Marshmallow frosting is the crowning touch for any cupcake or layer cake. Billowy and light, marshmallow frosting is always a favorite.
This frosting is delicious on top of my favorite chocolate cake, my white cake, and even my yellow cake. I love to add a sprinkle of coconut flakes on top of cupcakes, like in the picture, for Easter, showers, and other special treats, too. It is also fun to use a kitchen torch to lightly toast the edges of the frosting for gorgeous treat!
How to Make Marshmallow Frosting Recipe
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
For this frosting, you’ll need egg whites at room temperature, granulated sugar, cream of tartar, salt, and vanilla extract.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Pour about 1/2 cup of water into a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
- Add the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt to the bowl of an electric mixer. Whisk with a hand-held whisk until the ingredients begin to become foamy.
- Place the mixing bowl over the saucepan of simmering water and continue to whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved about 5 minutes.
- Carefully remove the bowl from the saucepan and transfer it to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment attached. Turn the mixer to a medium setting and whip for about 1 minute. Increase the speed to high and whip until stiff peaks are formed, about 5-7 minutes. Reduce speed and incorporate the vanilla extract.
Here’s the recipe for my Marshmallow Frosting. I hope you love it, too!
Marshmallow Frosting Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 (280 g) egg whites, room temperature
- 2 1/4 cups (446 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon (1.5 g) cream of tartar
- pinch (0.4 g) kosher salt
- 3 teaspoons (14 g) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pour about 1/2 cup of water into a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a simmer.
- Add egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt to the bowl of an electric mixer. Whisk with hand-held whisk until the ingredients begin to become foamy.
- Place the bowl over the saucepan of simmering water and continue to whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the bowl from the saucepan and transfer to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment attached. Turn mixer to medium setting and whip for about 1 minute. Increase the speed to high and whip until stiff peaks are formed, about 5-7 minutes. Reduce speed and incorporate vanilla.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
I want to try it but im confused. Do I need to put marshmallows? How much? It’s doesn’t say
You don’t add marshmallows, Jaklin. Just follow the recipe. The frosting tastes like marshmallows.
I was looking for a 7 min frosting recipe and will try yours. I do add marshmallows at the end, only difference. I use this for chocolate angel food cake. Perfect frosting!
I tried this recipe because I was Making a mocha cake with my grandma and we needed a frosting and she made a marshmallow one a while ago so I tried this one and it is amazing and my new go-to frosting. It’s such an easy frosting and so delicious. I LOVE IT!!
(it is just like merengue)
Thanks Hailey! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
hi. how many cups of marshmallow frosting in 1 batch of recipe?
Very good recipe. Easy to follow
I’m happy you liked it, Shirley! Thanks!
to me this recipe is Merenge i do no see eny Marshmallow\
My parents make one very similar to this only they boil pure make syrup to the ‘hair’ point and beat into the egg whites. No sugar (because of the syrup). Maple Syrup Frosting is all they ever called it. Perfect on white cake when the sap is running heavy in the countryside of NNY. Yum.
What’s the hair point? I am cane sugar intolerant, and can’t use normal sugar as a result. Maple’s my biggest baking staple.
I’ve always called this 7 minute frosting. Been making it for years.
Thats what we called it too and it is out of this world. I could sit with a spoon and eat the whole bowl ful hahahahaha
Is this frosting sturdy enough to add food coloring and hold up some light icing flowers?
Sarah, this frosting is the one used on many coconut cakes. It is a very “light weight” frosting and really sticky. It just doesn’t have the consistency for holding up very well to food coloring or decorating.
How soon does this frosting have to be used?