This “not too sweet buttercream frosting” recipe is the perfect hybrid between American buttercream and Swiss meringue buttercream! It has an amazingly fluffy texture and tastes so delicious.

It’s a dream to frost on cakes and cupcakes and I even use it to make wedding cakes. It’s a total crowd-pleaser and is perfectly sweet (hence its name!).

This recipe is adapted from my friend (and wedding cake genius) Minette Rushing’s faux Swiss meringue frosting recipe.

How to Make This Not Too Sweet Buttercream Frosting

To make sure this recipe turns out as amazing as possible, let’s walk through each step together!

I’ve also included a video tutorial of the process below.

Step 1: Whip the Meringue into Soft Peaks

Place the room-temperature pasteurized egg whites and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if you plan to make it with a hand mixer).

Mix on a low speed to combine.

Once all the powdered sugar has been incorporated, mix on high with a whisk attachment for 5-10 minutes until the meringue has soft peaks.

Sometimes the egg whites will reach stiff peaks like in the picture below, but if you only get soft peaks, the frosting will still turn out great once you add the butter.

Step 2: Slowly Mix in the Butter

Swap the whisk attachment for a paddle attachment. This will help make your buttercream super smooth once it’s fully made.

Mix in 3 sticks of room temperature butter on a low speed, one at a time. Wait until each stick of butter has been fully mixed in before adding the next stick.

Once the butter is incorporated, mix on medium speed for an additional 5 minutes until the frosting looks fluffy and smooth.

If the frosting breaks during this stage, don’t worry! Just keep mixing, and it should come back together in 5-10 minutes.

Step 3: Add in the Flavoring

Add 1 Tbsp of vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp of salt and mix on a low speed until combined.

The final step is to stir it for a few additional minutes by hand with a rubber spatula to make it silky smooth. Then it’s all ready to go!

Flavor Variations

This frosting can easily be turned into different flavors! I’ve used this base recipe to make everything from chocolate buttercream to matcha buttercream.

To make chocolate buttercream, add 3/4 cup of melted and cooled dark chocolate into the frosting after adding the vanilla and salt.

For strawberry buttercream, add 1/2 cup of freeze-dried strawberry powder into the frosting after adding in the vanilla and salt.

Coloring This Hybrid Buttercream Frosting

I recommend using gel food coloring if you want to color this buttercream

It allows you to get vibrant colors without adding a ton of liquid to the frosting. I avoid liquid food coloring because it can throw off the consistency of the buttercream if you add too much.

My favorite gel food coloring is Americolor. It works so well and makes coloring buttercream a breeze!

I used different Americolor shades to color the frosting for my mom’s birthday cake this year (picture below), and I loved how vibrant it looked!

While some colors are easy to make, others can be more challenging.

I have a separate post that shares all my tips and tricks for making black buttercream and red buttercream frosting.

How Much Frosting Does This Recipe Make?

This recipe makes about 4 cups of frosting, which is enough to frost a 6-inch or 7-inch layer cake or 3 dozen cupcakes.

This recipe can be doubled if you have a 5 Qt. or larger KitchenAid or stand mixer, but it will give your mixer quite a workout (mine always gets quite warm when I make a double batch).

Tips for Making the Best Hybrid Buttercream Frosting

• Don’t bother sifting your powdered sugar! Most brands in the US contain cornstarch to prevent caking, and this means no sifting is needed. Only sift if you notice clumps in your powdered sugar.
• Make this recipe with a stand mixer if you have one. You can use a hand mixer, but it will take about twice as long to whip up the meringue.
• Make sure the butter is at room temperature! If it isn’t, the frosting will break, and it can take a lot longer to get it to the right consistency.
• If the frosting breaks or becomes soupy once you add in the butter, don’t worry! Just keep mixing, and it should come back together in 5-10 minutes. When in doubt, keep mixing!
• Switch to a paddle attachment once you’ve whipped up the egg whites and powdered sugar! It’ll help make the frosting nice and smooth.
• Seal off the top of your piping bag with a rubber band to prevent any frosting from seeping out the top of the bag and make the piping bags easier to use.
• If you make this frosting for a cake, mix the buttercream on the lowest speed at the end of the process for a couple of minutes to get out any extra air that might have been incorporated during the mixing process.

Making This “Not Too Sweet Buttercream Frosting” in Advance & Storage Tips

Make this frosting ahead of time or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Be sure to give it a good mix with either a hand mixer or a stand mixer once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

Frosted cupcakes can sit out at room temperature for up to a day or be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.

A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month. If you want to freeze the cake, transfer it to the fridge the night before you plan to eat it.

This will help it gradually thaw and minimize any temperature shock. Remove the cake from the fridge about 30 minutes before you plan to cut into it.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try my perfectly sweet buttercream frosting recipe, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Please leave a rating and comment below.

Don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets so that I can see your amazing creations on social media!

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