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Swiss Dreamy Buttercream (easy, beginner-friendly buttercream with excellent texture and stability)
My Swiss Dreamy Buttercream is an easier version of Swiss Meringue Buttercream that yields a super smooth, melt-in-your-mouth, stable frosting that can be made in 15-25 minutes. Texturally, my Swiss Dreamy Buttercream is smooth and luxurious, with just the right amount of stability from the butter to pipe intricate designs or frost large layer cakes. We’re getting a buttercream that mimics traditional Swiss Meringue Buttercream in so many ways in half the time and effort.
After months of experimenting with Swiss Meringue Buttercreams and figuring out that aeration of meringues aren’t as important as we thought it would be for the final texture and stability, I came up with this method. It’s an adaptation of my American Dreamy Buttercream, which is based on emulsifying various sugar syrups into butter. Instead of using a pure sugar syrup (such as agave nectar or corn syrup) as in American Dreamy, we’ll use an egg white-sugar syrup, which is a nod to Swiss meringue Buttercream.
Compared to traditional Swiss Meringue Buttercream, which requires a water bath and careful temperature monitoring to ensure the egg whites, my method here relies on heating pasteurized egg whites with sugar in the microwave (but can also be done over a water bath if you like). This is essential because the sugar level in buttercreams is quite high (relative to water) and we need to dissolve the sugars fully to prevent a grainy final texture. This must be done with heat because sugar dissolves much more easily. And because the egg whites are pasteurized, no thermometer is needed, as they are safe to consume straight from the carton.
The difference between this recipe and my traditional “Swiss Meringue Buttercream” frosting option listed in the Cakeculator is that the traditional version still lists whipping the meringue and using raw egg whites as options. This recipe is the shortcut version that uses meringue syrup, with no whipping, and pastuersized egg whites to make the buttercream. Flavor-wise, they will be very similar. Texture-wise, they will also be neck and neck, as most of my buttercreams focus on aerating the butter rather than the meringue.
Can you make Swiss Dreamy Buttercream ahead of time?
Yes! I make buttercreams ahead of time very often! You can also save leftover buttercream in the fridge or freezer. For a detailed tutorial, check out my How to Store Buttercream Guide.
To learn more about the basics of Swiss Meringue Buttercream, check out my complete guide.
Step by step:
Coming soon!
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Video
This buttercream was featured in my Modern Swiss Meringue Buttercream video:
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Before starting the recipe, please read this!
Measure by weight, if possible.
Measuring by weight is the best way for you to replicate my recipes. I develop recipes using ingredients (even liquids) measured in grams, which is why you see them listed first in the recipe cards. For measurements under 5 grams, I will typically only list the volumetric measurements (teaspoons, etc.), as most home scales are not precise for such small weights.
In most cases, I have converted grams to volumetric measurements (aka US customary units) for bakers who prefer this method. However, the measurements are not as precise and may have awkward proportions. The recipes should still work, but for the ultimate precision, try to use weight.
This is the OXO scale I use daily. I also purchased this budget version of a good scale, which I keep at my Mom’s house for baking. If you’re interested in other tools I use for my baking, I’ve compiled a list here.
Use room temperature ingredients.
All my ingredients should be used at room temperature, or 65-75 °F/18-24 °C. I will always indicate if you need something outside this range. If no details are given, room temperature is the default.
Pay attention to the ingredient descriptions.
I try not to be brand-specific, but I will always note an interesting result from a type of ingredient, be it negative or positive.
A specific note regarding salt: I use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt for everything on this site except for frostings. In frostings, you want the salt to dissolve more easily, and kosher salt tends to leave granules behind. If you substitute table salt (more finely granulated) for recipes that list kosher salt, you must use half the volume indicated in my recipes.
Substitutions are hard.
That said, substitutions aren’t impossible but can be the toughest part of recipe development. Small swaps, like reduced-fat milk (2% fat) for whole milk (3.5% fat), usually work fine. However, bigger changes—such as replacing oil with applesauce or sour cream with Greek yogurt—can significantly impact texture and density.
Be wary of general, all-purpose substitutions in baking; I find that usually there is never a one size-fits-all solution. I carefully select ingredients for my recipes, so for the best results, start with the original recipe and modify with caution.
Read all the recipe instructions before beginning.
I’m in the “Pre-read the Chapter before Class Lecture” club... and I invite you to join! Baking new recipes can be intimidating, so let’s set you up for success. I want you to think about timeframes. Most fillings and frostings can be made ahead of time, and give you an extra day for mental space. Also, as you become a more proficient baker, you can anticipate and recognize steps. (“Oh, this has a meringue step, so I’ll need an extra clean bowl…” etc.) Ensure you go down the ingredient list and have everything at the right temperature.
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Swiss Dreamy Buttercream
- 40 g (2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) pasteurized (carton) egg whites*
- 67 g (⅓ cup) white granulated sugar**
- 85 g (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 7 g (1 tablespoon) powdered sugar***, sifted if clumpy
- ½ + ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
- small pinch of fine salt
- 40 g (2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) pasteurized (carton) egg whites*
- 67 g (⅓ cup) white granulated sugar**
- 85 g (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 7 g (1 tablespoon) powdered sugar***, sifted if clumpy
- ½ + ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
- small pinch of fine salt
- 121 g (½ cup) pasteurized (carton) egg whites*
- 200 g (1 cup) white granulated sugar**
- 254 g (1 ⅛ cups) unsalted butter
- 23 g (3 tablespoons) powdered sugar***, sifted if clumpy
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon fine salt
- Make the meringue syrup.
Add pasteurized (carton) egg whites and sugar to a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup. Stir until sugar is completely mixed in and hydrated.
Microwave on high power (1200 watts) using 20-second intervals. Remove the bowl between each heating, give it a stir, and check with your fingers (be careful if it’s hot!) for any sugar granules. Keep heating until the sugar is completely dissolved.
(You can also do this over a water bath. Mix the whites and sugar and heat until all the sugar is just dissolved, and proceed with the rest of the recipe as directed.)
Allow to cool to room temperature before adding to the butter in the next step. If I’m moving through this recipe non-stop, I’ll place the bowl of meringue syrup in a bowl of ice water to cool it more quickly. - Prepare the Frosting Butter.
Add slightly softened butter to the stand mixer bowl and whisk on high for about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides once. The butter should become lighter in color and smoother, and ball inside the whisk.
Add powdered sugar*** (see my notes below to assess how much to add), vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt, then whisk on medium-high for another 1-2 minutes. - Combine the meringue syrup with the Frosting Butter.
Add the room temperature syrup/meringue in 3–5 additions, mixing for 30 seconds each. Once fully incorporated, scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix on high for 1 minute. - Flavor and smooth the frosting.
Switch to the paddle attachment and mix on low for a few minutes to remove air pockets. Taste and adjust vanilla or salt if needed. The frosting should be ultra-smooth, creamy, and ready to use!
Recipe Card - Adriana's Notes
*Liquid egg whites are sold in a carton. In the US, eggs that are removed from their shells must be pasteurized before sale. This process kills any bacteria in the egg products and ensures they are safe to consume straight from the container.
**You can use powdered sugar here, but make sure to use a weight measurement to get the right amount. (Powdered sugar packs differently into a measuring cup than white granulated sugar and will alter the recipe ratios.)
***You can vary the amount of powdered sugar. I’ve given a mid-range amount, creating a moderately sweet buttercream. You can double this amount to get a sweeter version. Some things to consider - emulsion buttercreams tend to get less sweet as they sit out (usually over 24 hours), so I usually err on the side of a tad sweet if I’m serving it the next day. Also, with these types of vanilla buttercreams, you can go only in one of two ways: sweet or buttery. In other words, if you tone down the sweetness, be prepared for a ~buttery~ buttercream. If this is what you like, you can omit powdered sugar entirely for a luxurious buttery version—just be sure to whip the butter thoroughly in Step 3 before adding the meringue to prevent a dense texture.
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