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,
does this have to be refrigerated with using freeze dried strawberries
It would be fine at room temperature for about 24 hours, but then it’s best to refrigerate it.
I actually made this recipe for macarons, both using strawberry and subbing out the strawberry for blueberry flavored macarons. The strawberry wasn’t the right consistency and was a smidge too melty for macarons, BUT the blueberry was super firm so it can be done.
For like a cupcake though this recipe would be perfect, maybe go a bit lighter on the cream and you’ll be good to go. It’s delicious and the strawberry (or, blueberry) taste is extremely evident.
I’m glad you enjoyed it! If you wanted the strawberry mixture to be a little thicker for filling your macarons, consider cooking it with a little bit of cornstarch to thicken it further before adding it to the frosting.
Is the 1 cup measurement on the freeze dried or fresh strawberries before or after pureeing them?
It’s one cup of freeze dried strawberries prior to grinding them up. If using fresh strawberries, it’s actually one and a half cups of chopped strawberries. I hope that helps.
Your ingredients list state 1/2 cup of fresh strawberries but in your comments you state 1 1/2 cups of fresh strawberries. Please clarify, thank you.
Perhaps it’s the way the recipe is displaying for you, but it does show one and a half cups of fresh strawberries in the ingredients. Looking at it on my phone, the “1” is at the end of the top line and the “1/2” is at the beginning of the second, so I could see how that would be confusing. It’s just where the line break is.
can i frost single layer 8″ cake?
It kind of depends on how much frosting you like to use, but a thin layer of frosting, yes.
Hi Lindsey,
I noticed you don’t use Crisco for this frosting. Is there a specific reason? I’m using the recipe to frost a layer cake and just want to be sure it won’t be too soft or thin without the shortening.
Thank you!
Yes, I’ve kind of switched to not using the shortening. I get so much negative feedback about it. You can certainly use it if you want to be sure that the frosting is more stable, but it shouldn’t be terribly necessary unless it’ll be in a warmer environment.
This was amazing! What a nice frosting! I had some freeze dried strawberry snack packets my kids didn’t like because they were too sour. Perfect for this recipe! I’m about to try it again for my son’s birthday.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I have made this frosting several times and turned out great, very sweet. But the recipes make too much, so I decided to halve the recipe. 2 problems. I did this by weight and according to Google, 2 cups of powdered sugar is about 60 grams. Obviously this made a much smaller amount of frosting and not as sweet. I added probably another 60 grams and it came out OK. The other problem is that you need to puree with more strawberries (than 3/4 of a cup – half the full amount) as 3/4 of a cup would process with my Vita Mix blender, not a big problem.
Mine has come out very thin. I followed the instructions, i thought, to a “t”. I used my mixer. Is that why? Should i have hand mixed it? Now im having to add a lot more sugar to thicken it up unless you have another suggestion.
The way buttercream turns out too thin is if you had too much liquid (purée in this case) or you don’t add enough powdered sugar. If you added too much of the strawberry purée, that could’ve done it. Or if you didn’t add all of the powdered sugar listed in the recipe. The only way to really thicken it is to add more powdered sugar. Next time I would try adding only as much strawberry purée as needed.
I’m really looking forward to try this recipe! Do you know how many grams 1 cup of freeze dried strawberries is? Thanks!
I’m not sure, I’m sorry. But they are very lightweight.
Hi there, If I use cream in the recipe are you referring to heavy whipping cream & can I leave the cupcakes out for a party or would the icing need to stay cold? How well does this icing hold up to heat? Thank you for sharing recipe I’m hoping to test it out this week.
Yes, I am referring to heavy whipping cream. If you are going to be letting them sit out for a while, you may want to use water instead. With the cream, it’s probably best to refrigerate. Yes far as holding up the heat, it’s butter based so it does start to soften and melt if it gets too hot.
This worked out so good! It tasted delicious and looks beautiful~ I used your vanilla cupcake recipe and frosted this on top. Thank you so much!!
So glad you enjoyed it!
How much does this make?? Enough for a whole cake??
It really depends on how much frosting you tend to use and how big the cake is. It’s enough for me to frost 12 cupcakes. I would probably double it or so for a full sized 8 inch cake.
This is an amazing recipe! 5 stars! It doesn’t have any artificial ingredients and whips up to a beautiful, bright pink color!
This looks AMAZING, but is there a way to add more strawberry flavour? Perhaps lemon juice or more strawberry powder? Thanks!!!
You could try a little more strawberry powder, but you don’t want to dry it out. You could also try strawberry extract.
Yes you can add additional flavour by using the strawberry candy &baking flavouring. I buy mine at Bulk Barn or you can buy some on amazon. You can visit LorAnnOils.com
It is an awsome cake. My children lick the bowl and can you send me notifications daily? I would like to keep track on all the new recipes, they are amazing, Lindsay! Thankyou so much.
So glad you enjoy it! There’s a “Join now” button for my email list in the top right corner of the site. I hope that helps!
Thank You Lindsay for the great recipe. I used the freeze dried strawberries that you recommend and the recipe is very nice. I have a small blade coffee grinder I use only for making my own powdered sugar and for baking purposes. It ground up the strawberries perfectly. I did a few drops of lemon ( which seems to brighten the taste of strawberry in baking ) but not a lot. You don’t really want to taste the lemon over the strawberries. Just enhance them. Love this recipe and will continue to use it! Thanks again…
Glad you enjoyed it!
How do I make the frosting look more fluffy like yours? Mine arnt runny but they won’t stack that high like yours
It’s all about a balance of powdered sugar and the strawberry purée. You want to cook the strawberry purée down so that you don’t need as much in the frosting to add good strawberry flavor. But you should only add as much strawberry purée as you can without compromising the thickness of the frosting. If it’s not piping well enough, you probably added too much strawberry purée.