Seven-Minute Frosting

Think of seven-minute frosting as a glossy, spreadable meringue, where egg whites and sugar are whipped into a voluptuous cloud. It was popular in the mid-20th century, when cookbooks offered recipes for a whole family of boiled icings.

This frosting is very similar to Swiss meringue, which is also cooked. The big difference is how they are cooked: Swiss meringue is cooked, then beaten off the heat while seven-minute frosting is beaten as it cooks on the heat.

I love fluffy seven-minute frosting on fine-grained cakes like devil’s food cake, red velvet cake, and coconut cake. It also stars as the frosting and filling of our Fresh Strawberry Layer Cake.

One thing to keep in mind is that seven-minute frosting is best enjoyed the day you make it, when it’s fluffy and soft. After about 4 hours, it starts to deflate and become sticky.

What If I Don’t Have a Hand Electric Mixer?

There are ways, yes, but they’re basically adaptations of Swiss meringue—so if you only have a stand mixer, we recommend making our Swiss Meringue recipe instead.

It is possible to make this sans electricity, with handheld eggbeaters (that’s how this recipe originated), though it’s tricky, since it takes both hands to operate the beaters.

You’d need to have a very stable double boiler and resilient arms (or someone in the kitchen helping you make the frosting). But, we haven't tested the recipe using a handheld eggbeater.

Why Is It Called Seven-Minute Frosting?

It takes roughly seven minutes of cooking and constant beating for the frosting to transform. Seven minutes is not a magic number though—sometimes it takes more time, sometimes less. Use both a timer and our visual cues in the recipe and you’ll be in good shape.

Slow and Steady Makes for a Fluffy Frosting

After many experiments, I discovered heating the egg-and-sugar mixture too fast resulted in a frosting that was dense and sticky.

For the lightest frosting with the biggest volume, make sure the water is simmering, not at a full boil, and keep the bowl 4 to 5 inches above the water. Don’t be in a rush—take pleasure in watching the process unfold.

Ways to Flavor Seven-Minute Frosting

Looking for ways to jazz up this fluffy cloud of sweetness? Here’s how: 

• Use brown sugar or maple sugar (not syrup) instead of granulated white sugar
• Fold 3 ounces melted and slightly cooled unsweetened chocolate to the finished frosting. You want the chocolate to be the same temperature as the frosting when you add it—otherwise, the chocolate will seize
• Fold 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon, orange, or lime zest into the finished frosting. If using orange zest, use orange juice instead of water
• Add 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract instead of vanilla extract
• Add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract instead of vanilla extract

Troubleshooting Seven-Minute Frosting

Learning frosting takes time. I’m here to help. Here are somethings that could go wrong and what to do about it.

• Frosting is gritty: This happens when sugar at the rim of the bowl does not get dissolved. There’s nothing you can do to fix it. In the future, be sure all the sugar is dissolved—scrape the bowl down with a rubber spatula while whipping.
• Frosting is droopy instead of light and fluffy: The egg and sugar mixture got too hot, too fast. When this happens, your frosting will be tacky and viscous, like marshmallow fluff from a tub. At this point, there’s no fix—you can still use it, but it will be harder to spread, and won’t hold its shape very well. Next time, have your water at a hearty simmer, not a rapid boil. Your bowl also may have been too close to the water in the double boiler

Frosting in a Snapshot

How do you match this with cake? If frosting had a dating profile, this would be it.

• Taste: Extremely sweet, marshmallow-like
• Texture: Light and billowy
• Piping: Good for piping through a large star tip, but not good for fine detail work—it sets up too fast
• Works best on: Layer cakes and cupcakes
• Time investment: Less than 10 minutes.
• Make-ahead: Use frosting immediately after making; cakes are best enjoyed the day they are decorated. This frosting cannot be frozen

Advantages of Seven-Minute Frosting

• Quick to make
• Easy to spread
• Light and airy
• You can torch it like meringue

Drawbacks of Seven-Minute Frosting

• A handheld electric mixer is a must
• Can’t freeze it 
• Can’t make-ahead
• Difficult to cover, sticks to plastic wrap; not good for transporting

More Mouthwatering Frosting Recipes

• Cream Cheese Frosting
• Vegan Chocolate Frosting
• Easy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
• Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
• Easy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting