Unlock the magic of Italian meringue buttercream with this simple recipe. You'll learn how to create a lusciously smooth frosting that adds a touch of indulgence to any dessert. Get ready to impress with your newfound baking skills!
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Italian meringue buttercream is a smooth and creamy frosting made from whipped egg whites, sugar syrup, and butter. It's known for its luxurious texture and rich flavor, perfect for topping cakes and cupcakes.
Italian meringue buttercream is a variation of meringue buttercream frostings, much like Swiss meringue buttercream and French meringue buttercream. It stands out for its exceptionally smooth and silky texture, making it lighter and less dense compared to classic American buttercream.
This easy Italian frosting is a top choice for cakes because of its silky texture and versatility. It spreads smoothly, holds designs beautifully, and adds a light, luxurious touch to any cake.
Why you'll love this recipe
Ingredients You Need
You need these ingredients to make this Italian buttercream frosting:
- Egg whites: Ensure they're at room temperature and free from any traces of yolk to achieve the best meringue consistency.
- Granulated sugar: Opt for white granulated sugar, avoiding whole sugar or powdered sugar for the right texture.
- Unsalted butter: Softened butter, but not overly so, for ideal consistency.
- Vanilla extract: Use pure vanilla extract to flavor the buttercream for a rich taste.
- Pinch of salt: Enhances flavor and helps whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks.
- Cream of tartar: Optional can help achieve a stable meringue.
How to Make Italian Buttercream Recipe
Here are some quick visual instructions. Don't forget that full recipe instructions with exact ingredients can be found in the recipe card below!
Step 1: Heat water and half the sugar in a saucepan until it reaches 230°F/110°C on a candy thermometer.
Step 2: While the syrup is heating, whisk egg whites with a pinch of salt in the large mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment at medium speed until soft peaks form.
Step 3: Once the syrup reaches the desired temperature, gradually pour the sugar mixture into the frothy egg whites while the mixer is running at medium speed.
Step 4: Increase the mixer speed and continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form, which usually takes about 10 minutes.
Step 5: While the mixer is running, add room temperature butter and liquid vanilla extract and continue mixing until you achieve a smooth and homogeneous white cream.
How to use this Italian Frosting
- Layer Cakes: Use it to frost and fill layer cakes for a classic and elegant dessert.
- Cupcakes: Pipe onto cupcakes for a light and fluffy frosting with a sophisticated touch.
- Macarons: Sandwich between two macaron shells for a decadent and refined treat.
- Tarts: Use as a filling for fruit tarts or lemon meringue tarts for a creamy and delicious twist.
- Ice Cream Sandwiches: Sandwich between two cookies or brownies for homemade ice cream sandwiches with a twist.
Tips for this recipe
Storage instructions
In the fridge/room temperature: Store Italian meringue buttercream in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Before use, allow it to come to room temperature to soften slightly, ensuring easy spreading or piping consistency.
How to freeze: Transfer Italian meringue buttercream to a freezer-safe container, ensuring it's tightly sealed to prevent freezer burn and absorption of other odors. Freeze for up to three months.
When ready to use, thaw the buttercream in the refrigerator overnight. Once thawed, allow it to come to room temperature and re-whip it briefly to restore its creamy texture before using it to frost or decorate your baked goods.
Variations & Substitutions
Recipe Questions
How does Italian meringue buttercream differ from other types of buttercream?
Italian meringue buttercream differs from other types of buttercream due to its smoother texture and lighter consistency, achieved through the incorporation of a cooked sugar syrup into whipped egg whites before adding butter.
How can I fix grainy or lumpy buttercream?
Whip the buttercream until the butter fully incorporates with the meringue, smoothing out any texture inconsistencies often caused by variations in temperature between the butter and the meringue.
How do I incorporate different flavors into Italian meringue buttercream?
You can incorporate different flavors into Italian meringue buttercream by adding extracts like vanilla, almond, or citrus, or by mixing in ingredients such as melted chocolate, fruit puree, or coffee extract during the final mixing stage.
How to color Italian buttercream?
You can color Italian meringue buttercream by adding gel food coloring a little at a time until you achieve your desired shade, mixing well after each addition.
More Frosting Recipes
I hope you love this Italian buttercream frosting recipe. If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Happy Baking!
Print
Italian meringue buttercream
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 15 portions
Description
Delicious and creamy meringue buttercream, perfect for all your cake decorations. For external smoothing of a cake 15 cm in diameter and 10 cm high. For the filling double the quantities.
Ingredients
- 4 egg white (at room temperature - about 150 g)
- 350 g sugar
- 150 ml water
- 450 b butter (softened)
- 10 ml liquid vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Place half of the sugar with the water in a saucepan over low heat and bring to the boil, monitor the temperature with a cooking thermometer, the syrup should reach 244°F/118°C before being poured over the egg whites.
- As soon as the syrup reaches 230F/ 110°C place the egg whites with the pinch of salt in the bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk and mix at medium speed to start, as soon as your whites are frothy, then add the other half of the sugar and switch to high speed.
- Your egg whites should be firm before adding the sugar syrup.
When the syrup reaches 244°F / 118°C, pour the syrup over the egg whites, drizzle in a trickle while continuing to run the mixer at low speed. - Resume mixing at high speed until the meringue has cooled (you can touch the bottom of the bowl to check the temperature for about 10 minutes).
- And add the butter cut into pieces and vanilla extract to your meringue and continue blending at medium speed.
- After adding the butter the texture of the cream may change, becoming more liquid or granular, especially continue mixing, your cream will be ready when it has a smooth texture.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: cakes, Dessert, layer cakes
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Calories: 113
- Sugar: 25
- Sodium: 46
- Fat: 1
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 3
I love this! Its delicious.. but of i want to add chocolate to this how much chocolate do i need? Thank you
For the quantities indicated here it will take approximately 50 gr of semi-sweet chocolate
I have two questions. What do you do with all the leftover egg yolks? And can egg white powder be substituted?
For the leftover egg yolks, you have a few options. You can use them immediately in recipes like lemon curd, crème brûlée, or ice cream. If you prefer to save them for later, you can freeze them.
As for the egg white powder, it can be substituted, but I haven't personally tested it for all recipes. It's best to look for recipes specifically designed for egg white powder, as the proportions and method may differ from fresh egg whites.