Silky, stable, and versatile — this meringue buttercream is designed for professional kitchens and large-scale decorating projects. The formula is written for a 20 qt mixer, yielding about 40 cups of smooth buttercream, but can easily be scaled up or down depending on your needs. Made with powdered sugar and Chefmaster deluxe meringue powder, this recipe eliminates raw egg whites while delivering a luscious, silky texture that pipes cleanly, spreads easily, and holds beautifully on cakes and cookies. Perfect for high-volume production, it balances consistency with flexibility so you can adapt flavors and finishes to any order.

Ingredients:

4 lbs. (1814 g) Powdered Sugar

½ Cup + 2 Tbsp (78 g) Chefmaster Meringue Powder

1 Cup (240 ml) Water

8 lbs. (3629 g) Unsalted Butter, softened

1 tsp (5 g) Fine Sea Salt

1 Tbsp (15 ml) Lemon Juice

¾ to 1 Tbsp (10-15 ml) Flavoring (i.e. vanilla, almond extract, etc.)

 Recipe yields about 40 cups of buttercream.

Preparation:

1. In large mixer bowl (20 qt.). Use whisk attachment, whip on medium speed: water, meringue powder, salt, lemon juice & flavoring.
2. On low speed, gradually add sugar.
3. On high speed, whip for 6 minutes. Mixture will look like royal icing.
4. On medium speed, gradually add chunks of soft butter. Whip on high speed till emulsified. You may need a pastry torch on the bowl to help it come together.
5. Switch to paddle attachment and mix on low speed for 10–15 minutes to help remove air bubbles.

Note: This buttercream can be left at room temp for 2–3 days, refrigerated for one week or frozen for several months.

Tips for success:

• Butter: Needs to be very soft (but not melted). This helps emulsify into the meringue base smoothly.
• Powdered Sugar: Since it dissolves easily, it’s often preferred in this type of buttercream for a smoother texture.
• Meringue Powder: Stabilizes the buttercream and eliminates the need for raw egg whites.
• Water: Hydrates the meringue powder and helps create the “royal icing–like” base.
• Salt & Lemon Juice: Enhance and balance the flavor.
• Flavoring: Adjust to taste depending on use (e.g., 15 ml vanilla for basic, or a mix like 10 ml vanilla + 5 ml almond for wedding cakes).