Italian meringue buttercream is a type of buttercream made with a meringue base of egg whites, sugar, and water. In contrast, a classic American buttercream is made with a base of butter and powdered sugar.
Because Italian meringue buttercream contains a large amount of meringue, it is less sweet than American buttercream. So if you find classic buttercream to be overwhelmingly sweet, Italian meringue buttercream is a great alternative. The meringue also gives the buttercream a light and silky texture compared to the more dense American buttercream, making it super easy to work with when covering a cake or piping intricate designs. Additionally, Italian meringue buttercream is almost entirely white, whereas American buttercream tends to have a yellowish tint, so many cake decorators love to use Italian meringue buttercream for white cakes.
If that hasn’t convinced you yet, then here’s another reason why Italian meringue buttercream is so amazing: it’s one of the most stable types of buttercream you can make! The meringue makes it resistant to moisture and heat, so the buttercream can hold its shape even in warm or humid conditions. It’s an excellent choice for cakes or cupcakes on a hot summer day.
Some home bakers find Italian buttercream intimidating because it requires making a meringue first, whereas classic American buttercream just needs to be whipped together, no cooking required. And true, there is an extra step in the process, but making Italian buttercream is not difficult at all!
The first step is to boil sugar and water into a sugar syrup, which is then added to whipped egg whites while beating. Once the syrup is incorporated into the egg whites, a strong, shiny meringue forms. The meringue needs to cool off before adding the butter as the final element. Once the butter is added, the buttercream will turn yellow and sometimes become quite runny–causing many a home baker to panic. But don’t worry! After beating for about 5-10 minutes, it will turn white again and come together into a silky-smooth buttercream that holds its shape perfectly!
You can use Italian meringue buttercream for many different types of desserts. It can be colored with paste / gel food coloring, just like other types of buttercream, or used white as it is. Italian meringue buttercream can be used for:
Italian meringue buttercream is very stable and can be stored in an airtight container or piping bag for 2-3 days at room temperature. However, it’s a good idea to refrigerate it if you won’t be using it within the next 24 hours.
Time: 30 minutes 
Difficulty: Moderate
Yield: 1 large piping bag*
Hi, I’m Trine – home baker from Copenhagen, Denmark. “Bageglad” means happy to bake in Danish and I have been spreading this happiness on the blog since 2012. Today, it reaches more home bakers worldwide than I could ever have dreamed of! Thank you for visiting!
Hi, I’m Trine – home baker from Copenhagen, Denmark. “Bageglad” means happy to bake in Danish and I have been spreading this happiness on the blog since 2012. Today, it reaches more home bakers worldwide than I could ever have dreamed of! Thank you for visiting!
