Italian Meringue Buttercream Recipe (IMBC)
Italian meringue buttercream is made with egg white and boiled sugar syrup instead of powder sugar. So it’s usually less sweet; more creamy and has a velvet like silky smooth feel on the tongue. A bit more complicated than making Swiss Meringue but the stability of the meringue is much better and last fluffy longer.
Italian Meringue Buttercream Recipe
Once you’ve tired a meringue based buttercream it’s almost impossible to go back to the sweet regular buttercream. I still love my American Buttercream. In fact, I have one of the best American Buttercream (ABC) recipes you will find.
BUT!!! A meringue based buttercream? be it Swiss Meringue Buttercream (SMBC) or Italian Meringue Buttercream (IMBC) both meringue based buttercreams are lighter, fluffier, less sweet, creamy, like having a velvet feel on your month that just melts your taste buds.
Those of you that cannot use raw egg whites in your buttercream may like to try my recipe – Meringue Buttercream made using meringue powder
Making Italian meringue (IMBC) is not difficult but the process is a bit more tricky unlike Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Italian Meringue Buttercream Recipe (IMBC)
Difference between Swiss Meringue Buttercream Vs Italian Meringue Buttercream
The first most important difference is that Italian meringue buttercream is made using a candy thermometer while Swiss MC is made without a candy thermometer.
- Some say IMBC holds up better in humidity due to the boiling sugar syrup; that’s what we heard (not sure how much is true).
- They look the same and have a similar velvet sheen,
- Excellent in spreading and piping.
- Both hold well on their own. (Firm peaks).
- I personally love them on cupcakes exclusively!!!
Italian Meringue Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Recipe – Italian Meringue Buttercream (IMBC) (Save/Pin)
Tools
- Candy Thermometer
- Sauce Pan
- Mixer – preferably a K-mix or
- Kitchen-Aid type; but
- Hand-Mixer works too!
Ingredients
For the sugar syrup
- Sugar – 200 grams (1 cup)
- water – 80 ml (1/3 cup)
For the meringue
- Egg Whites – 180 grams (6 large)
- Cream of tartar – 1/8 tsp
- Salt – 1/8 tsp
- Granulated Sugar -100 grams ( 1/2 cup)
To make meringue butter
- Unsalted Butter – 450 grams (1 lbs)
- Flavoring – 2 tsp (Vanilla, strawberry, peppermint, liquor),
Method:
Prepare
- Have all your ingredients at room temperature, especially the eggs and butter.
- Separate the egg whites from egg yolks. We need only the whites so save the yolks for a different project (like making vanilla pastry cream)
- Cut the Butter into cubes.
Whip the meringue
- Place egg whites, salt and cream of tartar in a mixer bowl on medium high.
- After 2 minutes, your meringue should be at soft peak consistency.
- Add in the sugar slowly.
- The meringue should hold peaks but still shinny not dry.
- Turn the mixer off to avoid over mix.
Make Sugar Syrup (this step can be (but does not have to be) done simultaneously as the meringue is whipping)
- In a sauce pan add sugar and water.
- Shake (not stir) the pan to combine.
- Heat on medium heat.
- Once the sugar syrup comes to a boil. Place a candy thermometer in making sure it does not touch the bottom of the pan.
- Once sugar syrup reaches 220 F degrees watch closely.
- Some chefs suggest to use 245 F for the sugar syrup but I prefer to use 240 F as the sugar syrup will continue to cook in the residue heat.
- Once sugar syrup has reached 240 F. Turn the flame off.
- Take the pan off the heat.
Pour hot syrup into the meringue mixture
- Turn the mixer with the meringue on high for just 20 secs then reduce to medium low. As shown in the progress pictures below. DO NOT RUSH.
- It is not necessary to run the mixture on high while you pour the syrup. I have always done it on med low and have had no accidents or disasters.
- Start pouring the hot sugar syrup into the mixer bowl with the mixer on medium low. The sugar should stream between the whisk and the edge of the bowl.
- Any syrup that touches the cold bowl may crystallize. Do it slowly and carefully.
- Once all the syrup is in. Turn the mixer on high and whisk for about 5 to 7 minutes
- The outside of the bowl will be hot at first and then be barely warm.
- Your meringue should look shinny and stiff
Adding the Butter
- Let the mixer run on low until the bowl feels cold to the touch.
- Add in the butter – once cube at a time.
- The meringue mixture will loose a bit of volume as soon as you incorporate the fat but that’s normal.
- Once all the butter is in – add in flavoring.
- Run the mixture for another minute or two until you have a smooth and satin like buttercream.
To Make Fruit flavor or Chocolate Buttercream
- Add 1/2 cup fruit puree to make this a fruit flavored Italian Meringue Buttercream or
- 200 grams/8 oz melted chocolate (and cooled) for a chocolate Buttercream
Progress Pictures – Italian Meringue Buttercream Recipe (Save/Pin)
Here’s the first half – from having and preparing all your ingredients to cooking the sugar and whipping the meringue.
Here’s – after you pour the hot syrup to adding butter and finishing it off.
Voila!! Creamy velvety and luxurious..
I tell you one thing.. once you get on the IMBC or SMBC wagon.. there is no other buttercream that comes even close to these. Having said that if you love American Buttercream (ABC) I insist you check out my Velvet American Buttercream Recipe – the word is velvet.. for a reason – find out why for your self.
Italian Meringue Buttercream Recipe (IMBC)
My Tips
- Use a candy thermometer. If you do not own a candy thermometer, make Swiss Meringue Buttercream SMBC
- Prepare the mixer bowl – Wash your mixer bowl and whisk clean with soap and water. Add a tsp of vinegar onto a clean kitchen cloth and wipe the inside of your wet bowl dry – The vinegar will kill any trace of fat in the bowl.
- Once the sugar syrup comes to a boil – stop stirring or shaking the pot. Any sugar crystal that may have formed on the sides of your pot will fall into the syrup and crystallize the whole pot.
- When whipping the warm eggs, start on medium and move to high speed.
- Try to pour the sugar syrup between the bowl and the whisk. If you run the mixer on medium low that is easily achievable if you run the mixer on high you must be very very careful not to scald your self.
- Very important – Make sure the meringue is COOL before you add the butter. Check twice or even four times; but if you are not sure don’t add the butter – give it a minute or two more.
- If you add butter too early the warm meringue will melt the butter turning the mixture into a meringue soup. DON’T PANIC.
Just place the whole mixer bowl in the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes. Then whip the hell out of that cooled mixture – I promise you IMBC is back.
Storage
- Meringue Buttercream will keep at room temperature for a few hours.
- It should be treated just as butter; If left out in high temperature or humidity it will melt just like butter.
- It can be kept refrigerated for up to one week or in the freezer for up to three months.
- When frozen it is best thawed in the fridge over night. Whip with paddle attachment for about five minutes to restore consistency.
Italian Meringue Buttercream Recipe – IMBC
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You can find a collection of my tutorials and recipes here on Pinterest.
How to Make Italian Meringue Buttercream Recipe
Italian Meringue Buttercream Recipe
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 1.1 kg Batch
Italian meringue buttercream is made with egg white and boiled sugar syrup instead of powder sugar. So it's usually less sweet; more creamy and has a velvet like silky smooth feel on the tongue. A bit more complicated than making Swiss Meringue but the stability of the meringue is much better and last fluffy longer.
Ingredients
For the sugar syrup
- Sugar - 200 grams (1 cup)
- water - 80 ml (1/3 cup)
For the meringue
- Egg Whites - 180 grams (6 large)
- Cream of tartar - 1/8 tsp
- Salt - 1/8 tsp
- Granulated Sugar -100 grams ( 1/2 cup)
To make meringue butter
- Unsalted Butter - 450 grams (1 lbs)
- Flavoring - 2 tsp (Vanilla, strawberry, peppermint, liquor),
Instructions
Prepare
- Have all your ingredients at room temperature, especially the eggs and butter.
- Separate the egg whites from egg yolks. We need only the whites so save the yolks for a different project (like making vanilla pastry cream)
- Cut the Butter into cubes.
Whip the meringue
- Place egg whites, salt and cream of tartar in a mixer bowl on medium high.
- After 2 minutes, your meringue should be at soft peak consistency.
- Add in the sugar slowly.
- The meringue should hold peaks but still shinny not dry.
- Turn the mixer off to avoid over mix.
Make Sugar Syrup (this step can be (but does not have to be) done simultaneously as the meringue is whipping)
- In a sauce pan add sugar and water.
- Shake (not stir) the pan to combine.
- Heat on medium heat.
- Once the sugar syrup comes to a boil. Place a candy thermometer in making sure it does not touch the bottom of the pan.
- Once sugar syrup reaches 220 F degrees watch closely.
- Some chefs suggest to use 245 F for the sugar syrup but I prefer to use 240 F as the sugar syrup will continue to cook in the residue heat.
- Once sugar syrup has reached 240 F. Turn the flame off.
- Take the pan off the heat.
Pour hot syrup into the meringue mixture
- Turn the mixer with the meringue on high for just 20 secs then reduce to medium low. As shown in the progress pictures below. DO NOT RUSH.
- It is not necessary to run the mixture on high while you pour the syrup. I have always done it on med low and have had no accidents or disasters.
- Start pouring the hot sugar syrup into the mixer bowl with the mixer on medium low. The sugar should stream between the whisk and the edge of the bowl.
- Any syrup that touches the cold bowl may crystallize. Do it slowly and carefully.
- Once all the syrup is in. Turn the mixer on high and whisk for about 5 to 7 minutes
- The outside of the bowl will be hot at first and then be barely warm.
- Your meringue should look shinny and stiff
Adding the Butter
- Let the mixer run on low until the bowl feels cold to the touch.
- Add in the butter - once cube at a time.
- The meringue mixture will loose a bit of volume as soon as you incorporate the fat but that's normal.
- Once all the butter is in - add in flavoring.
- Run the mixture for another minute or two until you have a smooth and satin like buttercream.
Notes
To Make Fruit flavor or Chocolate Buttercream
- Add 1/2 cup fruit puree to make this a fruit flavored Italian Meringue Buttercream or
- 200 grams/8 oz melted chocolate (and cooled) for a chocolate Buttercream
Nutrition Calculated Below
Please note the nutrition calculated below is for the whole batch of 1.1 kg Italian Meringue Buttercream. This can be divided based on the number of cupcakes or cake slices you use it for. This recipe can decorate between 24 to 36 cups or an 8 or 9 inch round cake.
Courses Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 100 g
Amount Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
Calories 252 | ||
% Daily Value | ||
Total Fat 23 g | 35% | |
Saturated Fat 13.9 g | 70% | |
Unsaturated Fat 6.5 g | ||
Cholesterol 42.9 mg | 14% | |
Sodium 225 mg | 9% | |
Total Carbohydrates 6.6 g | 2% | |
Dietary Fiber 1.1 g | 4% | |
Sugars 0.2 g | ||
Protein 3.6 g | 7% | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Are you looking for the perfect buttercream recipe for your cake? You may want to check for my other buttercream recipes like
- Velvet American Buttercream (ABC)
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream (SMBC)
- Meringue Buttercream with Meringue Powder
- The Best Stiff Buttercream Recipe for Piping Flowers – Crusting Buttercream Recipe
Buttercream Frosting Recipes by Veena Azmanov
Or perhaps you looking for a different flavor? Check out how to flavor your existing buttercream recipe or make a new one here.
- Perfect Pink Champagne Buttercream Recipe
- Whipped Cream Buttercream Recipe
- Chocolate Buttercream
- Mocha Buttercream
- Caramel Buttercream
- Salted Caramel Buttercream and more..
How to flavor buttercream many different ways
Hi Veena,
I am going to use this to decorate a min wedding cake for my friends who just got engaged, I have a question though. In the second bullet point under “watch over both sugar and meringue, you say to add 1/3 cup sugar. Do I add that to sugar or the meringue? Also, it seems like the ingredients list calls for 1&1/2 cups of sugar, but the directions use 1&1/3 cup sugar, although I might have misunderstood. Thank you for your help! Your work is all so beautiful!
Rebecca in New Orleans
Hey Rebecca. I have changed the format of the recipe making it more easier to understand I hope. The recipe is the same. Let me know if it works. Feel free to make any suggestions or ask any more questions.
Hey there quick question, I made a beautiful imbc over the weekend. Tasted great looked good crumb coated my cake easily and the let the crumb coat cool overnight the next morning I went back to ice the cake and had a lot of issues with the new warmer icing just rolling off the cold and not smoothing. Have you ever run into this?
No there should not be a problem with adding more buttercream layers to each other. Unless the first layer is almost frozen and there is too much condensation happening in between layers
is this similar to swiss meringue BC?
Thank you for sharing. Will try this. And cake recipes to go with this buttercream?
I WILL TRY THIS ITALIAN BUTTERCREAM…
Yes absolutely this can be used under fondant or piped just like any other buttercream
Can this icing be used under fondant? Does the cake then need to be refrigerated? Thank you so much for all the post and videos u do. , just amazing! I have learned so much from you .
Yes of course this can be used just as any other buttercream – under fondant or for piping. Thank you so much Tracy
Hi Veena, can I used this for fondant for a wedding cake. Can u send me a video please.
Hi veena, do u used cold butter or room temp butter? Thanks. I love this recipe!!
I use room temperature butter – a little cooler works too!
not sure if any sent you an answer but this is a great buttercream to use under fondant! IMBC is more stable than SMBC and I find it's easier to make. hope that helps. I love all your recipes.. This is now my new favorite. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us.
Tqvm for sharing….luv all ur tips and step by step of ur tutorial..
since I discovered your page, I have been very impressed with the tips and tutorials, they have helped me with the problems you get with cakes and cream,
thank you
marie
Now do you have a great Italian Cream Cake recipe to go with that? I LOVE all your recipes
Hi Veena, thanks for the recip. I wanted to ask, is this a good buttercream to use under fondant? Which buttercream would be the best to go under fondant?
This works great under fondant Ana.. Just chill it well before and it will be nice a firm. I use it often. Enjoy!
Nice work – Love all your recipes and tutorials.. !! Have learned so much from you. Thank you !
Than you so much Adetokunbo
hi Veena,
just a doubt…is it possible to colour IMBC..CAN WE DO IT WITH NORMAL EDIBLE COLOURS..?
Yes you can use normal food gel colors.. Thanks
hi veena,thanks for the recipe.i have some doubts,whats the advantage of this recipe?can i use this instead of meringue powder?anxiously waiting for ur reply,thank you.
Hi Nandu,
This recipe was most requested by people who don't have access to meringue powder. This is the original Italian meringue recipe that has been used for ages.
The one with meringue was created by me so people who are concerned with raw egg whites can use it.
I suggest you only use this recipe for yourself as meringue powder apart from being difficult to find is