By: Jill Mills Posted: Aug 13, 2025

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Italian Meringue Buttercream is a stable, easy-to-pipe frosting that’s perfect for decorating cakes and cupcakes. The subtle vanilla flavor pairs well with most desserts and it’s almost impossible to mess up!

A vanilla cupcake topped with Italian meringue buttercream

This Italian meringue buttercream is a recipe every baker needs! It has the same silky, buttery texture as classic vanilla buttercream or chocolate buttercream but, in addition to butter, it’s made with whipped egg whites and sugar syrup. (Hence the “meringue” name.) Don’t let that intimidate you, though! This frosting is versatile and requires no special tools or skills – just a clean mixing bowl, a mixer, and attention to detail.

Close up of Italian meringue buttercream

Why Bakers Love Italian Meringue Buttercream Recipe

Stable & easy to work with. Italian meringue buttercream frosting is very popular as it is one of the most stable frostings to work with. It pipes very well and holds its shape without melting or softening quickly, thanks to the egg whites.
Hard to mess up. One of the things I love about this recipe is that if you feel like you’ve messed up, it’s usually easily fixed! I’ve included solutions for frosting that looks chunky and curdled or is too runny below.
Versatile. Since this frosting is lightly flavored with vanilla and easy to pipe, it goes with pretty much any dessert. My favorite, as shown in the photos, is to pipe it high on vanilla cupcakes.

Overhead view of ingredients needed to make Italian meringue buttercream

Recipe Ingredients

One of the great things about this recipe is that it’s made with very simple ingredients. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.

Egg whites – While only the whites are used in this recipe, I don’t recommend using carton egg whites. They just don’t whip up as well as fresh eggs that have been separated.
White sugar
Pinch of salt – Helps to balance the sweet flavor.
Unsalted butter – The key is to soften the butter ALMOST to room temperature. For this recipe, err on the side of not soft enough vs too soft.
Vanilla
Cream of tartar – Helps the buttercream hold its shape by stiffening the egg whites and adding volume.
Water

How To Make Italian Meringue Buttercream

Making Italian buttercream isn’t hard but it does require close attention to detail and patience as many of the steps take several minutes. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

Prep. Make sure the mixing bowl is completely free of oil or residue. I like to use a paper towel with a little vinegar to wipe the bowl and attachments clean. Measure the ingredients before starting.
Whip the egg whites. Separate the egg whites carefully, ensuring there is no yolk as that will prevent the meringue from stiffening. Whisk the egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar on high speed until frothy. Slow to medium-high and slowly add in 1/3 cup of sugar. Continue whipping for several minutes until stiff peaks form.
Make the sugar syrup. Turn the mixer to medium or medium/low (do NOT turn it off). Heat 1 cup of sugar and 1/3 cup water over medium, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir occassionally until it reaches 235F.
Add the sugar syrup. Turn the mixer speed to high. Slowly drizzle the sugar syrup down the inside of the bowl, taking care to not hit the whisk. Continue mixing on high until stiff peaks form then reduce the speed to medium until the bottom of the bowl cools.
Add the butter. Switch from the whisk to the paddle attachment. Add the vanilla extract. Begin adding the butter into the mixture one tablespoons at a time until fully incorporated. Beat on medium-high until the buttercream is smooth with no visible chunks of butter.

Italian meringue buttercream on a whisk attachment

Troubleshooting FAQs

If your Italian meringue buttercream isn’t turning out perfectly, all is not lost! Below are a few common issues and their solutions.

Did your buttercream turn chunky and curdled? It’s likely too cold! You can fix it by using the paddle attachment and beating it on medium high speed while using a heat gun or hair dryer pointed at the bottom of the bowl. Don’t get too close with the heat or you’ll end up with one side extra hot and the butter will melt. Keep the heat moving around the bottom until the frosting smooths out.
Is your buttercream runny? This happens when your meringue is too warm, and you add butter that is exactly room temperature. This can happen during summer months when our homes run a little warmer. To fix this, just put the bowl of buttercream in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to a couple of hours. Try to mix again with the paddle attachment on medium. Sometimes you need 10-20 minutes for it to come together properly. I actually ran into this problem, covered the bowl and left it refrigerated overnight. The next morning, I started to beat it again and heated it from the bottom and voila!!
Butter chunks still visible in your buttercream? Your butter was too cold when you started to add it. Another problem that can be remedied by using the heat on the underside of the bowl while beating.
One problem that can’t be remedied? Adding melted butter to meringue. If you’ve added all your butter in melted form, you’ve sadly wasted your batch and should start over.

A vanilla cupcake topped with Italian buttercream with a bite missing

Ways To Use It

Italian meringue buttercream is perfect for piping because it holds its shape well. It’s easy to pipe high on cupcakes or use to decorate cakes. Since it’s flavored with vanilla, it pairs well with most cake and cupcake flavors, like white cupcakes or chocolate cupcakes.

Proper Storage

Room temperature. Italian meringue buttercream stays good for 2-3 days at room temperature (such as when it’s on cupcakes).
Fridge. You can extend the storage of the buttercream by placing it in the fridge for two weeks.
Freezer. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
To use after chilling. When using the buttercream after it’s been chilled, add it to the mixer with a paddle attachment. Start beating it on medium. It will appear curdled at first but give it time and it will smooth out and come together.

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