My love affair with Swiss Meringue buttercream (SMBC) began from the first time I made a batch of Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream.
Since then I have gone on to make SMBC in different flavors and I am still not done with experimenting!
Today, I decided to make Gula Melaka Swiss Meringue Buttercream to frost my Blue Pea Flower (Bunga Telang) Cupcakes (click on words for recipe).
If you are a fan of gula melaka, then you will love this SMBC. It is creamy and frosts like a dream, and it smells heavenly.
Here are the instructions on how to make this lovely buttercream.
Start by pounding the gula melaka into small bits. I used my pestle and mortar because I like pounding on things, but you can always place the gula melaka in a ziplock bag, seal then bash with a rolling pin.
Place the gula melaka, pandan leaves and water in a heavy-bottom sauce pan and bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, until all the gula melaka has melted. Set this aside to cool.
Cut the butter into cubes. Set this aside. The butter needs to be cool, but not cold when used later. I find that if I were to cut the butter before I start making the meringue, it is always of perfect consistency by the time I need it. You may need to adjust the time you leave the butter out according to where you live.
Add the egg whites and sugar into a heat-proof mixing bowl. Place this over a ban marie and whisk until all the sugar has melted.
Once all the sugar has completely dissolved, the mixture is ready for the next step. You can rub some of the mixture between your thumb and finger to check if there is any unmelted sugar.
Transfer the bowl to the mixer. Using the WHISK attachment, whisk the egg whites on HIGH speed.
Keep whisking until the meringue is thick and glossy and the bottom of the bowl is no longer warm. This is very important and you must not start adding the butter until this happens.
Then using the PADDLE attachment of the mixer, start mixing and adding the butter 4 cubes at a time, also on HIGH speed.
Just keep mixing and adding the butter until all the butter has been used up. (See here for potential problems you may face at this stage.)
Add the vanilla extract and salt, and beat on slow until they are well-incorporated.
Now the exciting part – add the COOLED gula melaka to the SMBC, one teaspoon a time and mix to combine before adding the next teaspoonful. I added 6 teaspoons in all – you mustn’t add too much because you want the buttercream to stay stiff so you can use it to pipe the cakes later.
Scrape teh bowl and give the buttercream one final mix.
And, ladies and gentlemen, it is done!! ๐
Totally luscious, and totally moreish.
Gula Melaka Swiss Meringue Buttercream.
*SIGH*


- 50g Gula Melaka, crushed
- 2 pandan leaves, torn lengthwise & tied a knot
- 1/8 cup water
- 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 110g caster sugar
- 150g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Pound the gula melaka into small bits. I used my pestle and mortar because I like pounding on things, but you can always place the gula melaka in a ziplock bag, seal then bash with a rolling pin.
- Place the gula melaka, pandan leaves and water in a heavy-bottom sauce pan and bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, until all the gula melaka has melted. Set this aside to cool.
- Cut the butter into cubes. Set this aside. The butter needs to be cool, but not cold when used later. I find that if I were to cut the butter before I start making the meringue, it is always of perfect consistency by the time I need it. You may need to adjust the time you leave the butter out according to where you live.
- Add the egg whites and sugar into a heat-proof mixing bowl. Place this over a ban marie and whisk until all the sugar has melted.
- Once all the sugar has completely dissolved, the mixture is ready for the next step. You can rub some of the mixture between your thumb and finger to check if there is any unmelted sugar.
- Transfer the bowl to the mixer. Using the WHISK attachment, whisk the egg whites on HIGH speed.
- Keep whisking until the meringue is thick and glossy and the bottom of the bowl is no longer warm. This is very important and you must not start adding the butter until this happens.
- Then using the PADDLE attachment of the mixer, start mixing and adding the butter 4 cubes at a time, also on HIGH speed.
- Just keep mixing and adding the butter until all the butter has been used up.
- Add the vanilla extract and salt, and beat on slow until they are well-incorporated.
- Add the COOLED gula melaka to the SMBC, one teaspoon a time and mix to combine before adding the next teaspoonful. I added 6 teaspoons in all โ you mustnโt add too much because you want the buttercream to stay stiff so you can use it to pipe the cakes later.
- Scrape the bowl and give the buttercream one final mix.
- The buttercream can be stored in air-tight containers and left at room temperature overnight, in the fridge for 3 weeks and in the freezer for up to 3 months. If chilled or frozen, thaw in the fridge and bring to room temperature before whisking the cream to buttercream consistency before using.
- Swiss Meringue buttercream can be used to frost cakes/cupcakes in advance and the cakes/cupcakes can be left in an air-conditioned room. The buttercream will hold.
- Swiss Meringue buttercreams must be eaten at room temperature.
- You can add any food coloring to the buttercream then whisk to incorporate.
- If the buttercream looks like it had curdled, just keep mixing and it will come together and become smooth.
- If the buttercream is too runny, place it in the fridge for about 10-15 minutes, then continue mixing.
Hi Diana,
Awesome recipe!
Just wondering where did you get the pestle n mortar from? I have been looking for the one you have everywhere.
Cheers
Lyn
Hi Lyn I bought it from a small shop next to the small Giant supermarket just across the wet market at Blk 216 Bedok North St 1. I bought mine ages ago but if anyone would still sell them it is these guys.
Ooh thanks for letting me know. Been looking everywhere for them.
No worries ๐
Hi baking goddess! Haha. Just wanna ask, will this frosting fail if I don’t have a paddle attachment? My cheap cheap mixer only comes with a whisk and dough hook attachment T.T
Hi QH! Youc an, but you have to keep a very very close eye on the buttercream!
Dear baking goddess, is it a must to transfer the whisked egg whites and sugar mixture to a new bowl and mix using a stand mixer. I do not have a stand mixer. Can I remove the whisked egg whites and sugar mixture from the ban Marie and continue beating it using a hand held electric whisk used earlier to whisked the egg whites and sugar mixture? Thanks
if you are using a hand whisk you can remove from ban marie and keep whisking. There is no need to transfer!
Hi Diana
Firstly, I must a huge thanks to you for your awesome recipes.
I have tried a couple of your recipes and it was indeed well received by my family and friends.
May I check with you, for the recipe above, if I would like to use this recipe to frost a 8 inch 4 layer cake, how much do you think I would require.
Cheers
Hi Guna are you doing 4 fill layers or 2 cakes cut into 4?
Hi Diana
I’m doing 2 8 inch cakes cut them into 4 layers.’
Hi Baking Goddess,
I tried making this recipe 3x and still fail. I want to check with you, do i have to beat the egg whites till stiff peak? Because i did that and when I add the cooled butter it just becomes runny.
yes the egg whites have to be very stiff..
Hi, I heard that it’s important to get good gula melaka as it can make or break the recipe. Where do you get yours from?
Hi I got mine from the wet market. It is from Indonesia.
Hi! If I want to make a Gula Melaka cake, will you have a recipe which goes best with this frosting? For our humid weather will this frosting melt? Or for how Long can it stay out of the fridge? Will one portion of this be enough for a 4 layer cake made out of 2 8inches cake? TIA!
Hi you can try this: http://thedomesticgoddesswannabe.com/2013/11/swiss-meringue-buttercream/
I tried it with 70g sugar. I find the buttercream too buttery for my taste. Is there a way whereby I can make the taste less buttery?
this is a buttercream so it will be buttery. maybe you’d liek to explore other types of frosting?