Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Name: Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 5 min
Ingredients: 8 ounces fresh egg whites; 16 ounces granulated sugar; 24 ounces unsalted butter (softened); 4 ounces Chocolate (or cocoa powder) (melted and cooled to 90º); 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

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Chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream (SMBC) is my favorite of all the buttercreams and fairly easy to make. It's incredibly silky smooth and tastes like chocolate ice cream!

chocolate swiss meringue piped onto a cake

Swiss meringue buttercream is made by dissolving sugar in egg whites at a very low heat. Then you whip them up into a thick meringue, let it cool, and then whip in some soft butter, salt, and vanilla extract.

You can change the flavor of Swiss meringue by adding in chocolate, different flavors of fruit puree, or just switching out the extracts.

If you don't want to bother with dissolving the sugar, you can always use my easy buttercream recipe which is a great shortcut that results in a smooth buttercream that is SUPER similar to traditional Swiss meringue buttercream but not quite as stable as Italian buttercream.

Ingredients

Fresh egg whites are the base for a successful Swiss meringue buttercream. Fresh egg whites have a stronger protien structure than pastuerized egg whites so they are preferred. Just make sure you don't get any bits of egg yolk in the buttercream or that can cause your meringue to deflate.

Make sure your butter has been softened to room temperature (about 72ºF) so it whips in with the meringue without curdling.

You can use melted chocolate or cocoa powder to make chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream. Melted chocolate will make a slightly stronger buttercream.

How to make the frosting

Fill a medium-sized saucepan with about two inches of water and bring it to a simmer.
Place your metal or glass mixing bowl on top of the simmering pot of water.
The bottom of the bowl should not touch the water. Watch out for escaping steam, it can make the bowl hot to the touch.
Place your egg whites and sugar in the bowl and whisk them together. Occasionally whisk the mixture to keep the outer edge of the egg whites from curdling and cooking.
Once the sugar is dissolved (feel with your fingers) you can remove the bowl from the pot of water.
Place the mixing bowl onto the stand mixer and mix the egg whites into a very stiff meringue. This can take 5-10 minutes. Don't worry, you can't really over-do this part.
The meringue tips should stand straight up to make stiff peaks and feel very dense when the meringue is whipped properly.
Place a bag of ice next to the bowl as you're mixing to cool the meringue down.
Once your meringue has cooled, whip in your softened butter, cooled melted chocolate, vanilla, and salt. Make sure you whip until your buttercream no longer has any taste of butter. It should be very light and creamy and dissolve in your mouth.
After your buttercream has whipped, I like to switch to the paddle attachment and mix on low for 10 minutes to remove any excess air bubbles.

FAQ

Why won't my meringue whip up

Egg whites could have been too old or you got some grease in the mixture. Clean all your utensils again and use fresh egg whites.

Why does my buttercream look curdled

When fat (butter) tries to mix with water (egg whites) it has to be the same temperature. If your buttercream is curdled, chances are your butter was too cold. Either torch the side of the bowl with a creme brulee torch while mixing on low until it comes together or remove ¼ cup of the mixture, melt it in the microwave and pour it back in to bring it all together.

My buttercream is too soft

If your buttercream is too soft and seems soupy, it might be too warm. Put the whole bowl into the fridge for 20 minutes then try whipping again.

The buttercream tastes gritty

You may not have dissolved your sugar all the way which can cause the meringue to crystalize. There isn't anything you can do to fix the grain other than starting over.

My buttercream tastes like pure butter

It is very common for people to under whip the buttercream. If you taste butter, continue whipping. Incorporating air is what makes the buttercream taste so amazing.

How do you store chocolate swiss meringue buttercream?

Chocolate swiss meringue buttercream can be kept at room temperature for 48 hours although I personally refrigerate after 24 hours if I don't need it. It can be kept in the fridge for 2 weeks or you can freeze it for 2 months or more.
Always re-mix your buttercream before using it to make it creamy again. If it's cold, bring it to room temperature first, then whip until it's creamy and smooth.

Other recipes you might like

Ermine Frosting
Cream Cheese Frosting
American Buttercream
Swiss Meringue Buttercream

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Cups of Batter Needed

8 cups

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5 cups

Note: measurements are estimated based off the vanilla cake recipe using standard US cake pans and sizes. Measurements used are for 2" tall cake pans only. Your results may vary. Do not overfill cake pans above manufacturer's recommended guidelines.

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