Made with either fresh strawberries or freeze-dried strawberries, this strawberry frosting is the perfect finishing touch for so many desserts. It’s creamy and full of flavor, perfect for piping on cupcakes or frosting layer cakes, and comes together with just a handful of ingredients.
I would say that of all the flavors of frosting, I get the most questions about strawberry frosting. It’s a bit elusive. Strawberry puree alone often doesn’t lend enough flavor, and if you add too much, you thin out your frosting beyond where it’s pipe-able. And if you add chunks of strawberries, it really throws things off. So what’s a strawberry lover to do?
This easy strawberry frosting recipe cracks the code. It’s based on my classic vanilla buttercream and can be made in two ways – either with fresh strawberries in a strawberry reduction or with freeze-dried strawberries. Both incorporate a beautiful pink color and strawberry flavor without thinning the frosting or throwing the texture off.
I’ve used this frosting in so many ways, including on my popular fresh strawberry cupcakes and strawberries and cream cupcakes. The bright color and flavor are extra nice for Valentine’s Day and spring and summer, too.
Why This Is The Best Strawberry Frosting Recipe
- Two ways to make it. As noted above, this recipe can be made with freeze-dried strawberries or fresh strawberries. Both options result in a beautiful frosting with great strawberry flavor, so use whichever one works best for you.
- Endless ways to use it. Strawberry frosting pairs with chocolate, vanilla, AND strawberry cakes and cupcakes. It’s a fun way to add a pop of flavor and color to a classic chocolate layer cake or vanilla layer cake.
- It’s easy! Whether you opt for the strawberry reduction or the freeze-dried strawberries, this strawberry buttercream frosting is easy to make. It’s a bit quicker with the freeze-dried strawberries but not time intensive in either case (the reduction just needs time to cool). Anyone with a mixer can make this frosting!
Key Ingredients
This easy strawberry buttercream is made with just five very basic ingredients. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Strawberries – This strawberry frosting can be made with fresh or freeze-dried strawberries. See below for the pro’s and con’s of each.
- Butter – I always use unsalted butter for my frosting recipes to ensure control over the flavor. It should be at room temperature.
- Powdered sugar – Adds volume to the buttercream and helps thicken it. You could always reduce it if you prefer a thinner buttercream.
- Water – You can also use heavy cream or milk. Just note that water and regular milk thin out the buttercream more quickly than cream does.
- Vanilla extract – Just a splash to add a bit of extra flavor to complement the strawberry.
- Salt – A pinch of salt helps enhance the overall flavor of the frosting.
Freeze Dried vs Fresh Strawberries
There are two ways to make this strawberry frosting – with freeze-dried strawberries ground into a powder or with fresh strawberries pureed and cooked down to a strawberry reduction.
If fresh strawberries are in season, I like to opt for the strawberry reduction. But the freeze-dried strawberries are quicker and easier to work with and have the bonus of being available all year-round.
The only difference between using them is that, when using freeze-dried strawberries, you’ll need to add water or cream to the frosting to get the right consistency. Because the reduction adds liquid to the frosting naturally, you don’t need any extra. But with this version, the dry powder doesn’t do the job on it’s own and a little liquid is necessary to thin out the frosting a bit.
Flavor-wise, while the freeze-dried strawberries add some intense flavor, the strawberry reduction does a great job of keeping up and I could hardly tell a difference between the two.
Can I Use Frozen Strawberries?
I have received several questions from readers asking if they can use frozen strawberries to make strawberry frosting. In short, yes…but it’s not my preferred option.
I personally don’t like to use them because you can’t tell prior to buying and thawing them if they have good flavor or not, which will impact the final flavor of the frosting. The other thing about frozen strawberries is the water added, which can mute the flavor. Yes, you’ll cook them down and intensify the flavor, but again, I just prefer knowing I’m getting the best and strongest flavor.
If you can’t get your hands on fresh, ripe strawberries, I recommend using the freeze-dried strawberries option.
Tips for the Best Frosting
Here are a few helpful tips to keep in mind when making this frosting for the first time.
- Let the strawberry reduction cool. The strawberry reduction needs to cool to room temperature before being added to the frosting. Otherwise, it will just melt the butter.
- Don’t add too much reduction. I typically add about three to four tablespoons of strawberry reduction so that my frosting doesn’t thin out too much. If you prefer a thinner frosting (which is often okay for cupcakes and sheet cakes, but less ideal for layer cakes), you can add a little more.
- Strain the puree. I recommend straining the pureed strawberries to remove any seeds. This isn’t completely necessary but the frosting is likely to have more of a texture to it if you don’t, which I don’t love.
- Use room temperature butter. The butter should be softened to room temperature. If it’s too soft or too hard, it won’t stir up nicely into a smooth, creamy frosting.
- Get the perfect consistency. If using the freeze-dried strawberries, the added milk or cream will help get the right consistency for the frosting. Add only as much as needed. If using fresh strawberries, the strawberry reduction doubles as the liquid to thin the frosting. Check out my post on How to Get the Right Frosting Consistency for more tips.
Why Is My Strawberry Buttercream Grainy?
There are two reasons for this – the strawberry puree wasn’t strained (if using fresh strawberries) so the seeds are in the frosting or the powdered sugar is clumpy.
If you live in a humid environment and notice lumpy powdered sugar, simply sift it before adding it to the bowl to prevent this issue in the future.
Ways To Use Strawberry Frosting
- Cupcakes: This strawberry buttercream would be fantastic piped high on top of vanilla cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes, white cupcakes, and strawberry cupcakes. I also used it on my chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes.
- Cakes: Strawberry frosting works great on both sheet cakes, like vanilla sheet cake, and layer cakes. A few of my favorite layer cakes to use with this frosting include strawberry crunchy layer cake, strawberry champagne cake, and strawberry layer cake.
- Other desserts: There are lots of other ways to use this frosting, such as piped onto brownies for a decadent twist or as a filling in sandwich cookies.
Proper Storage
- Room temperature: The frosting can be stored at room temperature for up to 48 hours.
- Fridge: Strawberry frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It’s best enjoyed within a week. Bring it back to room temperature before using.
- Freezer: For longer storage, freeze the frosting for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge before using.
Homemade Strawberry Frosting – Two Ways
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Ingredients
- 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries (OR 1 1/2 cups (200g) chopped fresh strawberries)
- 1 cup (224g ) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 4 cups (460g) powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons (45-60ml) water or cream (if needed)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch or two of salt
Instructions
- If using fresh strawberries, add the strawberries to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. You should have about 3/4 cups of puree.
- Add the puree to a small sized saucepan and cook over medium heat. Allow the mixture to come to a slow boil, stirring consistently to keep it from burning, until it has thickened and reduced to about 6 tbsp, about 10-15 minutes. To measure, pour the puree into a measuring cup. If it’s more than 6 tbsp (between 1/4 and 1/2 cup), add it back to the pan and continue cooking.
- When the puree has thickened and reduced, pour into a large measuring cup and allow to cool to at least room temperature. This strawberry mixture can be made ahead, if you like, and stored in the fridge.
- If using freeze dried strawberries, add them to a food processor and grind into a fine powder. Set aside.
- Regardless of which version you're making, add the butter to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth.
- Add about half of the powdered sugar and beat until well combined and smooth.
- If using the strawberry reduction, add about 3 tablespoons of the reduction and beat until well combined and smooth. If using the freeze dried strawberries, add the powder and about 3 tablespoons of water or cream and beat until well combined and smooth.
- Add the vanilla extract and slowly add the remaining powdered sugar and beat until well combined and smooth.
- 9. Add additional strawberry reduction/milk or cream until your frosting is the right consistency. Use your frosting on cakes, cupcakes, etc. Frosting can be left at room temperature for 1-2 days, but if you aren't using it right away, I recommend refrigerating it for up to a week or freezing it for about a month.
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
Categories:
Cakes and Cupcakes, Easter, Frosting Recipes, Holidays, July 4th, Recipes, Sweets and Treats, Valentine's Day,
Big disappointed the recipe 😭
I tried the fresh strawberry version and the frosting is horribly hard. I used less than half sugar than how the recipe said. I dont know what happened. Very sad about it because it was made for my Birthday cake
I really don’t know how you could’ve ended up with hard frosting. There’s nothing in the recipe that is even hard, unless your butter wasn’t at room temperature.
Thank you for your answer. I really dont know neither. I left the butter out from fridge for overnight, it was soft.
After i mixed it was nice and smooth good for work with it around the cake and to fill with it. But for the next day when we took from the fridge it was very hard the frosting, unenjoyable..😣
Ok, so that helps. The frosting was fine when you made it, but firm out of the fridge. That makes perfect sense! Butter firms back up when it’s cold. It’s fine to eat that way, but you can also let it sit out for a bit to get closer to room temperature and soften back up. ANY buttercream is going to firm up in the fridge because it’ll be cold.
Hi! This looks AMAZING! The recipe states that I can leave the frosted cake at room temperature for 1-2 days. I just want to verify that this is correct because I want to frost the cake the day before the party. I don’t have room in my refrigerator and had given up on strawberry frosting until I read your recipe. I cannot wait to try it! Thank you!
Technically it should be fine. The freeze dried strawberry version would hold up best at room temperature.
Just wondering about an update on if the cake held up after the day at room temperature. I am thinking of decorating the day before as well. I could put it in the fridge but I am not sure which way is better to store it for 24 hours?
Hi, this came out delicious! I was wondering if it would work to mix blue or green food coloring in (using the fresh strawberry puree version) without yielding a purple or brown color. Will either of those colors work even though the puree gives the frosting a light pink color?
No, I don’t think that that would work. It would definitely mix with the pink of the strawberry purée.
It actually worked! I tested it out first, and it held up. Then I put in 25 drops of blue to the whole batch and it achieved the color I was looking for. 🙂
Wonderful!
Can I use frozen strawberries instead of fresh?
That should be fine
I made this recently as I have been trying to duplicate a childhood favorite. It was delicious. I did not purée & strain the strawberries I just mashed them up. I rather like the strawberry seeds.
Thank you for some great tips to help me recreate a wonderful memory.
Is there a way to make make strawberry frosting that’s not pink? Lol I know it’s silly but my boyfriend’s birthday is coming up and he loves strawberry frosting, but I don’t want his cake to have pink frosting, unless it have to lol.
To do that, you’d want to use strawberry extract, which is clear. I can usually find it at walmart or you could try amazon.
or add blue dye for purple
If you want to use it, you can sub out half of the butter for shortening.
Lindsay – Your recipe says you can use shortening, twice.
I’m not sure what you’re referring to?
I was replying under MERCEDESDESSERTBAR’s comment.
Search this page for the word “shortening.”
“Much like my vanilla buttercream frosting, you’ll start with your butter (and shortening, if you like) and beat that until it’s nice and smooth.”
and
“Regardless of which version you’re making, add the butter (and shortening, if using) to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth.”
They were clarifying how much shortening they’d use, if they were to follow your tips.
How long will the starwberry puree keep in the fridge? Could i make it a week in advance?
It depends on how long your strawberries would last. A week might be a little long. I’d say 1-2 days in advance is probably the most just to make sure it stays fresh.
Followed your recipe as is but it came out a tad watery. Any tricks on how to thicken it up?
Perhaps you added too much purée? The only way to thicken it back up is to add more powdered sugar. You definitely want to add small amounts of liquid to frosting at a time because it is harder to thicken it back up.
Would this recipe cover a 3 layer cake?
That really depends on how much frosting you like to use on your cake. I would probably use about 2 1/2 recipes worth for a full sized cake. But some people tell me I’m insane to use that much frosting, LOL.
When you say “1 cup of freeze dried strawberries” are you measuring before or after you turn it to dust?
Measuring before.
How much then for already powdered strawberry mixture
I did not measure the final powder, so it’s hard to say. I’m guessing somewhere around 1/4 cup.
Love your recipes, and this is a wonderful looking one! Excited to try it! I tried to save your recipe to Pinterest and it wasn’t really working. So I created a pin and wanted to share with you because I think you deserve credit and the recipe deserves more platform! https://pin.it/5O5mk9J
1 cup freeze dried strawberries before or after pureeing?
You can use either the purée or the freeze dried strawberries. You don’t need to use both.
Is there any way to make this a cream cheese frosting? Maybe add some cream cheese, what do you think?
For a cream cheese strawberry frosting, check out this cake. https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/homemade-strawberry-cake-recipe/
How much shortning should be used for this recipe?
This recipe doesn’t use shortening
Best strawberry cupcake recipe ever, better than Cooks Illustrated.
Why choose? I added the ground freeze dried strawberries to the reduced pureed strawberries and the flavor was amazing. I was told it was the best frosting some had ever had. Thank you so much for the idea of using the freeze dried strawberries, it increases the flavor without making the frosting too liquid.
Great idea! It sounds amazing! Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Lisa, how much ground freeze strawberry did you add to the reduced puree? I was too worried it would not taste good if I combined freeze dried with the puree since I make a large number of cupcakes for my church luncheon. Did you measure how much you put in?
Lindsay, this was the best post ever! I’ve always wanted to make strawberry frosting, but here in Canada I don’t think freeze-dried strawberries are very common, and that seems like the only way most of my favorite bloggers make it. So this post was super helpful, and I can’t wait to try and make strawberry frosting with the reduced strawberry purée method! 🙂
I’m glad you found it helpful, Erin! I hope you enjoy it!
I tried making this tonight and for some reason it didn’t turn out thick enough? I followed step-by-step. Any recommendations?? The taste was amazing! 🥰
Did you add the full amount of powdered sugar. The frosting is a balance of the “wet” ingredients (butter, water or cream and strawberries) and the powdered sugar. So if it’s not thick enough, there was either too much of the “wet” ingredients added or not enough powdered sugar.
Hello! For your strawberry buttercream, how many cupcakes would you say this amount of buttercream could frost?
I use a fairly generous amount of frosting, so this would frost about 12 to 15 cupcakes for me.
Hi can I use this on Swiss buttercream instead of American buttercream? Thank you!
I really haven’t worked with swiss meringue buttercream much. I assume you could, but can’t speak from experience.
I used the freeze dried strawberry method and it turned out great! Saved me some time and effort without sacrificing flavor! Thank you!
The icing turned out awesome. Thank you. Tom
So good!! I made this for a two layer cake I made. There was enough for the middle, too and sides!!