7-Minute Fluffy White Frosting

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 12/27/22
7-Minute Fluffy White Frosting

The Spruce / Cara Cormack
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 7 mins
Total: 12 mins
Servings: 8 to 12 servings
Yield: 2 layers
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
104 Calories
0g Fat
26g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 to 12
Amount per serving
Calories 104
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 32mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 26g 9%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 26g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 1mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 10mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This classic 7-minute frosting recipe is named for how long it takes to make. You simply combine egg whites, sugar, water, and corn syrup and beat them over a double boiler. This melts the sugar and cooks the egg whites as you beat air into the mixture, making for a fluffy, almost marshmallow-like, white frosting.

If you don't have a double boiler, you can create a makeshift one using standard kitchen supplies. Pull out your saucepans and your heatproof mixing bowls. Find a bowl that sits snugly inside a saucepan, leaving space under the bowl so that it doesn't touch the boiling water. This will be your double boiler.

This fluffy white frosting recipe is a delicious, dairy-free alternative to thick buttercream and tastes great on a variety of cakes. Try it on a rich chocolate cake for a nice contrast, or keep everything light and airy with a coconut cake. This recipe makes enough to frost two layers.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    7-Minute Fluffy White Frosting ingredients

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  2. Combine the egg whites, sugar, water, corn syrup, and salt in the top bowl of a double boiler. Add water to the bottom pot and bring to a simmer.

    egg whites, sugar, water, corn syrup, and salt in a pot

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  3. Beat the mixture off of the heat with an electric hand mixer for a minute. Place the pan over the boiling water (make sure the bottom of the pan is not touching the boiling water).

    beat egg white and sugar mixture with a hand mixer

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  4. Continue beating for about 6 minutes, or until the frosting mixture is white, fluffy, and will stand in stiff peaks.

    frosting beat with a hand mixer

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  5. Remove from the heat and beat in the vanilla. Use immediately to frost a two-layer cake or cupcakes.

    7-Minute Fluffy White Frosting on a cake sponge

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Tips

  • You'll want to use a hand mixer to make this frosting. Since it needs to cook as it's being mixed, a stand mixer won't do, and whisking by hand will take ages.
  • Be prepared to stand in front of the stove and beat the mixture for the full 6 minutes. You can't walk away in the middle or you'll risk curdling the eggs.
  • This deliciously fluffy white frosting has a short lifespan. It's best eaten within a few hours of it being made but will last a couple of days. After the first several hours, it tends to form some sugar crystals, losing some of its creaminess.
  • To save time, make the cake ahead of time so that it is completely cool. Whip up fresh frosting within a few hours of serving.

Recipe Variations

  • Swap the light corn syrup for dark corn syrup or maple syrup for a slightly different flavor.
  • Replace the vanilla extract with a different flavor extract, such as almond or lemon.