Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
A creamy, naturally pink buttercream frosting made with real fresh strawberries, perfect for cakes and cupcakes.
Ingredients
Strawberry Reduction
- 1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
- 1 tbsp water
Buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 0.25 tsp salt
- 1-2 tbsp heavy cream or milk, as needed
Instructions
Make the Strawberry Reduction
- Place the hulled and quartered strawberries (1) into a small saucepan and add the water (2). Set the pan over medium heat and let the berries soften and release their juices. Once the pan is full of red liquid, mash the berries with a fork or potato masher. Continue cooking and stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes, until the mixture thickens into a jam like paste and most of the liquid has cooked away. You should end up with roughly 1/2 cup of thick strawberry puree.
- For a completely smooth frosting, press the warm puree through a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl, discarding the seeds left behind. Transfer the puree to a small dish and let it cool to room temperature, or refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes to speed up cooling. The puree must be completely cool before continuing, or it will melt the butter and cause the frosting to separate.
Make the Buttercream
- Add the softened unsalted butter (3) to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until pale, creamy, and smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the sifted powdered sugar (4) one cup at a time, mixing after each addition until fully incorporated. Scrape down the bowl again once all four cups have been added.
- Add the cooled strawberry puree, vanilla extract (5), and salt (6) to the bowl. Beat on low speed until just combined, then increase to medium high speed and beat for 2 to 3 minutes, until the frosting is a soft pink color and looks light and fluffy.
- If the frosting is too thick to spread or pipe easily, add the heavy cream or milk (7) one tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition, until smooth and spreadable while still holding soft peaks. If it becomes too thin, add an extra tablespoon or two of powdered sugar to firm it back up.
- Use the frosting right away on cooled cupcakes or a fully cooled cake. If not using immediately, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. Before using refrigerated frosting, bring it to room temperature and re-whip for a minute to restore its fluffy texture.
Notes
For a completely seedless frosting, strain the cooked strawberry puree through a fine mesh sieve before cooling. The strawberry puree must be fully cooled before adding it to the butter, or the frosting will separate.
Nutrition
Calories: 165kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 0.3gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 30mgSugar: 23g
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