Swiss meringue buttercream

Method

1. Place a metal or glass bowl over a saucepan that contains 2.5cm/1in boiling water. Add the egg whites and sugar to the bowl and whisk to combine. Leave over a medium heat for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The mixture is done when it is no longer grainy to the touch – test by rubbing some of the mixture between your thumb and forefinger.

2. Whisk the mixture in a stand mixer or using an electric whisk, starting on low and then whisking on high. Whisk until it forms stiff peaks. Add all of the butter at once. Whisk until combined evenly and you have a fluffy buttercream. It might start to look like scrambled eggs and split. Ignore this and keep whisking!

3. If you want coloured buttercream, add some gel food colouring or, for chocolate buttercream, add some sifted cocoa powder to the buttercream and beat in well until soft. Beat the buttercream on a low speed right before piping to knock out any air bubbles and to ensure extra smooth icing.

4. There are now four possible cupcake decoration styles to create with this batch of buttercream. See below for to how to create a nest decoration, coconut nest decoration, a piped flower decoration or a floral decoration.

5. To create the nest decoration, load the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a grass tip and pipe a nest shape on the top of the cupcakes. Fill with mini eggs or decorate as preferred.

6. To create a coconut nest decoration, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Place the desiccated coconut on a baking tray and toast for 6 minutes until just browning and aromatic. Leave to cool. Load the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a grass tip and pipe a nest shape on the top of the cupcakes. Dip each cupcake into the toasted coconut to coat evenly. Fill with mini eggs, decorate with edible flowers or decorate as preferred.

7. To create a piped flowers decoration, load a piping bag fitted with the largest round tip (we use R22L) with the buttercream. Start piping from the edge of one of the cupcakes. Squeeze and lift slightly, then sweep towards the middle of the cake. Stop squeezing as you reach the centre and pull away. Repeat this five times around the cupcake to create a flower design. Pop a raspberry or anything you like in the centre of the cupcake to finish.

8. To create a floral decoration, ice the cupcakes with the batch of buttercream using a palette knife or the back of a spoon. Decorate with edible flowers.