I usually use this recipe for my SMBC http://cakecentral.com/recipes/5453/the-well-dressed-cake-swiss-meringue-buttercream-with-variations. I've made it in chocolate using semi-sweet chocolate but the longer you mix it (and you want to, to make sure the chocolate is evenly incorporated) the colour gets lighter. I find this as well with an american buttercream. Anyone have any idea on how to get a darker chocolate buttercream?

Thanks
Pam

I don't use SMBC, but with American BC, if I want a fudgy frosting, I mix up the regular buttercream (stiff consistency), then hand mix in ganache or a jar of hot fudge topping. It will give you a more fudge like texture and darker fudgy color like a can of store bought frosting would.

I use Toba Garretts chocolate butter cream recipe. It's the best chocolate butter cream I have tasted. You could use semi sweet or dark chocolate to make the ganache for the recipe. It would give you a darker color. I usually use milk chocolate. You can see the chocolate butter cream in my photos.

Forgot to add. I purchased Fondarific chocolate fondant and didn't think it was dark enough for the cake I was covering. The owner told me to add a little black food coloring and it worked. Made a nice dark brown. Try doing this with your butter cream.

Just add brown food colour.
xx

Or add more chocolate.

I really like Hersey's Special Dark Cocoa too. It makes a darker, richer buttercream (american buttercream anyway.)

Or add more chocolate.

I really like Hersey's Special Dark Cocoa too. It makes a darker, richer buttercream (american buttercream anyway.)

Thanks everyone! Lots of good ideas. And I've got Toba Garrett's book too!

Glad I came to check. I haven't gotten any notification about replies.

after you start a topic you need to go back into it and click start watching this topic, under the reply bit. odd, but it doesnt do it automatically!
xx

It never worked like that before. I've always gotten notification and the "notify me when a reply is posted" is a default setting.

In any case, I'll do so from now on. Thanks!