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4 As soon as your egg whites are hot to the touch (meaning precisely that - hot, but as soon as), take them off the heat, and begin beating. Beat them until they’re stiff, stiff enough to form peaks that stand when you lift out the beater; they will be much like marshmallow fluff at this point. Very thick, and gooey because of the sugar, the peaks will bend over at the top, but they will stand, and stay standing indefinitely. It’s important that they’re hot; if they aren't cooked enough, they won't get as stiff as they should, and you will need to add extra butter later on. I've had to add as much as TWO extra sticks, though it has ALWAYS worked for me, eventually. DO NOT, until it is finally thick, use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides. They are hard to get completely clean, and it's not worth the risk of getting fat in the whites. If you must clean the sides, take it off the heat and use your whisk to sort of wash the sides with the whites. If you want vanilla, add it now.
5 Now add, about a tablespoon at a time, 3 sticks softened butter. This is where the stand mixer comes in. It's much easier with one. (Obviously, you'll need to transfer it to the right bowl if you use one, but make sure it's a grease-free bowl.) Still, you can certainly do this step with an electric hand mixer, and it's well worth the effort. The mixture will seem to separate, then start to get runny, but hang in there. All of a sudden it will magically emulsify, and you’ll have delicious, smooth, fluffy buttercream icing. Test it before you decide it's ready; it may look thicker than it actually is. Remember, it has to stay on a cake. You may need more than 3 sticks, maybe even more than four … add as much butter as you need to; I guarantee that it will work, and you’ll eventually be left with a luscious icing .

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