Italian Meringue Buttercream Recipe

Italian meringue buttercream (IMBC) is great for cupcakes, covering cakes, cake decorating, and more. It has a different taste from regular buttercream based frostings because of its key ingredient: egg whites. IMBC is very tricky and complex to make, I think, because you have to get the sugar syrup at the right temperature in order for it to work. It took me a few tries to finally perfect it. But once you get it, you're gonna wanna keep make it! It's such a versatile buttercream and the flavors you could make with  it is endless! Below is a simple recipe of a vanilla IMBC.


Vanilla Italian Meringue Buttercream
Sugar Syrup:
1 C granulated sugar
1/4 C water

In a sauce pan, mix sugar and water on med-high until sugar thermometer is 245 F (between firmball and softball). It has to be at that temp when it's added to the merinue.While you wait for the thermometer to read 245 F, start on the meringue.

Meringue:
5 large egg whites
1/2 C granulated sugar
3 sticks of unsalted butter, at room temp
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Beat egg whites in high speed and add sugar GRADUALLY. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.
2. Then, carefully, add the sugar syrup to egg whites, still on high speed. Continue beating until temperate of merignue is warm-cool (you could tell by touching the mixing bowl).
3. Once it's at the right temp, lower speed and start adding butter 1 Tbsp at a time. Then add vanilla extract.
4. Increase speed to high and continue beating until right spreadable consistency, about 7-10 mins.

**It might look thin and "liquidy" at first but that's okay. As it beats it will cool down completely and become more frosting-like consistency. If you get anxious (which I did the first time I made it), you could also put it in the fridge for 5 mins, take it out and continue mixing again on high speed to achieve that frosting consistency. Or, be patient and just let the mixer do it's job for 7-10 mins.

And viola! That's it. It's ready to go on top of cupcakes or cakes. You could always freeze it for future use and thaw it before frosting it on your cake.

For other flavor options:
Coffee/mocha/espresso: 1 1/2 tsp espresso powder
Chocolate: 2-3 oz of melted chocolate, cooled down per cup of IMBC
Raspberry: 1 tsp raspberry extract