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This fluffy meringue frosting recipe is a dream! You’ll want to frost every cake you make with it!
I’m fairly certain that I’ve told you guys a few of my horror stories when it comes to me and cake baking.
The cake batter overflows and turns my oven into a smoky disaster. The cakes get dried out and crumble into dust. The layers all slide right off of each other and onto the floor…five minutes before guests are due to arrive to eat said cake.
I could write a novel about cake baking failures.
For example, that one time I made a 7 layer rainbow cake for my daughter’s birthday and the cake split down the middle and slide all over the place in my fridge while I was sleeping. That was fantastic. And by fantastic, I mean horrible.
Every now and then I manage to pull one off and it gives me hope, though.
You’re going to love this easy meringue frosting!
I was really craving frosting the other day. And I don’t mean that I wanted a spoonful from the emergency tub of grocery store frosting. I mean, I wanted a cake topped with glorious swirls and copious amounts of fluffy, pure white meringue frosting.
So, I grabbed a box mix, baked a cake, and whipped up this meringue frosting. It is divine. Fluffy, sweet, marshmallow-y meringue. I smeared this on myself like lotion and then licked it off. <—- Not weird.
And, yeah, I did use a box mix. No shame, guys. If you have a perfect cake recipe of your own, go for it. This meringue frosting is perfect on any cake, from a box or homemade! It’s so light and fluffy that it would dress up anything!
Meringue Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons corn syrup
- 3 tablespoons water
- 5 large egg whites room temperature
Instructions
- Bring 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the sugar, the corn syrup, and the water to a boil, stirring constantly. Wash down sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush.
- Stop stirring and cook the sugar syrup until it reaches 230 degrees Fahrenheit.
- While the sugar syrup is cooking, beat the egg whites with a mixer until you have soft peaks. Beat in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.
- Add the sugar syrup in a slow, steady stream down the side of the mixing bowl. Beat on high speed until thick, fluffy, and cooled, around 7 minutes.
- Frost cake and store in the fridge.
Becky says
didnt fluff at all during the final mixing, the sugar/water/corn syrup didnt really turn into a syrup and cooled/thicken very fast, and got rid of all fluffiness in the egg whites.
Also- you cant constantly stir the syrup and also be making the egg whites with only one body. had a friend helping but this is not physically possible with only one person.
Karly Campbell says
Hi Becky, sorry to hear you had issue with this one. You’re supposed to stop stirring the mixture while you make the egg whites and let the syrup come to temp. I’m wondering if you used a candy thermometer to be sure you were at the right temp and if you were careful to pour the syrup down the edges of the bowl and not directly onto the egg whites? Dumping the hot syrup right in the middle would deflate them quite a bit.
Francesca says
Other meringue frostings heat the egg whites with the sugar, if i wanted to do that for food safety reasons do you think i can still use this recipe?
Karly Campbell says
I’ve never tried it, so I’m not sure how that would turn out.
Passion for Cakes says
I’ve made meringue countless times and never with corn syrup. this was the most stiff, but fluffiest and easiest one yet! Replacing my previous recipes with this one! Beginners… this is a good one! Only thing I thought you could add was 230 F or C… some might be confused there.
Karly Campbell says
I’m so glad the recipe worked out well for you! Thanks for the review!
Deborah R Robbins says
I wonder how long it will stay in the fridge and will it freeze. I hope so. I just piped it on my macarons and freeze them for Easter
Karly Campbell says
This should last pretty well in the fridge for a few days, but I’m not sure it’s going to freeze great.
Aimee says
Fabulous and easy to make! Thanks for sharing.
Karly Campbell says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks, Aimee!
Kim says
Fantastic frosting! This recipe is a keeper. The best pineapple coconut cake I’ve ever made.
Karly says
Ooh, sounds delicious on a pineapple cake!
SEH says
Loved this variation of the old 7-minute frosting recipe(s) – especially as it 1) doesn’t use cream of tartar, 2) doesn’t require cream or butter, and 3) it comes together in a mixer-bowl rather than needing to be beaten on top the stove. It might be worth reminding people that they, optionally, can add vanilla or almond extract toward the end, during the 7 minute high-speed beating. Also, I don’t own a candy thermometer, so I turned to an even older serendipitous method for gauging sugar syrup temperatures — “Once boiling, the syrup creates small bubbles resembling snowflakes. As the temperature increases test the syrup by lifting it with a spoon — when a 2-inch thread drops from the spoon, it is in the 230 degree range (or it is slightly hotter when the syrup, dropped into water, creates a soft ball) and is done.” In any case – thank you for posting this recipe!
Karly says
So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for sharing your tips and tricks! 🙂
susan fannon says
i made a completely homemade cake with white icing for father’s day for my husband, both came out wonderful!
Karly says
So glad to hear that! Hope you had a great day!
donna says
Sorry, should I freeze it, because usually my meringue often get very watery in the fridge
Karly says
We do not freeze this frosting.
Paola Montoya says
Can I use the meringue for a 4 layer cake? Is it stable ?
Karly says
Yes, it’s stable and should work great in a layer cake. You will want to use it the same day you make it for best results though, as it is best fresh and gets a bit watery in the fridge after a bit.
M'Liss Hinshaw says
Easiest and best meringue frosting I’ve made. If you’re scared to make “7 minute” frosting, don’t be! This recipe is a keeper for me.
Karly says
Thanks, M’Liss!
Amber says
Does this recipe store well in the fridge? Just over night! I want to pipe it on cupcakes tomorrow but don’t have the time in the morning to make. I love this stuff btw!
Karly says
Hi Amber! I’m too late to answer your question now, but I think it would hold up okay overnight in the fridge. You’d just want to bring to room temperature before piping. How did it go?
Maria says
Can you brown the meringue with a kitchen torch?
Karly says
Hmm, I’ve never tried. I’m not sure.
Elizabeth Schwartz says
This is a great and clear recipe that makes the smoothest, fluffiest meringue frosting! I substituted the corn syrup for honey due to a corn allergy in my family, but it still turned out great!