Swiss Meringue Buttercream For Meyer Lemon Anniversary Cake Recipes

Steps:

• In medium glass or metal bowl, beat egg whites and sugar with whisk until blended. Set over pan of simmering water, beating occasionally, until sugar has dissolved and egg mixture reaches 160°F on candy thermometer, 16 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Pour into bowl of electric stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on high speed 2 to 3 minutes or until glossy peaks form and bowl has cooled to feel slightly warm. Still on high speed, slowly add 1 1/2 cups softened butter, one piece at a time, scraping side of bowl occasionally, until mixture is smooth, thick and shiny, 12 to 14 minutes. Beat in vanilla. If mixture separates, beat until smooth.
• Fill and frost 1 (8-inch) three-layer cake.

Steps:

• Combine egg whites, sugar, and salt in the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved (the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips).
• Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, whisk until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes.
• With mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all butter has been added, whisk in vanilla. Switch to the paddle attachment, and continue beating on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl with a flexible spatula, and continue beating until the frosting is completely smooth. Keep buttercream at room temperature if using the same day. If not, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.
• To tint buttercream, reserve some for toning down the color, if necessary. Add gel-paste food color, a drop at a time (or use the toothpick or skewer to add food color a dab at a time) to the remaining buttercream. You can use a single shade of food color or experiment by mixing two or more. Blend after each addition with the mixer (use a paddle attachment) or a flexible spatula, until desired shade is achieved. Avoid adding too much food color too soon, as the hue will intensify with continued stirring; if necessary, you can tone down the shade by mixing in some reserved untinted buttercream.

Steps:

• Trim tops of cakes level. Cut each cake in half horizontally to create 2 layers.
• Frost layers and assemble tiers: Set one 10-inch cake layer on corresponding-size square foam board. Brush top of cake with a generous amount of lemon syrup, soaking layer. Pipe a buttercream border around top edge using a plain round tip (such as Ateco #11). Spread a 1/4-inch-thick layer of lemon curd over soaked cake. Repeat for second and third cake layers. For final cake layer, brush top with syrup. Spread a thin layer of buttercream over top and sides of tier. Refrigerate until buttercream is set, about 30 minutes. Spread another thin layer of buttercream on top and sides; refrigerate until set, at least 1 hour. Repeat with 6- and 8-inch cake layers.
• Reinforce tiers: Insert a plastic straw vertically through center of 10-inch tier. Mark top of cake on straw; remove, and trim to mark. Trim 4 more straws to this length. With a toothpick, trace a circle, 8 inches in diameter, on top of tier, holding an empty cake pan above cake as a guide. Insert straws into tier, arranging 1 in center and the rest evenly spaced around circle. In the same way, insert 4 straws into 8-inch tier, using a 6-inch cake pan as a guide for the circle.
• Stack tiers: Center 10-inch tier on a cake stand. Center and carefully set 8-inch tier on top of 10-inch tier, and then 6-inch tier on top of 8-inch tier. Use a star tip (such as Ateco #20) to pipe a decorative ruffled border around bottom of each tier. Place lemon toppers on top tier. Serve cake with lemon slices.

Steps:

• Make the filling and crumb coat: Cook egg whites and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly until sugar is completely dissolved. Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; mix on high speed until mixture is room temperature. With the mixer on medium-low, add butter, one piece at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Remove whisk attachment and switch to paddle attachment. Increase speed to high and beat until buttercream comes together, about 5 minutes; beat in lemon extract.
• Make the frosting: In a clean saucepan and bowl of an electric mixer, repeat process in step 1.

Steps:

• In a small pot, bring 1 inch water to a boil over high heat.
• Place the egg whites and sugar in a medium metal bowl (or the metal bowl of a stand mixer) and place it on top of the pot, making sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk continuously (especially on the sides of the bowl) to prevent the egg whites from cooking, until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F and the sugar is completely dissolved, about 5 minutes.
• Remove the bowl from the heat, transfer it to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk on high speed until soft peak forms, about 5 minutes.
• Switch to the paddle attachment on low speed and add the butter, one piece at a time. The buttercream might separate but keep the paddle going-the mixture will soon homogenize. Increase the speed to medium and paddle until silky smooth, about 5 minutes. Mix in the vanilla and beat for another 3 minutes.