How to make perfect, dreamy and creamy Italian meringue buttercream. Flavoured simply with vanilla you can add food colouring paste to suit your cakes. Makes enough for 24 cupcakes or to fill and frost (generously) an 8 inch diameter layer cake.
- 90 ml egg whites from about 3 large eggs
- 200 g caster sugar
- 75 g water
- 300 g soft butter, cut into small cubes
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp food colouring gel optional
- A stand mixer with a whisk attachment
- A reliable thermometer
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Ensure your stand mixer bowl and whisk attachment are free from grease - rub with a little lemon juice on a piece of kitchen roll if necessary. Start by weighing out the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer. Measure the sugar into a medium sized saucepan and add the water. Swirl to combine.
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Start the egg whites off whisking on medium speed in the stand mixer and meanwhile, put the sugar over a medium high heat and allow to come to a boil. Do not stir. Using your thermometer, aim for 121˚C. Whilst being very careful, and do pay close attention to the syrup as boiling sugar can burn you severely, peek at the egg whites - turn the mixer up to high to ensure they come to firm peaks as the syrup comes to temp.
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In a slow, steady stream, pour the syrup onto the egg whites with the mixer still running. Aim for the spot between the whisk and the side of the bowl so it doesn't splatter everywhere. Keep the mixer running until all the syrup is incorporated and the bowl has cooled to room temperature when you *carefully* feel the outside - this usually takes 5-10 mins after all the syrup has been added.
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Turn the machine down to medium speed and one cube at a time, add all of the butter. Wait for each cube to be incorporated before adding the next - this will take barely a moment. Once it's all added, add the vanilla then turn the mixer up to high for a minute to ensure the buttercream is smooth.
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If adding food colouring, add a little at a time - I always use Sugarflair food colouring gels as they are super concentrated and won't water down the buttercream or change it's consistency. Whisk until no streaks remain then the IMBC is ready to use.
- Do check out the video in the post to see how easy it is to come together. Note that I keep my stand mixer running the whole time from start to finish.
- The glass bowl is better for video but if you have a metal bowl for your stand mixer, use that as it dissipates the heat more rapidly and gives you a meringue with better volume and therefore a better buttercream.
- IMBC can be frozen successfully. Once thawed (which you should do over night in the refrigerator), it will need a little beating before using to frost with.