How to Make 7-Minute Marshmallow Frosting {Step-by-Step}

Perfectly light and fluffy for frosting a rich chocolate cake, deliciously-fun S'mores cupcake or fudgy S'mores pie, see how to make 7-Minute Marshmallow Frosting, step-by-step.

When it comes to frosting, my absolute favorite ... hands-down, no question about it ... is 7-Minute Marshmallow Frosting.  Sure, I love a great buttercream or cream cheese frosting.  But for me, they can't hold a candle to 7-Minute Marshmallow Frosting.  Especially when paired with a rich chocolate cake.  Or a deliciously-fun S'mores cupcake or fudgy S'mores pie.  Or heck ... when just eaten straight from a spoon.

There's just something about the light fluffiness of marshmallow frosting I adore.

I learned how to make 7-Minute Marshmallow Frosting from my best friend's Mom ... who frosts the most moist-and-delicious chocolate cake with it, by the way.  And I decided it was time to share the marshmallow deliciousness with all of you ~ step-by-step.

To start creating this yummy fluffiness, combine some granulated sugar, cream of tartar, a touch of salt, water, and 2 egg whites in the top of a double boiler. Beat with a handheld electric mixer for about a minute just to bring everything together.

Now technically, you should  use a double boiler for this.  But ... believe it or not ... I don't have one.  So I just make my 7-Minute Marshmallow Frosting in a medium-sized metal bowl that I then put on top of a small pot.

Hey, whatever works, right?

Place the bowl of egg white mixture over a small amount of boiling water.  However, it's very important to be sure the bottom of the bowl holding the egg white mixture doesn't touch the boiling water.  If it touches the water, the 7-Minute Marshmallow Frosting will become course and grainy ... which believe me, isn't good.  We don't want to mess up that oh-so-good smooth fluffiness of the frosting!

With the egg white mixture over the boiling water, beat constantly on high speed with an electric mixer for 7 minutes.  {I'm sure you see where 7-Minute Marshmallow Frosting gets its name, right?}

Keep those beaters going for the full 7 minutes, and the marshmallow frosting will continue to grow and grow in volume ... getting fluffier and fluffier all the while.

Once those 7 minutes are up, remove the 7-Minute Marshmallow Frosting from the heat and beat in a generous amount of vanilla extract.

You'll have a soft, fluffy marshmallow frosting ... all ready to join up with your favorite dessert.

I let the frosting cool just a bit ... about 10 minutes or so ... before using it to frost my cakes and cupcakes.  I like it to cool slightly, but not too much ... if it cools too much, it's not as easy to work with and spread.

When frosting cupcakes, I do use a piping bag with the 7-Minute Marshmallow Frosting.  Do keep in mind, the marshmallow frosting won't completely hold it's shape when piped ... the swirls and folds collapse into each other, leaving behind a lovely rustic dollop of topping.

So whether pairing with a rich chocolate cake, fun S'mores dessert, other scrumptious sweet creation, or simply enjoying straight from a spoon, forego that buttercream and give the light fluffiness of 7-Minute Marshmallow Frosting a try.  I hope you'll adore it as much as I do!

Now, hmmmmm, if I could just get my best friend's Mom to make me one of her fabulous rich-and-moist chocolate cakes to go with my frosting ...

7-Minute Marshmallow Frosting
Source:  My best friend's Mom

(Printable recipe)
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/3 c. water
• 2 egg whites
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

1. Place sugar, cream of tartar, salt, water, and egg whites in the top of a double boiler. Beat with a handheld electric mixer for 1 minute.
2. Bring some water to a boil in the bottom pan portion of the double boiler. Place egg white mixture over boiling water, being sure that boiling water does not touch the bottom of the top pan. {If this happens, it could cause your frosting to become grainy.}
3. With the egg white mixture over the boiling water, beat constantly on high speed with electric mixer for 7 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and beat in vanilla.
5. Let cool for about 10 minutes and then immediately frost cupcakes, cake, or tart.

Enjoy!

Please enjoy these other amazing frostings from The Kitchen is My Playground ...

The BEST Vanilla Frosting

The BEST Coffee Buttercream

Caramel Buttercream Frosting

German Chocolate Topping