Fancy Frosting

 I love buttercream.  

It is a fact.

I was in the supermarket a while ago snooping around their bakery.

Sometimes they give free samples out to kids, so I was just checking to make sure that their, ahem, free kid samples were fully stocked.  You know, just looking out for the children.

Anyway, there sitting in the bakery was a cake.  Not unusual, I suppose, but on the label for the "bakery-made" cake was a sticker that said "Better-Cream".

Huh?

What could be better than Buttercream?  

I believe, sir, that is a challenge.

So, in the name of research I had to buy the cake and try this "Better-Cream".

Upon my arrival at home I created the appropriate environment...candles, soft music, the good china.

I was fully prepared to have a new love of my life.

Good silver in hand, I cut my beautiful, frosting rose covered, "better-cream" cake slice.

The moment the first bite hit my tongue I knew I had been foiled.  "Better-Cream" was, in fact, not "better" at all.  It was horrendous.  Whipped garbage would have been a more accurate name.

I am not sure who devised "Better-Cream", but they obviously have never eaten cake before...or maybe ever eaten at all. 

You might think I am being overly dramatic, but buttercream frosting is serious.

This is why when I first read about "Swiss Meringue Buttercream" I was dubious.

It sounded a little sophomoric to me, a self-proclaimed buttercream connoisseur.

Plus, there is no reason to fancy-up buttercream.  No reason at all.

But, again, in the name of research, I went ahead and gave it a shot.

What I ended up with was a light, but dense, incredibly silky, not too sweet frosting.

Beautifully shiny and not for the faint of heart, it will make any cupcake seem like something special.

Have I sold you yet?

 Go ahead, give it a go!

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

adapted from Martha Stewart

5 large egg whites
1 1/4 cup sugar

1 pound (4 sticks) butter, cut into tablespoons, room temperature..I used salted butter, just a personal preference
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (I used vanilla bean paste)

Combine egg whites 

 and sugar 

into the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer set over a pan of simmering water, much like a double boiler. 

Whisk constantly by hand until the mixture is sugar has dissolved.  First it will look like this...

and then when it is done, like this...

(the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips, no grainy sugar), approx 2 minutes. 

Put mixing bowl on mixer and using the whisk attachment start mixing.  Begin on low, raising the speed up to medium high. Beat until stiff peaks form, about 10 minutes.

 Now add your butter, 2 tablespoons at a time.  

 Beating on medium until each addition of butter is added.

Now add your vanilla.  (I used Vanilla Bean Paste that I bought at Homegoods of all places!)

Remove the whisk attachment and replace it with your paddle attachment.

Mix with paddle for 2 minutes on low speed working out the air bubbles.

Makes enough frosting to cover and fill 1 8" layer cake.

Store airtight in fridge, for, according to Martha, 3 days.

click here for printable recipe

Have you ever made Swiss Meringue Buttercream?  Thoughts?

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