Last Updated on April 9, 2024
Wilton is well known for its baking products and recipes. Their products are top quality and can be found at stores all over. This Wilton buttercream recipe with meringue powder is guaranteed to leave your taste buds happy.
This is a classic frosting that can be used for weddings or birthday cakes or any of your baked goods. It is a great frosting for icing cakes, piping borders, and creating decorations. This bakery-quality frosting is sure to impress.
This frosting does require some baking experience; however, the result will be well worth it. If you are looking for a frosting to go with your cake for a formal event, look no further.
Wilton Buttercream Recipe: What is Meringue Powder?
Meringue powder is an egg white substitute that is often used in baking. It is mostly made up of dehydrated egg whites, but it also may have stabilizers, sweeteners, and flavoring added to it. It is an easy, coinvent egg white substitute that has a long shelf life.
Meringue powder is often used in frostings, or for baked goods that call for lots of egg whites, such as angel food cake. It works well at helping frosting achieve good stability and texture.
Although it is unlikely to get salmonella from egg whites, there is a risk of getting ill from consuming any part of a raw egg. Meringue powder has been pasteurized, so it is safe to use. It is also easier to use than separating egg whites.
Meringue powder is great in buttercream frosting recipes because it whips up quickly. You can purchase Wilton Meringue Powder on Amazon or check to see if your local grocery store carries it. Meringue powder can be stored for up to two years, if it is in a cool, dark pantry.
What You Will Need for Wilton Buttercream Recipe
Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need:
- 3/4 teaspoon of no-color almond extract
- 1/4 cup Meringue Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of no-color butter flavor
- 3/4 teaspoon Clear Imitation Vanilla Extract
- 2/3 cup + 3 tablespoons water, (divided)
- 12 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar, (divided)
- 1 1/4 cups solid vegetable shortening
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
Equipment
To prepare this frosting you will need a large bowl and an electric mixer.
Wilton Buttercream Recipe: Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One: Mix Water and Meringue Powder
In a large bowl, mix 2/3 cup of water with the meringue powder at high speed until peaks form.
Step Two: Add Four Cups of Sugar
Add four cups of confectioners’ sugar, one at a time, beating at low speed.
Step Three: Add Remaining Sugar, Water, Shortening, and Corn Syrup
Add the remaining eight cups of confectioners’ sugar, three tablespoons of water, shortening, and corn syrup. Add each ingredient one at a time, blending well after each.
Step Four: Add Flavorings
Add the salt, no-color butter flavor, vanilla, and almond extract. Beat the mixture at low speed until smooth.
Once the frosting is made, keep the bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use. Store the remaining frosting in the fridge for up to two weeks and re-whip the frosting before use.
If you are planning on having a cake with this frosting outside, keep the cake refrigerated until ready to serve. This will help keep the frosting fresh and avoid melting.
This buttercream comes out with a stiff consistency. If you would like a thinner consistency of frosting, you can add four tablespoons of water and four tablespoons of cornstarch.
This frosting comes out snow-white, making it perfect for wedding cakes. You may also add food coloring to reach your desired shade.
Wilton Buttercream Recipe: Tips and Tricks
Ingredients Alternatives
If you are unable to find no-color butter flavor, no-color almond extract, and clear imitation vanilla extract in grocery stores, you can purchase them from Wilton on Amazon. If you use regular imitation butter, almond extract, and vanilla extract, it will not give the frosting its snow-white color. However, using regular products will still give them the same taste.
Easy Decoration
If you are not experienced in cake decorating or are simply looking for an easy way to decorate your cakes, you can try the Wilton Dessert Decorator Plus Tool. This icing tool makes it easy to create designs such as flowers, stars, and leaves, amongst other designs. The plastic tube is easier to fill and frost with than traditional piping bags.
If you are looking to decorate flowers or any sort of decoration that needs to retain its shape, it is best to use stiff buttercream. The stiff consistency will help the shapes hold their form. When this recipe is made, it has a stiff consistency.
The Right Consistency
If you are looking for the right consistency for frosting cupcakes, borders, and flat decorations, a medium-consistency buttercream is your best bet. Add one teaspoon of either cornstarch or water for each cup to your frosting. This is the most popular consistency for frosting.
For a thin consistency, add four tablespoons of water and four tablespoons of cornstarch to your frosting. This consistency is best for lines, printing, and icing a cake.
If you are wanting an easy way to frost your cake, you can use a spatula and a turntable. Simply gently place the tip of the spatula on the bottom of the cake at a slight angle and slowly move the turntable while moving the spatula upward, creating a ribbon design. You can also use the spatula and turntable to create several different frosting designs.
Delicious Wilton Buttercream Frosting Recipe with Meringue Powder
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3/4 teaspoon no-color almond extract
- 1/4 cup Meringue Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon no-color butter flavor
- 3/4 teaspoon Clear Imitation Vanilla Extract
- 2/3 cup + 3 tablespoons water (divided)
- 12 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar (divided)
- 1 1/4 cups solid vegetable shortening
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Step One: Mix Water and Meringue Powder - In a large bowl, mix 2/3 cup of water with the meringue powder on high speed until peaks form.
- Step Two: Add Four Cups of Sugar - Add four cups of confectioners’ sugar, one at a time, beating at low speed.
- Step Three: Add Remaining Sugar, Water, Shortening and Corn Syrup - Add the remaining eight cups of confectioners’ sugar, three tablespoons of water, shortening and corn syrup. Add each ingredient one at a time, blending well after each.
- Step Four: Add Flavorings - Add the salt, no-color butter flavor, vanilla, and almond extract. Beat the mixture at low speed until smooth.
- Once the frosting is made, keep the bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use. Store the remaining frosting in the fridge for up to two weeks and re-whip frosting before use.
Notes
- If you are not experienced in cake decorating or are simply looking for an easy way to decorate your cakes, you can try the Wilton Dessert Decorator Plus Tool. This icing tool makes it easy to create designs such as flowers, stars and leaves, amongst other designs. The plastic tube is easier to fill and frost with than traditional piping bags.
- If you are looking to decorate flowers or any sort of decoration that needs to retain its shape, it is best to use stiff buttercream. The stiff consistency will help the shapes hold their form. When this recipe is made, it has a stiff consistency.
- If you are looking for the right consistency for frosting cupcakes, borders and flat decorations, a medium consistency buttercream is your best bet. Add one teaspoon of either cornstarch or water for each cup to your frosting. This is the most popular consistency for frosting.
- For a thin consistency, add four tablespoons of water and four tablespoons of cornstarch to your frosting. This consistency is best for lines, printing and icing a cake.
- If you are wanting an easy way to frost your cake, you can use a spatula and a turntable. Simply gently place the tip of spatula on the bottom of the cake at a slight angle and slowly move the turn table while moving the spatula upward, creating a ribbon design. You can also use the spatula and turntable to create several different frosting designs.
How Long Does Wilton Meringue Powder Last?
Wilton is a much-loved brand when it comes to meringue powder. If kept in a cool, dry place, your Wilton meringue powder will last between 18 months – 24 months. No moisture must get into your meringue powder, as this will dramatically reduce the shelf life.
The dates on Wilton foods can be confusing. This is because they use the Julian date code. This is a five-digit number that tells you the date the product was manufactured. If we take a look at the number 22364, the manufacturing date would be 30th December 2022. This is because the first two numbers are the year it was produced and the next three numbers are the day it was produced out of 365 days. The 364th day of the year is 30th December. As meringue powder lasts around 2 years, the expiry date is around 2 years after the manufacturing date.
How Long Does Meringue Powder Last Once Open?
Whether it’s been opened or not doesn’t necessarily impact the shelf life of the product. As long as it’s stored in a cool, dry environment, it should be safe to consume for up to two years. Just be sure that no moisture gets into the product and it should be perfectly okay for a long time!
What Can Be Substituted For Meringue Powder?
There are several alternatives to meringue powder you can use that will be just as effective. The most common substitutes include egg whites and egg white powder; as that’s essentially what meringue powder is. However, other alternatives include gelatin, aquafaba, and even vegan meringue powder.
Is Meringue Powder Keto?
Yes. As long as you substitute the sugar in meringues with a sugar-free alternative, such as sugar-free powdered sugar, you can make meringues using meringue powder, and they’ll be keto friendly. There are plenty of keto-friendly recipes that use meringue powder in their ingredients list.
Is Wilton Meringue Powder Pasteurized?
Some people may get confused between dried egg whites and meringue powder, but essentially meringue powder is a combination of egg whites, sugar, cornstarch, and cream of tartar. When it comes to the Wilton meringue powder, the dried egg whites have been pasteurized. This means that they are completely free from any bacteria that may be harmful. It’s recommended that Wilton meringue powder be kept in a cool, dry place for best results.
Does Meringue Powder Have Gelatin?
No. If you’re worried that meringue powder contains gelatin, you can stop worrying now. Meringue powder does not contain any gelatin. However, you may be getting confused because gelatin is often used as a substitute for meringue powder. If you’re looking to swap out meringue powder for gelatin, for every two tablespoons of meringue powder a recipe calls for, you’ll need one tablespoon of gelatin and three tablespoons of warm water.
Can I Use Meringue Powder to Harden Fondant?
You absolutely can. The main use of meringue powder with fondant is to improve its hardiness of it. However, as well as that, it also impacts the flavor of the fondant and I’ve found that it makes it taste much better. Meringue powder is particularly good when it comes to decorating cookies. This is because you’ll want the icing to harden fast and effectively, and that’s exactly what meringue powder helps the icing to do.
A Delectable Buttercream
This fancy buttercream is sure to take your baking game to the next level. Its creamy, smooth and delicious taste pairs perfectly with cakes, cookies, and brownies. You are sure to impress your friends with this recipe.
This snow-white frosting is the perfect addition to your cakes for any occasion. If you tried this frosting, please share your experience making it.
Please comment if you enjoyed this article or have any remarks regarding this recipe!
Karen is a passionate pastry chef who loves to create delicious baked goods. She has been in the culinary arts for over 10 years, honing her skills and perfecting her craft. Karen is known for her creativity and attention to detail, creating unique desserts that bring a smile to everyone’s face. She is always looking for ways to challenge herself and come up with new recipes that are both tasty and visually appealing. Karen loves to experiment with different flavors and textures, and she is committed to providing the highest quality of products to her customers.
