautiful, creamy frosting. Â Add the vanilla and do a final whisk at high speed. Ta-da! Â You did it.
Amy’s Kitchen Coach Tips
- Do not panic if your buttercream appears curdled. Â Your butter was probably too hot. Â You want to start with cool room temperature butter (approx. 70 degrees F), not squishy butter that’s been sitting out for the afternoon. Â Ok, if the curdling thing happens, or if the frosting just looks too soupy, keep the machine whisking on high and add a tablespoon of cold butter — this should fix things.
- Those luscious fruit buttercreams at your favorite cupcake counter? Â Experiment at home by substituting half of the sugar with a high quality fruit jam (ideally homemade); 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup jam.
- Buttercream will keep in the refrigerator for 1 week. Â To make it fluffy again, put the chilled buttercream in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, heat the bottom of the bowl using a water bath, as in step 1 above. Â When about 1/3 of the buttercream has melted, put the bowl on the stand mixer with whisk attachment and whisk to fluffiness. Â Too chunky? Â Melt a bit more. Â Too runny, add a cold tablespoon of butter or pause and put the bowl back in the fridge for a few minutes.
- For a half recipe, cut everything down exactly in half — works great.
