This faux chocolate swiss meringue buttercream is much simpler to make, and just as good as the classic version! Learn how to make creamy, buttery, and very chocolatey swiss meringue buttercream with this quick and easy recipe!
Just as good as the classic version, this faux chocolate swiss meringue buttercream is easy and delicious!
Chocolate swiss meringue buttercream is one of my favorite buttercreams ever. I make it often for my cakes, and it’s hard to beat that creamy, buttery flavor. But when I’m in a rush, this easy chocolate swiss meringue buttercream version works just as perfectly for all my frosting needs!
The difference between easy swiss meringue buttercream and the classic version
Classic swiss meringue buttercream relies on the meringue base to add air to the buttercream, which makes it incredibly light and fluffy.
However, this easy version is made with pasteurized egg whites from a carton. This doesn’t really form into a meringue, so you rely on air that has been whipped into the butter instead. The result is a faux swiss buttercream that is slightly more dense and buttery, but just as delicious and fluffy!
I recently shared the vanilla version for this cheat’s swiss meringue buttercream. There I provide more details on the method and how it differs from the classic version.
With this chocolate version, the melted bittersweet chocolate not only adds a deep chocolate flavor, it also makes the buttercream lighter and creamier!
All you need to make this chocolate frosting recipe
- Pasteurized egg whites (carton egg whites)
- Confectioner’s sugar
- Unsalted butter, soft but not melted
- Melted chocolate
- Salt and vanilla (or coffee extract)
How to make faux chocolate swiss meringue buttercream
The first step is to melt the chocolate
Melt the bittersweet chocolate over a double boiler until about 80% of the chocolate is melted. Stir the chocolate mix off the heat, until all the chocolate has melted in the residual heat.
Set aside until cooled down, but still remains liquid.
You can also melt the chocolate in the microwave, in 20 second bursts.
Next, prepare the egg white and sugar base.
When the chocolate is at the right consistency and temperature, you can start making the faux swiss meringue buttercream.
Whisk the pasteurized egg whites and confectioner’s sugar until thick, glossy, and white.
I do this in my stand mixer, with the whisk attachment, to save time and energy. Then I transfer the egg white mix into a bowl, so that the mixer bowl is free to whip the butter.
Whip the butter
Place the soft butter, salt, and vanilla in the mixing bowl, and whip until really light and fluffy. You can use the same whisk attachment for this as well.
You can also use coffee extract instead of vanilla if you prefer.
Adding the egg white and sugar mixture
Stream in the egg white and sugar mixture while whipping the butter. Whisk it in until the egg white mixture has fully incorporated with all the butter, and the swiss meringue buttercream looks creamy and fluffy.
If it still looks a little stiff, not to worry! The melted butter is going to help loosen up the buttercream mixture and make it even more light and fluffy.
Mixing in the melted and cooled chocolate
Pour in the melted and cooled chocolate into the buttercream, while still whipping. I prefer to add the chocolate a little at a time, so that it mixes in smoothly with the buttercream.
You can also add the chocolate directly to the butter while whipping it before adding the egg white mixture. It won’t make a difference in the final outcome.
Can I make this with raw eggs?
Yes, you can! You can even make this with raw eggs that have some yolk in them.
And you don’t have to throw out the egg white and sugar mixture that didn’t quite form into a meringue for whatever reason. You can still make this easy swiss meringue buttercream version using that!
With raw eggs, you will need to heat it to 160 F, over a double boiler, so that the eggs are pasteurized and the sugar is dissolved. Make sure the egg white mixture cools down to room temperature before you add it to the butter.
Can I use cocoa powder instead of melted chocolate?
Yep!
However, I prefer to bloom the cocoa powder before adding it to the buttercream. This prevents the swiss meringue buttercream from losing its creaminess, and enhances the chocolate flavor in the cocoa powder.
Substitute the melted chocolate with 1 oz (1/4 cup) of cocoa powder, mixed with 1/4 cup of hot water or milk. Make sure to let it cool down to room temperature before adding it in.
How to use this chocolate buttercream frosting
Here are some great ways to use this easy swiss meringue buttercream recipe to frost cakes and cupcakes!
- Cakes – devil’s food cake recipe, classic chocolate cake, chocolate sheet cake, classic vanilla cake
- Cupcakes – chocolate cupcakes, vanilla cupcakes
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Faux Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Ingredients:
Pasteurized egg white syrup
- 115 g pasteurized egg whites ½ cup, room temperature
- 226 g confectioner's sugar about 2 cups, measured by spoon and level method
Raw egg white syrup
- 115 g raw egg whites ½ cup, see recipe notes
- 225 g granulated white sugar 1 ¼ cups
Swiss meringue buttercream
- 115 g melted bittersweet chocolate 70% chocolate, melted and cooled
- 1 amount of egg white syrup either pasteurized or raw, see above
- 226 g unsalted butter very soft but not melted (2 sticks)
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or coffee extract
Instructions:
Using pasteurized egg whites
- Place the egg whites and confectioner’s sugar in a mixing bowl, and whisk for about 5 – 6 minutes on high speed. The mixture should look thick, glossy, and white.
- Scrape this mixture into a bowl and set aside.
Using raw egg whites
- Place the egg whites and sugar in a heat proof bowl.
- Bring some water to a simmer in a pot. Place the egg white + sugar bowl over the simmering water pot, and whisk for about 10 minutes until the egg whites are heated to 160°F.
- Allow the egg white mixture to cool down to room temperature before using.
Making the chocolate swiss meringue buttercream
- Melt the bittersweet chocolate in a heat proof bowl, over a double boiler. You can also melt it in the microwave in 20 second bursts.
- Melt the chocolate until about 80% of it is melted. Then stir the chocolate (off heat), until it’s all melted from the residual heat. Let the chocolate cool down to almost room temperature, but still remains liquid.
- Place the butter, vanilla, and salt in the mixing bowl. With the whisk attachment, whip the butter until light, fluffy, and creamy. This can take up to 10 minutes, depending on the temperature of the butter, the mixer, and the ambient temperature. Remember to scrape down the sides as you go.
- While running the mixer on medium high, stream the egg white mixture into the butter mixture.
- Keep whipping the buttercream until you have a creamy consistency (a few minutes).
- Then reduce the speed of the mixer and stream in the melted chocolate. Scrape down the sides to make sure everything is mixing evenly.
- If you'd like the buttercream to be sweeter, add more sifted confectioner’s sugar and mix until well incorporated.
- To remove the extra air bubbles, switch to the paddle attachment, and mix for about 1 – 2 minutes on medium high speed.
- The cheat’s chocolate swiss meringue buttercream is now ready to be used.
Tips & Tricks
Note about egg whites
You can use raw egg whites that have been contaminated by egg yolks for this recipe.Note about salt
I like to add ½ tsp because I prefer a sweet and salty buttercream. If you use salted butter, then skip the added salt.Storage
You can store this swiss meringue buttercream, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days. Store the buttercream in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw out to about 75 F, then re-whip the buttercream before using.Nutrition Information:
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
Monique says
This came out so well! Followed the recipe to a T. So creamy and buttery, and easy.
Leslie says
I have followed recipe and it tastes delicious, but is a bit watery and can’t pipe. Do you know what could cause it to be not as stiff?
Dini says
Hi Leslie
The buttercream is soft because it’s warm, because the butter or the chocolate made the buttercream too warm. You can refrigerate the frosting for a little while and then re-whip the frosting to get the right consistency.
Connie says
Can I use dutch processed cocoa powder to make the SMBC?
Dini says
Hi Connie
Yes you can, but the texture will change slightly. This is because cocoa powder is drying.
I recommend adding just enough hot water to the cocoa powder to make a paste (not too thick), and then adding it to the buttercream to prevent drying out the buttercream.
Hope that helps!
Connie says
Thanks for your prompt reply. Btw, how about if I add some sugar free melted dark chocolate chips (that’s all I have) into the cocoa powder paste, will it help? I really like how glossy your chocolate SMBC looks. Really can’t wait to try it out.
Connie says
Say 30g of melted dark chocolate into the cocoa powder paste, will it be ok?
Dini says
Hi Connie
I haven’t tried adding both, so the amounts would have to vary depending on the taste. There’s also a chance that the melted chocolate might sieve in the cocoa powder paste as well. I would either add them separately, and not mix them together.
However, the SMBC might lose a little gloss with cocoa powder, because melted chocolate inherently has a glossier look than cocoa powder paste.
Connie says
Thanks so much! In that case, I will only use melted sugar free chocolate chips n NOT add cocoa powder at all. Can I reduce the amount of melted chocolate chips, say half the amount in your recipe? Will it still come out good? Btw, what’s the difference between this recipe n your “perfect chocolate SMBC”? They both look the same from your photos. Hope it’s not a silly question to ask .
Dini says
Hi Connie
You can add less melted chocolate, but it will reduce the chocolate flavor. Since it is sugar free chocolate, I’m not entirely sure if it will be the same flavor as well.
The difference between the perfect SMBC recipe and the easy one, is how the eggs are prepared. The perfect SMBC uses the classic meringue method, but the east version does not form a meringue (as explained in the post), so can be made with pasteurized eggs.
I hope that helps