Italian Meringue Buttercream Recipe (IMBC)- No Fail Recipe

Sharing is caring!

Silky smooth, light and fluffy this Italian meringue buttercream is less sweet and more buttery than standard buttercream. As a cake decorator, I make this all the time. So, today, I share my no-fail recipe and method.

Once you've tired a meringue-based buttercream it's almost impossible to go back to the sweet regular buttercream.

The difference between standard buttercream and meringue buttercreams is huge in the recipe as well as the process. A meringue buttercream is made with egg white and cooked granulated sugar instead of powdered sugar. 

The Italian meringue method is a little more complicated because you do need a candy thermometer to boil the sugar syrup. And yet, this method adds stability to the meringue keeping it fluffy longer.

As a cake decorator, I have lost count of how many times I have made buttercream. As a cake instructor, I have taught many students to make buttercream - American, Swiss, Italian, French, German, and more.

The one buttercream that most students have issues with is this Italian method. Which is why today, you get a detailed recipe, my no-fail method, step-by-step progress pictures as well as a video tutorial. Included below are tips, FAQ, troubleshooting, and everything you need to know. I promise, you do this buttercream perfectly once and you will never be afraid of any other buttercream again.

About this cake

For those of you new to meringue buttercreams it is usually less sweet, creamier with a velvet-like silky smooth feel on the tongue when compared to an American buttercream. It's also much lighter because it has whipped egg whites which adds volume along with butter and sugar.

American buttercream has two main ingredients, butter, and powdered sugar. A meringue frosting has three main ingredients: egg whites, butter, and granulated sugar.

Both Swiss and Italian are excellent for spreading and piping. Also, both hold well on their own. (firm peaks). I personally love them on cupcakes.

The main difference between the Italian and Swiss methods to makes these frostings is that one needs a candy thermometer.
A word of advice, if you do not have a candy thermometer I highly recommend you make Swiss meringue buttercream instead of this Italian method. 

Timeline and process

1. Prepare equipment - wash and clean, so there is no grease.
2. Separate egg white from yolks.
3. Cube the butter and bring it to room temperature.
4. Boil the syrup.
5. Whip the meringue.
6. Pour hot syrup in the meringue.
7. Let the meringue cool.
8. Add the butter.
9. Whip the buttercream some more.
10. Flavor it...
11. Learn how to torte, fill, and frost a cake like a pro.

Ingredients and substitutes 

• Eggs - I like using large eggs as a default for all my baking. Since egg sizes vary dramatically these days as a guide a large egg would usually weight between 50 to 60 grams. It is very important to separate the eggs carefully as you do not want any egg yolks in the whites when making the meringue. Also, the fat in the white will not whip the egg whites properly.
• Cream of tartar - Gives a much creamier egg white and it prevents the separation of protein and water in the whites. It's also flavorless, so it does not affect the flavor. The best substitute for cream of tartar is a pinch of salt, but lemon juice and vinegar are often used.
• Sugar - I highly recommend using a fine grain sugar so the syrup comes to temperature quickly.
  Tip - you can pulse thick grain sugar in the food processor but do not powder it.
• Butter - Unsalted butter is the best for all baking and desserts. It keeps you in control of the amount of salt in the recipe. This will still work with salted butter as long as you omit salt in the recipe. Most salted butter also has a yellow color which will affect the color of your buttercream.
• Flavoring - Vanilla is always my first flavor of choice, after that, I add any additional flavoring. You can reduce the quantity of vanilla and use a combination of other flavorings.

Prepare your equipment for IMBC - This is NOT optional

Grease is the biggest enemy of meringue and the slightest speck of fat on the bowl or whisk could render all your hard work useless. I'm not just talking about oil or butter here I'm also talking about egg yolks. Egg yolks have fat and the tiniest amount in your egg whites will not whip into meringue no matter how long you whip.

So, before you start making this meringue buttercream. First, wash and clean the bowl and whisk well (especially if you last used it to make buttercream or similar). Then, separate each egg in a small bowl first and use only the eggs which have been separated carefully.

Step by step instructions (pin)

Makes enough to cover 2 x 8-inch cakes or 24 cupcakes

Prepare

• Have all your ingredients at room temperature, especially the eggs and butter.
• Separate the egg whites from egg yolks making sure no egg yolks gets into the whites
  Tip - break each egg in a separate bowl and use only the ones successfully separated.
• Cut the butter into cubes and let come to room temperature
  Tip - butter must be room temperature otherwise it will give make a lumpy buttercream. Warmer than room temperature will cause the meringue to deflate.

Sugar syrup

• Heat sugar and water in a heavy bottom light colors saucepan over medium heat. Once all the sugar is melted place a candy thermometer inside.
  Tip - using a heavy-bottom will distribute heat evenly and prevent the sugar caramelizing and a light-colored pan means you can see the color of the sugar and as you work.
• Continue to boil until the sugar syrup reaches about 238 F on the candy thermometer (softball stage)
• This takes about 5 to 7 minutes on medium heat. Keep a close eye so you don't caramelize it.

Whip egg whites (while the sugar syrup is cooking)

• Place egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment on medium speed.
  Tip - while this can be made with a hand mixer, if you do own a stand mixer I highly recommend using the stand mixer. This does need some good whipping
• After 2 minutes, your meringue should be at soft peak stage.
  Tip - The meringue should hold soft peaks but still look shiny, not dry. Whipping too quickly on high will cause it to be dry and later lose volume.
• Once the meringue is at the soft peak stage - turn the mixer off to avoid over mix and wait for the sugar to reach temperature

Pour hot syrup into the meringue

• Turn the mixer with the meringue to medium and watch the sugar syrup for temperature closely.
• Start pouring the hot sugar syrup into the mixer bowl. The sugar should stream between the whisk and the edge of the bowl.
  Tip - It is not necessary to run the mixture on high while you pour the syrup. Stay in control use medium speed and a steady slow pour making sure it is between the whisk and the bowl edges.
• Once all the syrup is in. Turn the mixer on high and whisk for about 3 minutes. The outside of the bowl will be hot at first and then be barely warm.
• Your meringue should now look shiny and stiff. Let the mixer run on low until the bowl feels cold to the touch.
  Tip - it's ok to let the mixer run on low and let the meringue cool down. In warmer places, you can also place the mixer in the fridge for 5 minutes to prevent it from losing volume.

Adding the butter

• When the meringue is cold and the bowl is not warm at all. Start adding the butter - one cube at a time.
  Tip - This is where 90% of meringue buttercreams fail DO NOT add butter if the meringue is still not cold. It should not even be barely warm. Walk away from the mixer, go get a drink.
• Once all the butter is in whip for another minute or two until you have a smooth and satin-like buttercream that light and fluffy.
  Tip - if you feel the meringue has lost volume and looks like a soup. It means the meringue was not cold and the butter melted. Stop the mixer and place the bowl in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes. Then whip again and it should whip back its consistency.
• Finally, add vanilla or any other flavoring you want

Frequently asked questions

Why does buttercream separate? How to prevent it?

Do not beat buttercream while it is very chilled. The cold fat in the butter separates from the liquid and the emulsion you just created breaks. Ideally, let the buttercream rest outside the fridge for a while until it's not hard. Or you can use a hairdryer to gently warm the outside of the bowl until you see the edges of the buttercream soften a bit. Then whip it with a paddle attachment.

How much buttercream frosting do I need for my cake?

This is a general guide I use for my cakes. Note, I have given you the filling and frosting separately so you can choose to use other filling with your buttercream. If you choose to fill and frost the cake with this - you can use the last column/total.
The amount is in cups - 1 kg frosting makes about 8 cups

Round	Square	Layers	Filling	Frosting	Total
6-inch	5-inch	2	1.5 Cups	3 C	4.5 C
8-inch	6-inch	2	2 C	4 C	6 C
9-inch	7-inch	2	2.5 C	5 C	7.5 C
10-inch	8-inch	2	3 C	6 C	9 C
12-inch	10-inch	2	5 C	8 C	13 C
14-inch	12-inch	2	7 C	10 C	17 C
Sheet	9x13x2	1	2 C	5 C	12 C
Tube	9-inch	1		4 C	4 C
Cupcake		12		3 C	3 C

SAVE THIS RECIPE ON PINTEREST FOR LATER. TRIED MY RECIPE? SHARE IT WITH ME, PLEASE.
Share a picture of your work with me by uploading an image here below my image on this board. You can also find a collection of my tutorials and recipes here on Pinterest.

---

---

Sharing is caring!