This beautiful Strawberry Buttercream Frosting is naturally colored and filled with real strawberries. This easy frosting is loaded with flavor and it comes together in minutes. The perfect topping for cake, cupcakes, brownies, and more!
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting is what spring and summer dreams are made of. But, good news – you can make this frosting year round. You’ll want to put it on anything and everything.
This Strawberry Buttercream became a regular in our dessert rotation six years ago when we used it on our Strawberry Cupcakes.
This is the perfect way to make a pretty pink frosting without any food coloring. Yep, you read that right – no food coloring. Real strawberries bring the beautiful pink color to our frosting. And every bite is bursting with the flavor of sweet fresh strawberries.
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Ingredients needed
- Unsalted butter
- Powdered sugar
- Freeze dried strawberries
- Vanilla
- Strawberry jam
- Milk OR fresh strawberry puree (more on this below)
Recipe overview
Start by grinding the freeze dried strawberries into powder. Pour it through a fine mesh sieve and discard the seeds. You will be left with a fine pinkish/red powder that will add tons of strawberry flavor to the frosting.
Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat butter until smooth, Add powdered sugar and beat until combined.
Add the freeze dried strawberry powder, jam, vanilla, and milk/strawberry puree.
Beat until smooth and combined.
Ingredient spotlight: freeze dried strawberries
Freeze dried strawberries are strawberries that have low water content and are dried out and crispy. They can be found on the dried fruit aisle (I get mine at Target or Whole Foods). Note: they are not dried strawberries which are soft and chewy (like a raisin).
Because they are dry they allow us to add a deep, more intense strawberry flavor without adding too much moisture which could make the frosting thin and runny.
Pulse the freeze dried strawberries in a food processor or blender until ground into a fine powder.
Can you use fresh strawberries?
Yes! I love making this recipe with fresh, pureed strawberries. Just pop 5-10 strawberries in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. You’ll need 2-3 tablespoons of strawberry puree and you’ll use it in place of the milk to thin out the frosting.
Make sure your strawberries are juicy and sweet otherwise they won’t add much flavor.
What to put strawberry frosting on?
More frosting recipes
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Recipe
Strawberry Buttercream
Ingredients
- ¾ cup freeze dried strawberries
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy, plus more if needed
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 generous tablespoon strawberry jam
- 2 tablespoons milk OR 5-8 fresh strawberries*, plus more if needed
Instructions
- In a small food processor, blend freeze dried strawberries until they turn into powder. Pour the powder into a fine mesh sieve, discarding the solids and seeds, keeping the fine powder that came through the sieve. Set the powder aside, you should have a scant ¼ cup.
- With a hand mixer, or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl and the beater as necessary. Add the powdered sugar, ½ a cup at a time, beating until combined.
- Add freeze dried strawberry powder, vanilla extract, jam, and either 2 tablespoons of milk OR 2 tablespoons strawberry puree. Beat on medium speed until fully combined, being sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl and beater as needed. If necessary, adjust the consistency by adding more powdered sugar to thicken, or more milk or strawberry puree to thin it out.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Demi
Can I ask how long the buttercream will last please?
Celebrating Sweets
It should last a couple of days in the fridge.
Alba
Can I make it without strawberry jam, or replace it?
Celebrating Sweets
You can, but the jam really adds a stronger strawberry flavor. If you leave it out, you can add a little extra strawberry puree.
Stephanie Garcia Mann
Hello! Can I prepare this and leave at room temperature for the day after?
Celebrating Sweets
If it’s already on the cake/cupcakes you could probably leave it at cool room temperature for one day. If you’re just storing the frosting, I would recommend refrigerating it and bringing it to room temp before using it.
Lauren
I’m gonna start by saying this frosting is delicious, but I have one remark. I may not understand much about serving sizes, but when I read this can frost a single layer 9-inch cake, My first thought was “OH! If my cake recipe is two layers, I should double the recipe!” I now have a ton of leftover frosting with no idea what to do with it. There have been worse problems in the history of the world, but I think based on how much I have left over, the original portion would probably adequately cover a 2-layer cake as well.
Celebrating Sweets
Hi, Lauren. I’m glad you liked it. Yes, the amount listed would allow enough frosting to cover the sides and the top of a layer cake, with enough to pipe a border (as some people like to do). I have frosted many cakes and cupcakes only to come up slightly short on frosting, and have to whip up a mini batch. I over estimate a bit to allow for heavy handed frosting. I’m sorry that it made more than you needed, it’s never fun to waste food. This frosting is also delicious on brownies, sugar cookies, rice krispies treats, pound cake or graham crackers. Thanks for sharing your experience. 🙂
Joohee
Will the strawberry flavor be more pronounced after the frosting sits a bit? I can’t really taste the strawberry, just powdered sugar and a little butter.
Celebrating Sweets
The strawberry flavor might increase a touch, but probably not much. A big part of the strawberry flavor is going to come from how sweet and flavorful your fresh strawberries are. Since strawberries are not in season right now, the strawberries that are available tend to be less sweet and flavorful than ripe spring/summer strawberries. This will definitely result in a less flavorful frosting. You can try increasing the strawberry jam by a little bit.
Micaela
When you say powdered sugar do you mean confectioners sugar or granulated?
Celebrating Sweets
Confectioners sugar. Granulated would be too grainy. Enjoy!
Tashi
Can I use just strawberry jam instead of the puree.
Celebrating Sweets
Sure, it will just be a bit more sweet. Enjoy!
Lizzi
I’m super excited to try this recipe this weekend! It looks incredible! Can I substitute in the jam for the puree and freeze dried strawberries? If so, what measurement would that leave the jam at? Thanks!
Celebrating Sweets
Hi, Lizzi. You’ll need quite a bit of jam since that will be the only thing adding the strawberry flavor. I’d say probably close to 1/4 cup. The jam will add a fair amount of sugar which will make the frosting much sweeter. Also, the strawberry flavor will be less strong and the color lighter than pictured. Best of luck playing around with it.
Meghan
Looking forward to seeing how this turns out! Would I be able to substitute freeze dried strawberries for strawberry jello powder to add more flavour?
Celebrating Sweets
Sure, that should work. I haven’t tried it, so I don’t know what quantity to recommend. Start with a little and taste as you go, adding more, if needed. Enjoy!
Taylor
How much does this produce
Celebrating Sweets
About 2 cups.