Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream with Cocoa Powder
Say hello to the chocolate frosting of your dreams. This Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream is super light and airy and uses cocoa powder for a deep chocolate flavor instead of melted chocolate. It’s one of my favorite buttercreams to pipe with because it holds it’s shape beautifully and can last for days! Bonus points because it’s less sweet than traditional chocolate buttercream and it can be made in just 30 minutes!
Confession 🫣, I typically gravitate towards American type homemade frosting recipes because they are literally SO easy to make- typically in 5 minutes or less. But since making classic Swiss Meringue Buttercream and now this chocolate version, I might be a changed woman.
Yes, it takes a little more time (about 30 minutes), but it is so worth it. The texture? light as a feather. The flavor? Dreamy, deep, and not too sweet. And the process? Doesn’t have to be scary at all. You just need to know what to do, and that’s exactly what I’m going to show you today.
As a trained pastry chef I am going to break this down for you easily without needing any crazy tools so we can take the fear out of making this elevated frosting. And NO judgements at all if this isnt an “every time” frosting. My whipped chocolate frosting, or this chocolate ganache frosting are great substitutes when you dont have the time.
Pipe this buttercream on top of these chocolate strawberry cupcakes, or this 6 inch cake for a dessert to impress!
Separating your egg whites
What makes this frosting so light an airy is that the base is made from whipping egg whites instead of creaming powder sugar and butter. You’ll need to separate the eggs carefully- if any yolk gets into the whites, they will not whip at all and instead stay soupy.
Any grease or fat, not just egg yolk, can keep your egg whites from whipping. The fat coats the surface of the whites and stops them from getting light and fluffy. Think of it like trying to blow up a balloon while squeezing it in your hand- the air has nowhere to go. That’s what fat does to your meringue!
I usually wipe down my mixing bowl and whip with a cut lemon to make sure theres no grease. I also like to separate the eggs while they are cold (it’s easier and less risky) and then let them come to room temp to whip.
Step by Step Process
The goal is to melt all of the sugar into the egg whites. This can take up to 10 minutes, just keep whisking. You don’t need a thermometer to test it, all you have to do is dip your finger in and rub it between your thumb and see if it feels grainy. If its not smooth, keep going until it is. This is usually around 150° if you do have a thermometer.
Troubleshooting
At this point some people have a little trouble but its ok!
If your buttercream looks curdled- keep mixing, the butter was still a little too cold and just needs to warm up up a bit. Keep goin!
If it looks soupy- the butter was too warm. Put the whole thing in the fridge for just 10-15 minutes but no longer, and then rewhip.
Stability
The corn starch inside the frosting is what gives this buttercream extra stability. If you wanted this to be even more stable you could add 2 ounces of melted dark chocolate after you add the cocoa powder but its not necessary if you are using this indoors or in the shade outside. It holds up really well in heat!
Pro Storing Hack
If I dont use all my frosting I like to plop the leftover onto a piece of plastic wrap and fold it like a little package and then store in the fridge or freezer.
Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream with Cocoa Powder
Ingredients
- 5 egg whites, room temperature -large- about 150g
- 2 cups granulated sugar, 400g
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 1.5 cups unsalted butter, cold but pliable- 3 sticks(340g), diced small
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup
cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Wipe down your mixing bowl and attachments with white vinegar or a half lemon to degrease.
- Heat a small pot with 1-2 inches of water and bring to a simmer. Add 5 large room temperature egg whites to the mixing bowl along with 2 cups of sugar and 1 tbsp corn starch. Place the mixing bowl over the simmering water. The bowl should not touch the bottom.
- Whisk the mixture constantly. At first, it’ll look thick and gluey, but it will start to thin out as it warms. The goal here is to melt all the sugar. To check, rub a bit between your fingers—it should feel completely smooth with no graininess. If its still grainy, keep whisking. This can take 10-12 minutes.
- Remove the bowl from the heat and transfer it to your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed for 10–15 minutes, until the bottom of the bowl feels cooler to the touch and stiff peaks form. It needs to be fully cooled down before you add the butter.
- With the mixer on medium high speed- add in the diced butter 1 tablespoon at a time making sure it’s fully mixed in before adding more. Repeat till all the butter is used.
- Add in the 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, and 1/4 tsp salt and mix for 15 more seconds on high.
