Seven Minute Frosting is an old-fashioned recipe that should never go out of style. It’s sweet. It’s fluffy. It’s a veritable cloud of a frosting. Even better, you need just a handful of pantry ingredients and about 7 minutes to make this recipe.
Think of seven-minute frosting as a glossy, spreadable meringue, where egg whites and sugar are whipped into a voluptuous cloud. It was popular in the mid-20th century, when cookbooks offered recipes for a whole family of boiled icings. This frosting is very similar to Swiss meringue, which is also cooked.
How to make Seven Minute Frosting with a stand mixer:
- Combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tarter in a mixing bowl.
- Whisk the egg whites over simmering water until the temperature reaches 160°F.
- Transfer the bowl to the mixer and whisk until the meringue is at full peak. About 4-5 minutes.
- Use right away as it will begin to set.
- The frosting must be used right after it’s made.
- Once it’s made it will begin to set and will be difficult to spread.
- A cake iced with seven minutes frosting can be held at room temperature for one day.
What is Seven Minute Frosting?
Have you heard of Swiss Meringue? Whisk egg whites and sugar over simmering water until fluffy and you’ve got a Swiss Meringue, and you’ve also got a batch of Seven Minute Frosting.
Old recipes instruct you to whisk the egg whites over simmering water for 7 minutes until they’re at full peak. Hence the name, “Seven Minute” Frosting.
Rather than standing over a pot of simmering water for a full seven minutes, I heat the egg white mixture to 160°F, then take it off the heat.
At this temperature the egg whites are in the safe zone to kill any bacteria. Also, the sugar is melted and the whites are coagulated for a stable meringue.
I finish whipping the whites on my stand mixer until they are cooled and at stiff peak. That takes about 4-5 minutes.
All told, it still takes about the same amount of time. I just prefer not to stand over the stove the entire time. With a stand mixer those last 4-5 minutes are hands-off and you get a little more volume.
- Granulated sugar
- Egg whites
- Cream of tartar
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
7 Minute Frosting
FAQ
Can you decorate with 7 minute frosting?
Should you refrigerate a cake with 7 minute frosting?
Why does 7 minute frosting get grainy?
What is the difference between Swiss meringue buttercream and regular buttercream?
Is a 7 minute frosting a meringue?
Full disclosure: It’s not. 7-minute frosting is essentially a Swiss meringue – Egg whites and sugar are cooked together, then whipped to glossy peaks. While the ratio of ingredients may change depending on how the meringue will be used, the technique is essentially the same. This easy frosting requires just 5 ingredients to make!
What is 7 minute frosting?
Seven-minute frosting (or boiled frosting) is basically a Swiss meringue. You cook the egg whites and sugar and whip them up. It’s called 7-minute frosting because that’s how long you need to cook/whip it. The traditional recipe calls for whipping the meringue over a double boiler with a hand mixer.
How long does it take to frost a meringue?
Hence the name, “Seven Minute” Frosting. Rather than standing over a pot of simmering water for a full seven minutes, I heat the egg white mixture to 160°F, then take it off the heat. At this temperature the egg whites are in the safe zone to kill any bacteria. Also, the sugar is melted and the whites are coagulated for a stable meringue.
How do you make a 7 minute meringue?
Whisk egg whites and sugar over simmering water until fluffy and you’ve got a Swiss Meringue, and you’ve also got a batch of Seven Minute Frosting. Old recipes instruct you to whisk the egg whites over simmering water for 7 minutes until they’re at full peak. Hence the name, “Seven Minute” Frosting.