With just 5 ingredients, you can whip up a batch of this deliciously easy strawberry buttercream frosting recipe in just 10 minutes!
Doesn't this strawberry buttercream look delicious?! It has such a naturally pretty pink color, no food coloring required. And, it tastes just as good as it looks.
This recipe is an American buttercream, which means it's super quick and easy to make. Similar to this lemon buttercream recipe, it has the classic sweet, fluffy buttercream flavor and texture most of us grew up on for birthday cakes and cupcakes.
But, this homemade recipe is bursting with strawberry flavor and pairs perfectly with chocolate cake, yellow cupcakes, strawberry cake filling, and is one of my favorite macaron fillings.
Ingredients
Freeze-Dried Strawberries
This is the most unique ingredient for this strawberry frosting. I've found they work so much better than fresh strawberries and are much easier to use.
Fresh or frozen strawberries need to be boiled down or else they can cause the frosting to get watery. Otherwise, it if you don’t cook them down it can be hard to get enough strawberry flavor with regular berries. The freeze dried version packs such a strong authentic strawberry flavor with so little work. Just grind them up in a food processor or blender and you're good to go.
And thankfully, freeze dried strawberries are available just about everywhere these days. Most grocery stores sell them, along with Trader Joe's and Amazon.
Let the ease of using freeze-dried strawberries do the work and save your fresh strawberries to top your cakes and tarts, or other desserts where they will really shine like these candied strawberries, chocolate covered strawberries, or strawberry lemon blondies.
How to Make
Traditional American buttercream frostings is one of the easiest frostings to make and there are only a few simple steps for this strawberry frosting version:
Step 1: Pulse Strawberries
Pulse the dried strawberries in a food processor util they've broken down and formed a loose powder. Set aside until ready to use. If you want, you can also sift out the strawberry seeds from the powdered berries.
Step 2: Cream Butter
Add the softened butter to the bowl of a standing mixer or large bowl with a hand held mixer. Mix on medium to medium high for 3-4 minutes, until the butter is very pale and yellow. This helps for a light and fluffy frosting, so be sure to mix for the full 3-4 minutes.
Step 3: Add Sugar and Strawberries
Add the powdered sugar, strawberries and mix on low for 30-60 seconds until it starts to incorporate. Once the frosting comes together and looks crumbly, turn up the speed and mix on medium high for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
At this point you add the vanilla, milk or cream, and salt. Once it’s mixed, gauge the consistency. If you want it thinner you can add another tablespoon or two of liquid. Mix another minute until incorporated. That's it! It's now ready to use on your favorite desserts.
Frosting Cakes and Cupcakes
This strawberry buttercream frosting recipe makes about 2 ½-3 cups frosting.
This is enough to cover about 18-24 cupcakes (depending on how much frosting you use) or a 9×13 inch cake. The recipe can easily be doubled or halved as needed.
Because we use freeze-dried and not fresh strawberries, this frosting is sturdy and perfectly pipeable. It also works well under fondant. Frosted cakes and cupcakes can sit out for up to a day, provided there is nothing else in them that would need refrigeration such as pastry cream, whipped cream, etc. and it’s not too hot out.
Make ahead and storing
Like most buttercream frostings, this recipe keeps in the fridge and freezer very well. This strawberry frosting recipe will last up to a week in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer in an airtight container.
If frozen, let defrost in the fridge. Then, remove the frosting from the fridge and let it soften. Remix until light and fluffy.
Looking for more frosting recipes? Check these out!
- Italian Meringue Buttercream
- Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- Ermine Frosting
- Almond Frosting
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Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
Equipment
- Standing or Hand-Held Mixer with Bowl
INGREDIENTS
- 1.5 cups freeze-dried strawberries
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1-2 tbsp milk or cream up to 1/4 cup
- 1 tsp vanilla
- pinch of salt omit if using salted butter
Instructions
- Add the dried strawberries to a food processor and process until they are very finely ground.
- Add the softened butter to the bowl of a standing mixer or large bowl with a hand held mixer.
- Mix on medium to medium high speed for 3-4 minutes, until the butter is very pale and yellow. Mixing the butter so long helps for making a light and fluffy frosting.
- Add the powdered sugar and strawberry powder to the butter and mix on the lowest speed for 30-60 seconds until it comes together and starts to look crumbly.
- Once it comes together, turn up the speed and mix another 3-4 minutes until it is very light and fluffy.
- Turn off the mixer and add your vanilla extract and gauge the consistency. If you want a thinner frosting, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of milk or cream. If you want a thicker frosting, add another few tablespoons of powdered sugar.
- Mix another minute until everything is incorporated and it’s ready to use in your favorite dessert!
Notes
- Beat the butter for a good 3-4 minutes before adding the sugar and strawberries and again after adding the sugar. Mixing the butter and frosting so long makes for a very light and fluffy frosting.
- If you want you can sift the freezer dried strawberries if you want to get rid of the seed.
- The frosting will keep 4-5 days in the fridge or up to 2 months in the freezer.
- This recipe makes about 2.5 to 3 cups of frosting and can easily be doubled as needed.
Laura says
This frosting is delicious! I somehow didn’t wind up needing any milk but the flavor is perfect. The strawberries help even out the sweetness of all that powdered sugar and bring such a pretty natural color. I used it to frost two 8in rounds of chocolate cake.
Alexis says
It is so hard to find a good buttercream recipe that is not only easy to make but also tastes delicious. This recipe hits all the points! Thank you.
Kari says
I was searching for a rich strawberry frosting recipe and this is it. I love how you use freeze dried strawberries and the intense flavour of real strawberries just comes through victoriously!
Amy Liu Dong says
This made my day, the texture of this strawberry buttercream frosting is simply out of the chart. Great idea for our cupcake frosting, loved it!
Gail Montero says
I learned something new here! Love the use of freeze-dried strawberries so no need to worry about making some watery frosting!
Lathiya says
This strawberry buttercream looks so gorgeous and I loved you used freeze-dried strawberries. I have never tried freeze-drying strawberries. Will be doing hereafter.