Not Too Sweet Buttercream Frosting

Name: Not Too Sweet Buttercream Frosting
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup pasteurized egg whites, room temperature (120g); 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (454g or a 1 lb. box); 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (339g); 1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (12g); 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)

ByChelsey White March 15, 2026

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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 just about anything, from cupcakes to wedding cakes! I’ve used it to make 4 wedding cakes so far, and it always gets rave reviews! It’s a total crowd-pleaser and is perfectly sweet (hence its name!).

image of not too sweet buttercream that's been piped onto a cupcake and is being topped with rainbow sprinkles

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 in the recipe card below.

image of a cupcake frosted with perfectly sweet buttercream frosting

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.

image of egg whites and powdered sugar that have been whipped to stiff peaks to make a not too sweet buttercream frosting

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.

image of a stick of room temperature butter being added into meringue to make a perfectly sweet frosting

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.

If the frosting still hasn’t come back together at this point, please refer to my detailed troubleshooting guide below.

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!

image of not too sweet buttercream that's been whipped up to the perfect consistency

Buttercream Troubleshooting

Two of the most common issues people run into when making this type of buttercream are curdled or soupy frosting.

While it might seem terrifying to watch your frosting seem to fall apart, fear not. Both problems are actually pretty easy to fix!!

How to Fix Curdled / Broken Buttercream

A lot of different things can cause buttercream to break or curdle.

Maybe your butter was too cold, or your kitchen was too chilly. Maybe you were thawing a batch of buttercream made in advance, and it hadn’t fully come to room temperature before you started mixing it.

Whatever the reason, your frosting looks chunky, dense, watery, and greasy.

But don’t worry, your frosting isn’t ruined! There’s an easy workaround that will bring the frosting back together.

Simply place the bowl over a hot water bath / double boiler until the frosting around the edge of the bowl has melted. Then give it a good mix on a medium speed for about 5 minutes.

The melted, warm buttercream around the edge of the bowl will mix with the frosting that’s too cold.

This will bring the overall temperature of the buttercream up to the right temperature and allow it to become smooth again.

How to Fix Soupy Buttercream

On the other hand, if your frosting is too warm, it might become a soupy, runny mess. This can happen if the meringue is too warm when you add the butter, if the butter is too warm, or if your kitchen is too toasty!!

If the buttercream isn’t sturdy enough to keep its shape, you need to cool it down. To do this, just pop the mixing bowl and whisk right into the fridge.

Chill the bowl for 10-20 minutes. At this point, the center might still be a bit soupy, but the buttercream along the sides of the bowl should be firmer. Then mix the buttercream for a few minutes to see if it comes together.

If after 3-4 minutes of mixing it still looks too soft, chill the bowl for another 10 minutes before mixing it again. That usually does the trick!

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.

image of matcha cupcakes topped with a not too sweet 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.

Or if you’re unsure what type of frosting you should use, check out my buttercream frosting guide.

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!

image of a strawberry cake frosted with a buttercream that's not too sweet

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 2 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 bag 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.

image of sprinkles being added to a cupcake frosted with a perfectly sweet buttercream

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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