Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

There’s buttercream, and then there’s Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream. Satiny smooth, rich and deeply chocolaty, this frosting will take your cake and cupcakes to a whole new level. For these spectacular results though, some time and effort is required—but no guesswork! The Betty Crocker Kitchens have laid out precise instructions and tips, so you’ll know exactly what to expect—even in the case of the unexpected, check out our Expert Tips for more. Before you dig in, here’s what to keep in mind. This frosting is called Swiss meringue buttercream, because you make Swiss meringue first, which means cooking egg whites and sugar over a pan of simmering water in a double boiler (to avoid burning) until mixture reaches 160°F (for food safety reasons), and then whipping egg white-sugar mixture into stiff, glossy peaks. With your Swiss meringue made, the next step is to begin adding softened butter, one piece at a time. Adding the butter slowly is key, because you are blending two mixtures that wouldn’t normally mix. To pull it off successfully, have patience. Your frosting will simply look like soupy meringue until nearly the last piece of butter is blended, so keep the faith, follow the directions and keep beating. Once you’ve incorporated the butter with the meringue, it’s easy to stir in the cooled, melted chocolate.