Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipe
This rich and velvety Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream combines silky melted semisweet chocolate with a light yet creamy Swiss meringue base, creating a luscious frosting perfect for cakes and cupcakes that delivers a smooth, fluffy texture and deep chocolate flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: Enough to frost a 9-inch two-layer cake or about 3 cups
- Category: Frosting
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Swiss Meringue Base
- 2/3 cup (133 grams) granulated sugar
- 4 large egg whites*
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Buttercream Ingredients
- 3 sticks (340 grams) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and at room temperature
- 12 ounces (340 grams) semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the Meringue: Combine the sugar, egg whites, and sea salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Set the bowl over a saucepan with 1 inch of gently simmering water. Whisk gently and constantly until the sugar dissolves, and the mixture is slightly thickened, foamy, and reaches 160°F on a candy or digital thermometer, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and dry the bowl bottom carefully.
- Whip the Meringue: Attach the bowl to the mixer with the whisk attachment and whip on medium-high speed until thick, glossy stiff peaks form and the bowl no longer feels warm, about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Add Butter: Switch to the paddle attachment and with the mixer on low speed, add the butter cubes one at a time until fully incorporated. Continue beating on low until a silky smooth texture develops, which may take several minutes.
- Fix Texture Issues: If the buttercream curdles, keep mixing until smooth again. If too thin or runny, refrigerate for about 15 minutes, then continue mixing on low until the buttercream comes together.
- Incorporate Chocolate and Vanilla: Add the cooled melted chocolate and vanilla extract, mixing on low to combine. Then increase speed to medium-high and beat for about 30 seconds until light, fluffy, and well combined—scrape the bowl sides and bottom as needed.
- Storage and Reheating: Store the buttercream in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days or in the freezer up to 2 months. Before use, bring to room temperature and beat on low speed until creamy. If the frosting appears runny or curdled, microwave approximately 1/4 cup for 5–10 seconds, then mix and beat on medium-high until smooth.
Notes
- Ensure egg whites reach 160°F to safely cook and dissolve sugar.
- Room temperature butter yields the best creamy texture.
- If buttercream curdles, continued mixing usually brings it back to smoothness.
- Refrigerate briefly if buttercream becomes too runny before re-whipping.
- Properly stored, this buttercream keeps well refrigerated or frozen.
- Always melt and cool the chocolate before adding to prevent melting the buttercream.
Keywords: Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream, Swiss meringue frosting, chocolate buttercream, frosting recipe, cake frosting, silky buttercream
