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This chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream is richly flavored with chocolate, lightly sweetened, and lighter than air. It looks like a cloud and melts in your mouth, but the meringue makes it a strong and stable buttercream.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
This is a brief summary of the recipe. Jump to the recipe to get the full details.
Jump to RecipePrep Time
25 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Total Time
45 minutes
Servings
12 servings
Difficulty
Intermediate – requires heating egg whites, whipping meringue, and emulsifying butter.
Calories *
455 kcal per serving
Technique
Heat whites and sugar, whip meringue, emulsify butter, blend in melted chocolate.
Flavor Profile
Silky, light, deeply chocolatey buttercream that is not overly sweet.
* Based on nutrition panel
Why You Will Love This Buttercream
- Stable buttercream! Classic Swiss meringue buttercream has more sugar than Italian meringue buttercream, and chocolate adds even more stability.
- Silky smooth and light as a cloud. The perfect frosting for layer cakes and cupcakes.
- Deep chocolate flavor. Unsweetened chocolate creates richness without excessive sweetness.
Table of Contents
This chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream is richly flavored but not overly sweet, thanks to melted unsweetened chocolate. Heating egg whites and sugar together creates a strong, stable meringue base that stays airy and silky.
If you prefer an easier chocolate buttercream, try my chocolate American buttercream — a variation of my vanilla American buttercream. It uses melted chocolate and cocoa powder, and is delicious on devil’s food cake.
Ingredients
- Egg Whites: Only separated whites whip well for meringue. Do not use carton whites. Frozen whites work but may need cream of tartar.
- Kosher Salt: Stabilizes the meringue and enhances flavor.
- Unsweetened Chocolate: Deep chocolate flavor without extra sweetness.
See the recipe card for full ingredient quantities.
Ways to Use Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Frost a layered cake! Try pairing with moist yellow cake, funfetti cake, or easy chocolate cake.
- Cupcakes. Amazing on strawberry cupcakes, vanilla cupcakes, or caramel cupcakes.
- Add it to bars. Try on brown butter brownies, chewy blondies, or Reese’s blondies.
- Top or sandwich cookies. Pipe onto chocolate chip cookies, monster cookies, or chocolate chip shortbread.
Professional Tips
- Soupy buttercream? Your meringue was too warm. Chill the bowl 20–30 minutes, then re-whip.
- Be patient. Swiss meringue buttercream often goes soupy → curdled → silky over 5–8 minutes.
- Butter pieces? Warm the bowl exterior briefly with a kitchen torch while mixing.
- Weigh ingredients. Egg white weights vary widely; weighing ensures stable ratios.
- Serve at room temperature. Cold buttercream tastes too buttery.
How to Make Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Use these instructions to make this silky smooth chocolate buttercream! Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Prep the double boiler by heating about an inch of water in a medium sauce pot until it is just below a simmer.
Step 2: Whisk together the egg whites and sugar, then place the bowl over the simmering water while whisking constantly (photo 1).
Step 3: Heat until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture reaches 120°F. It will look slightly thickened and feel warm (photo 2).
Step 4: Transfer the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form and the meringue cools below body temperature (photo 3).
Touch the meringue — if it feels cool, you’re ready to add the butter.
Step 5: Switch to the paddle attachment and add the butter. Mix on medium-low until a silky smooth buttercream forms (photos 4 & 5).
Step 6: Add the melted (not hot) chocolate and mix until incorporated. Switch back to the whisk and beat until light and fluffy (photos 6-8).
Chef Lindsey’s Recipe Tip
Separate egg whites over a small bowl to avoid wasting multiple whites if a yolk breaks. Transfer clean whites to your mixer bowl and save the yolks for desserts like vanilla crème brûlée.
Recipe FAQs
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months. To refresh, let it come to room temperature or mix on low in a stand mixer until smooth.
Your meringue was too warm when the butter was added. Chill the bowl for 15–20 minutes and continue mixing until it re-emulsifies.
The sugar likely wasn’t fully dissolved during heating. Make sure your thermometer reads 212°F in boiling water to confirm it’s accurate.
Place cold buttercream in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low until smooth. If needed, gently warm the outside of the bowl with a kitchen torch while mixing until creamy.
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If you tried this recipe and loved it please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you; your comments make my day!
Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Ingredients
- 5 egg whites 150g
- 1 ¼ cups sugar 283g
- ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 cups unsalted butter 4 sticks, room temperature(454g)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 ounces unsweetened chocolate melted but not hot (226g)
Instructions
- Heat about an inch of water in a medium sauce pot until it is just about simmering. The most important thing is that the bowl of your stand mixer should fit inside so that it is “nested” but the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl.
- Whisk together the egg whites and sugar. Then place the bowl over top of simmering water and continue whisking constantly.
- Cook the whites and sugar just until it reaches 120°F on an instant-read thermometer or until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch. The meringue will have started to gain a bit of volume and feel lighter at this point as well.
- Move the bowl to your stand mixer and fit it with the whisk attachment. Be careful and use a towel, because the bowl will be hot if you’re using a gas burner! Beat on high speed until the meringue reaches stiff peaks and cools to below body temperature. This will only take 2-4 minutes, depending on your mixer.
- Switch to the paddle attachment and then add all the butter. Mix on medium-low until all the butter works itself into the meringue and a silky smooth buttercream forms.
- Once your buttercream comes together, stop the mixer, add all the melted but not hot chocolate, and mix on medium speed to incorporate. Switch back to the whisk and beat until light and fluffy! Frost your cakes or cupcakes, or store in the refrigerator or freezer.
Notes
Nutrition
Before You Go
I hope you enjoyed this silky, stable chocolate buttercream recipe! Explore more buttercream and frosting recipes like my ermine frosting or bright and tangy lemon American buttercream!
This is my new favorite buttercream! Move over, American buttercream. I love that the added stability and meringue keep the buttercream from being too sweet. The chocolate flavor is rich, and I love the color!