Brown Sugar Buttercream Frosting Recipe

How to make it

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• Combine egg whites and salt in a large bowl.
• Stir together brown sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over moderately high heat, washing down side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water.
• When sugar syrup reaches boil, start beating whites with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until frothy, then add lemon juice and beat at medium speed until whites just hold soft peaks.
• (Do not beat again until sugar syrup is ready.)
• Meanwhile, put candy thermometer into sugar syrup and continue boiling until syrup reaches 238–242°F.
• Immediately remove from heat and pour into a heatproof 1-cup glass measure.
• Slowly pour hot syrup in a thin stream down side of bowl into egg whites, beating constantly at high speed.
• Beat meringue, scraping down bowl with a rubber spatula, until meringue is cool to the touch, about 6 minutes. (It’s important that meringue is properly cooled before proceeding.)
• With mixer at medium speed, gradually add butter 1 piece at a time, beating well after each addition until incorporated.
• (If meringue is too warm and buttercream looks soupy after some of butter is added, briefly chill bottom of bowl in a large bowl filled with ice water for a few seconds before continuing to beat in remaining butter.)
• Continue beating until buttercream is smooth.
• (Mixture may look curdled before all of butter is added, but will come back together before beating is finished.)
• Add vanilla and beat 1 minute more.