I used to think that I hate frosting. And, while frosting is still not my favorite part of a cake or cupcake, I realize now that it’s not all frostings. Mostly, I dislike American buttercream. I mostly discovered this when I decided to try making Swiss buttercream because I had way too many egg whites in my fridge and was tired of making macarons. After a few tries, I got comfortable enough to try flavoring it, and that’s how this passion fruit Swiss buttercream was born.
This recipe uses passion fruit powder, which is dehydrated ground passion fruit. You can find it online. I don’t recommend substituting with passion fruit pulp, as the added moisture might make the frosting too runny.
Passion Fruit Swiss Buttercream
Ingredients
- 6 egg whites
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 lb (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but still on the firm side
- 1/2 cup passion fruit powder
- 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- a pinch of salt
Directions
Combine the egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar over a double boiler. Warm the mixture until all of the sugar is dissolved and the temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Transfer to stand mixer with whisk attachment and whip until stiff peaks form and the bowl no longer feels warm.
Change the whisk attachment to paddle attachment and add the butter, 1-2 tbsp at a time, while the mixer is running. Once all of the butter is added and the frosting looks smooth, add a pinch of salt, vanilla paste, and passion fruit powder. Beat until fully combined.
**Note: If your frosting looks runny, you may have added the butter while the meringue was still too warm. Pop your frosting into the refrigerator for about 30 minutes and then check to see if it has stiffened.