Swiss Meringue Buttercream

A cake I made and decorated with swiss meringue buttercream - I'm pretty sure I must have done something wrong - can anyone tell me what? It tasted great and was very light but it didn't want to stick to the cake and I couldn't pipe neatly with it at all! Any hints and tips would be greatly appreciated!!

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• cake

[YuPiMSPECL]

The longer you beat it the stiffer it gets. You should be able to having "pipability" if you beat it for a few minutes longer, after you get it to the soft smooth conistency. It will make like a lopping slap sound in the mixer bowl.

[libbyft]

@YuPiMSPECL Thanks! I think you're right the problem was not beating it long enough. I've since made many SMBC cakes and they've been much much easier to decorate.

[Defense1on1]

Your cake is beautiful! How did you get it that smooth? Please let me know so I can make one for my little boy.

[libbyft]

Thanks :D - I used swiss meringue buttercream from the dianebakes vid on here and followed tutorials by seriouscakes for the smoothness also on here! Seriouscakes has some fantastic easy to follow tutorials for using buttercream! Good luck with your cake :D

[Defense1on1]

Thank you so much for replying!

I wasn't sure if I could use viva on swiss meringue buttercream. Did you use viva to smooth? I am a smbc newbie.

[libbyft]

I'm really not sure! I'm in England and we don't have Viva (or any smooth paper towels - but I won't give up looking!!) I used spatulas to smooth this. To be honest I don't think you could use them because SMBC is very soft - much harder to decorate with than normal buttercream - but it tastes so much nicer!!

[willhavedessert]

When you use butter always remember it is butter. Make the icing & use it right after. Crumb ice and Ice your cake in one sitting do not take steps. Do not put it in the ice box. Because your icing is acting like...butter. Cold butter beads water when it is warming up, so that is happening to your cake, and butter is fat, fat floats on water, that is why you are having a hard time and your icing is smearing in some spots and it hard to smooth. Thats my guess. I hope it helps.

[nqrms]

I love swiss meringue buttercream however the consistency is too soft to make nice swirls on cupcakes, they will go flat after a few minutes. Any tips?

[Defense1on1]

Yes , it does taste way better! Well after making this you were right! I even put it in the fridge so it would crust. It never did. When I took it out 2 hours later it still had not crusted and viva was worthless on this. Like you said it was too sfot . It was sliding all over the place and melting rather quickly. I will continue to make smbc though. You did a great job smoothing !!!!!

[libbyft]

Thanks I'll have to try it - I have since had a bit more luck with the swiss but you're right about it being too soft for decorating! The only reason I haven't tried Italian is because I don't have a sugar thermometer lol - time for some shopping :D