Today we are sharing a fantastically billowy and flavorful Fluffy White Frosting recipe, which is a seven minute frosting with a twist. This dreamy frosting is light and airy, like marshmallow cream, and has a sweetness that is not overpowering…it is pure heaven!
If you are familiar with 7 minute frosting, this fluffy white frosting tastes identical, however the method is a little different. The traditional way to make seven minute frosting is to heat the ingredients over a double boiler as you mix. This recipe throws that method right out the window (yay), making it much simpler to make.
When swirling my cupcakes with buttercream frosting, I usually keep the swirls low so that it isn’t too sweet or heavy. With this light Fluffy White Frosting recipe, I pipe my swirls to the ceiling! I can’t get enough of it, and it’s just so pretty too!
This fluffy seven minute frosting is not only perfect for cakes, but it’s also perfect for cupcakes and high hat cupcakes too!
In the video below, I’m making high hat cupcakes– you’ll see how I mixed up this fluffy white seven minute frosting recipe, as well as how to dip the cupcakes into chocolate for a WOW dessert! For more details on high hat cupcakes, you can find the link beneath our recipe below.
Helpful Tips and notes for Fluffy White (Seven Minute) Frosting
- Make sure that there is no trace of grease on your beaters or in your bowl before whipping your egg whites, or they will not whip up properly.
- After whipping up a batch of this frosting, you’ll want to use it soon as it will begin to set up. Do not apply to a warm cake as it may melt.
- In this recipe, we used separated the whites from 4 large eggs (rather than using carton egg whites)
- The frosting may slightly deflate over time.
- To prepare this seven minute frosting, you can use a handheld mixer or a mixer with a whisk attachment.
- This is a pipeable recipe. If you are making high hat cupcakes, you’ll want to go ahead and quickly pipe your swirls before the frosting set up. Then, chill for 20 minutes in the freezer before dipping. (You can find all of the details in our Hi hat Cupcake tutorial linked beneath the recipe)
**This recipe makes about 5 cups of frosting, and can be easily doubled if you plan to do a lot of decorative piping or if you plan to swirl your cupcakes high!
Fluffy White Frosting ( A Seven Minute Frosting Recipe)
This light and billowy frosting has a wonderful marshmallow flavor. Perfect for frosting cakes and cupcakes!
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup (150g) water
- 2cup (400g) sugar
- ½ teaspoon Cream of Tartar or 1 Tablespoon white corn syrup
- 4 egg whites
- 2 teaspoon (8g) vanilla extract
Instructions
Make sure the mixing bowl and beaters are clean without a trace of grease. Any grease will keep the egg whites from increasing to full volume.
You will be using only the egg whites and if a yolk happens to break and gets mixed in, the recipe will NOT work. Place the egg whites into the bowl of your mixer and add the vanilla. Set aside until time to beat the whites.
In a saucepan, add the water, sugar, cream of tartar (or white corn syrup). Cook on medium/high heat. Do not stir, or stir just enough to distribute the sugar. You don’t want sugar crystals sticking to the sides of the pan. The mixture will begin to boil and become clear. After it boils for a minute or so, remove from the heat, you will be able to see that the sugar has dissolved.
Beat the egg whites and vanilla to the soft peak stage. This happens rather quickly. At soft peak stage, the egg whites will not form peaks but will just fall over, cloud like. At this time, with the mixer beating on low speed slowly pour in a small stream of the hot sugar syrup into the egg whites. Avoid hitting the beaters as you pour because the hot syrup could splash onto you. Increase the mixer to high speed and beat approximately 7 minutes ( it could be longer if using a hand mixer) until stiff peaks form (stiff peaks stand straight up).
The frosting should be used right away as it set up rather quickly. The frosting does not become hard but does form a slight crust. The cake can be kept at room temperature or refrigerated. Leftover frosting can be stored in the refrigerator and remixed, it will still taste good but will be softer and will not hold a stiff peak.
Makes 5 cups frosting
Recipe can be doubled
Want to watch me whip up a batch of Fluffy White Frosting? In this quick Hi Hat Cupcake video tutorial, you can watch the entire process.
Thanks for stopping by! We hope that you love this fluffy white frosting is much as we do! Luscious seven minute frostings are always a crowd pleaser!
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Hi there! I was wondering on the texture of the frosting. It looks like it is stiff so my question is if I use this, can I make peaks? Like you would on a lemon meringue pie. And does it dry hard with a crunch or does it keep its shape and stay soft? Thanks a bunch and I do enjoy the school as I do mostly buttercream and royal icing. I am not a fan of pulling out fondant and sticking it to a cake. Love it here!
Hi Mitzygirl, Thanks for your nice comment about the site. The Fluffy White Frosting is somewhat like a meringue but thicker with more body, but you can make peaks. It does not dry hard with a crunch. We have refrigerated covered and after about 3 days it had firmed up a bit on the outside surface but was not hard. I think it would be best eaten within a day or day and a half after making. Hope this helps.
I tried this recipe for today and it didn’t set up. Any suggestions what I may have done wrong? Could it flatten if over whipped? The flavor was great, just pretty runny.
Hi Jennifer, Were the egg whites beaten to the soft peak stage before adding the hot sugar mixture? Then the mixture should have been beaten 5 minutes or more until they reached stiff peak stage. Did you watch Melissa’s video on making Hi Hats? There is a link to the video under the recipe. She makes the Fluffy White Frosting at the beginning of the video.
Yes, I watched the video and followed the recipe to a T. Only thing different is I had to use a hand mixer/ egg beaters because my wire attachment just recently broke. I just felt like I was beating them forever. I know on some of my other recipes things can get “over beaten”. But like I said, the flavor was great so maybe when I get my attachment replaced I will try again. Thank you for you response and the videos. I love your site!
Is this frosting sticky (like a Swiss meringue base)?
Can you color this frosting or will it mess up the texture ?
Hi Christina, You can tint the frosting, you will be adding only a small amount of color so it will not affect the texture. Add at the same you add the vanilla.
Hi Olivia, I don’t find it to be sticky.
Wow! This is seriously the best frosting EVER! It was super easy to make and I have a beginner skill level when it comes to all things baking. It’s thick and fluffy but has a gorgeous gloss to it. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!!
Hi Amber, We are very happy you like the frosting!! Thanks so much for your review of the recipe!
Will this frosting hold up as a filling as well? Could you use it on tiered cakes?
Hi Nicole, yes that would be fine!
What would the measurement be for pasteurized egg whites vs two egg whites?
It will give the measurement on the side of the pasteurized egg white carton . I googled your question and found that 1 large white equals 3 Tablespoons pasteurized egg white from the carton
Gosh, I guess I could have googled it also, lol. Thank you so much!!
Does this frosting pipe well? Like some rosettes or even flowers?
Hello is would suppose this is to light under fondant. do you have a better icing for under fondant. also, i have found seven-minute frosting gets hard after awhile this revised one will that be the same effect.
Hi Melissa! I followed your recipe and I’m happy with the result. But the frosting smells eggy. What could’ve gone wrong? I used real eggs and 3 tsp of vanilla essence.
Hello! I stumbled across this site while doing a Google search for bright white frosting. Although I love my vanilla buttercream, it usually has a yellowish tint because of the butter. So when I saw this recipe I thought it was worth a shot, especially with all the good reviews left here. I just finished cupcakes for my youngest’s first birthday and used your recipe for the frosting. It is exactly what I had hoped for. These cupcakes are simple but being right after Christmas that’s what I needed. The taste is great as well! Thank you.
as with seven-minute frosting, this being different does it also form a crust sealed top layer film. thanks marg
Hi Tiffany, We’re so happy you like the frosting, thanks so much for posting! Your cupcakes look great!!
Hi Marg, It does not form a crust as the typical seven minute frosting does.
Hi,
Someone has asked about tiered cakes, can you use this icing as a complete covering for a cake as you would buttercream or fondant please?
Cheers, Linda
Hi Linda, Yes, you can use this recipe to cover a cake as you would with buttercream. It does need to be refrigerated and is best eaten within a day or day and a half. Remove the cake from the refrigerator an hour or two before serving.
I didn’t have vanilla extract so I went for it with almond extract. Great with chocolate or cherry cupcakes. I also never try for meringue anything on rainy or humid days. Lovvveeeee this frosting. Tempted to eat it alone. Who needs cake? But then I’m a sneaky batter eater from way back.
PI just made this. Oh, my gosh. It came out fabulous. I had my daughter taste it. She said it tastes like Lucky Charms. Well, of course it does. Just like marshmallow. I have never been the one to want to lick the beaters, but this recipe surely had me swiping them with my fingers. Yuuummmm. Don’t skimp on the beating time on the last step. I beat my frosting for a full seven minutes. When you mix the sugar in with the egg whites and vanilla, you might look at it and think, “Awww, it’s ruined”. No, just beat, beat, and beat it some more. You’ll be amazed how fluffy it gets. Definitely a keeper. Tip:. Stick a metal bowl in the freezer to chill while you cook the sugar, water and cream of tarter. Then take the bowl out add the eggs and vanilla and beat until your soft peaks form. Chilling the bowl helps a lot when beating egg whites.
Hi Amelia! I’m so happy that you like the recipe! Thanks so much for your feedback xoxo
Hi, Id like to use this frosting for an outdoor event. Will this icing hold up in summer weather?
For those who are interested, this is called Italian Meringue and is the first half of a frosting called Italian Meringue Buttercream (IMBC). If you were to whip butter into this meringue recipe, you would have IMBC.
Can you make this frosting ahead of time and put in the fridge? Like the day before? Thank you! Looks good!
Hi Marie, This frosting should be made and used right away. It does not become hard but it does form a light crust, that is the reason for using soon after making. Leftover frosting can be refrigerated and remixed but it will be softer and will not hold a stiff peak when piped. You can frost your cake and refrigerate or store at room temperature for a day then refrigerate. You will need to double the recipe if you plan to use decorative piping as Melissa did on the Chocolate Sour Cream Cake.
has anyone ever used this under fondant?
Hi Marg- I wouldn’t recommend this for using under fondant, it is just too soft. I would go with a butter-based frosting or ganache so that you’ll have a firmer foundation for your fondant. I like to chill the frosting/ganache for about 10-15 min in the freezer until just firm before covering.
Hi there, I have a quick question….since this is basically soft marshmallow, do you think it would be possible to give it a quick “toasting” with a kitchen torch? I’m thinking ahead to father’s day and had an idea to try to make s’mores cupcakes. Chocolate cupcakes, this fluffy marshmallowy topping and sprinkled with graham crumbs – there’s a few little ones in the family now that would get a kick out of that I hope.
Hi Jane, Yes, you can do a quick torching with this recipe. Below is a link to our s’mores cake if you would like to see it. The Seven Minute Frosting recipe was doubled for the cake.
https://www.mycakeschool.com/recipes/smores-cake-recipe/
Hello! When you mentioned sugar in the recipe are you meaning granulated sugar or powdered sugar?
Hi Amanda, We are using granulated sugar .
Hi! This looks so tasty! Do you know if I could add lemon juice for a lemon flavor?
Hi Kristin, For the best lemon flavor you can add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon lemon extract during the last minutes of beating. If you do not want to use extract, you can add 1 Tablespoon lemon juice and the zest of 1 lemon. The zest gives the most flavor. Taste test as you go.
What tip was used to make the swirls? is it still a 1M and just soft or a different one?
Hi Cynthia, Melissa used a Wilton tip 12 ( large round tip). Here is a link showing Melissa making the hi hats. You can skip ahead to the point she is adding the swirl.
https://www.mycakeschool.com/recipes/cupcakes-blog-tutorial/
Just curious if you could make this into a chocolate frosting somehow? Thank you
Hi Janna, We have not tried that so I don’t have first hand experience with the outcome. We should put it on our “to do” list because it sounds so good. I did find a food network recipe that adds 3 ounces cooled melted semi-sweet chocolate and gently folds in.
Their ingredient quantities are different from our recipe.
Here is the link,
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/seven-minute-frosting-1-5389340
Be careful folding in so as not to deflate the frosting.
I am making s’mores cupcakes for next weekend (torching the frosting). Do you know if I can decorate the cupcakes and freeze them? Will the frosting hold up, or will it deflate? TIA
I love 7 minute frosting on the double boiler, but I know that I would love this frosting method. I make the original 7 min frosting on a spice cake. Super delicious .
Hi Carmelin, We have never frozen 7 minute frosting so I don’t have first hand experience with freezing. I have read that after making the frosting it can be frozen in an airtight container, brought to room temperature then remixed. I would think that the remixing would deflate it a bit.
This type of frosting on cake or cupcakes is best eaten in a day or day and a half after making. It does deflate a bit over time.
Thanks for your response BeBe ?
hello this is jean, anyone know if i can make this with meringue powder, thanks jean
Can we colour this icing?
Hi Julie, yes you can. If it will all be the same color, you can add your coloring as you prepare the recipe with the mixer.
Hi Julie, I like the Swiss meringue since you can cook the egg whites with sugary over Bain Marie to 160-170 Fahrenheit for safety.
This recipe is great but I think would choose the stove top method to cook the eggs to a safe temperature – Swiss meringue method. The Italian meringue pours hot sugar syrup over the raw egg whites but it’s not enough to bring to safe temperature for most people to consume. They do sell pasteurized eggs but hard to find.
Thank You
The icing came out perfect.
Wonderful, thanks for posting, Brian!
I know this is an older post but found this recipe and decide to try it on a jello poke cake I was taking to someone. Here’s what happened.
I was cooking distracted and dumped the sugar in on the egg whites. About to throw it out and start over, I thought, Oh well! May as well just try it!
So I added everything thing else plus some salt into my kitchenaid bowl, put it over some simmering water in the bottom of a pan and beat it up with my hand mixer til the sugar was dissolved, then moved it to the Kitchenaid with wire beater to complete. Turned out absolutely perfect!????
Yay! So glad to hear that it all worked out in the end, Paula! xo
That’s a recipe for Marshmallow Fluff…it’s yummy
amaaazing…..best i’ve made. Thanks Darlin’!
HELLO BeBe is there any way on stiffing up this frosting, for more stability.
Can I use brown sugar instead of white sugar ….same amounts ? My Mom had a recipe similar that used brown sugar on a spice cake …delicious!!
Hi Elizabeth, We should have that recipe on the site but since we do not I am posting a link below to one that looks good and is easy to
follow. Let us know if it reminds you of your mothers recipe.
https://www.thespruceeats.com/brown-sugar-frosting-3057718
I am so excited to try this frosting. I have a couple of questions: How long does it take for the frosting to set up? I am just wondering how much piping I have time to do on a cake. Also, what temperature should the sugar mixture reach in the boiler before adding it to the egg whites? Thanks.
Hi Rachel, We do not use a thermometer when making this. It will be ready to use when it reaches a rolling boil. It should be used right away but you will have time to do any piping you want to do. You might like to watch Melissa’s video making this seven minute frosting. It may be showing on the side of your screen, if not, click on the link below.
https://www.mycakeschool.com/recipes/cupcakes-blog-tutorial/
Thank you so much! I will watch the video.
O.K., seriously! This frosting is on my short list from now on! The only thing I did differently was add both cream of tartar and corn syrup. My persnickety frosting testers, i.e., family loved it! Thanks!
Hi DKH, Thanks so much for your nice comments, so happy your family enjoyed it!