Buttercream Rose Meringue Kisses Cake

I’ve been on a bit of piping train lately CHOO CHOO -if you can’t tell! I’ve always loved vintage buttercream piping techniques but I am really into this buttercream rose meringue kisses cake with its mix of modern meringues and “old timey” piping vibes. Crispy chewy sweet meringues give such a nice textural element to this cake, along with not-too-sweet buttercream.

I used my Swiss meringue kisses recipe for the pretty meringues. With meringue making, you want to go low and slow. Don’t open the oven to peek at their cuteness while baking, as any sudden temperature changes will crack your meringues. I like to bake them at night, and then after the baking time is up, I’ll turn off the oven and leave them in overnight to thoroughly dry out.

These meringues were particularly dry and crisp but still chewy – the perfect dryness to accompany buttercream roses. If possible, place meringues on a buttercream cake only a few hours before serving, to prevent any wilting of the meringues and to help retain the meringue crispness.

I like my buttercream “not too sweet” – my go-to simple vanilla buttercream recipe is two cups of unsalted butter at room temperature, four cups of sifted icing/confectioner’s sugar, two teaspoons of pure vanilla extract and a teensy pinch of salt. Beat the butter, then add the icing sugar a little at a time until incorporated, then add the vanilla and salt. Beat this on high until the buttercream has doubled in volume.

I tend to be wildly overzealous with the leaf tip piping bag but I kinda like the look – it gives it both a leafy and ruffly look, and the leaf tip is awesome for filling in any “bald” spots. If I’m already on a piping roll, I like to use up any extra buttercream by piping tons and tons of buttercream roses to save in the freezer for future use. Lay them out on a baking sheet and freeze until firm, about 20 minutes; then store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one month.

Happy baking, cake pals!! xo Lyndsay