This strawberry buttercream provides a fruity flavor to any springtime or summertime treat. It’s smooth and easy to put together, too. It’s never been more simple to create homemade frosting!
We love talking frosting here at Sweets and Treats because so many of our favorite baked goods simply wouldn’t taste right without a good frosting. Cupcakes? Cakes? Even some cookies and brownies? If you don’t get the frosting just right, it’s heartbreaking! It’s like pulling two soulmates apart!
Recently, we’ve been getting into “warm weather” flavors, since spring and summer are just around the corner. Strawberries have been on our mind, and we needed a good frosting to pair with some fruity cupcakes we’ll share soon…so we wrote up a recipe for strawberry buttercream. Ah, perfect! A match made in heaven! Vanilla just wasn’t going to cut it.
This strawberry buttercream pairs perfectly not just with strawberry- or fruit-flavored cupcakes and cakes, but also with chocolate and vanilla, too. It’s also really, really easy to make, and tastes better than store-bought frostings, in our humble opinion. If you want to impress some friends with your A+ baking skills as the weather gets warmer…this is your recipe! Enjoy!
Strawberry Buttercream: Ingredients & Utensils
To make this strawberry frosting, you’ll need…
Ingredients:
- Softened butter, powdered sugar: Make sure the butter is unsalted, and the sugar’s been sifted to remove all the lumps. This helps form the creamy base texture of your buttercream…yum!
- Heavy whipping cream: The other half of the buttercream base. You can also use half-and-half or milk.
- Freeze-dried strawberries: These, of course, provide the strawberry flavor for your buttercream. We use freeze dried strawberries because they provide the most flavor, believe it or not.
- Vanilla extract: In any recipe, vanilla extract tends to enhance and balance sweet flavors already present. You’ll want it here so the buttercream isn’t too sweet! (And yes, there is such a thing as too sweet!)
Utensils & Other Tools:
- Food processor: You’ll use this to pulse your strawberries into a powder.
- Large mixing bowl: To beat together your butter, sugar, cream, etc.
How to Make Strawberry Buttercream
This Strawberry Buttercream is very similar to other frosting recipes, except for the addition of dried strawberries.
Begin by using a food processor to pulse the dried strawberries into fine powder.
It’s best to sift the powdered sugar to remove any large clumps. You don’t have to do this step, but we have found it makes the buttercream a lot more creamy.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until it’s light and fluffy.
Then gradually add the powdered sugar, alternating with the whipping cream.
Add the vanilla extract and beat well.
Now mix in the strawberry powder until well combined.
You are ready to frost your cupcakes, cookies or cake with this luscious strawberry frosting.
Strawberry Buttercream: Serving Suggestions
Not sure how you want to use this strawberry buttercream? We’ve got ideas for you!
Pair strawberry frosting with cake flavors like…
- Chocolate and devil-food
- Vanilla and angel-food
- Strawberry (obviously!)
- Watermelon (for double the fruity goodness!)
- Banana (who doesn’t love strawberry-banana?)
- Lemon or lemonade
You can also toss it on brownies or cookies, too! Yum!
Use matching sprinkles like…
Serve strawberry buttercream at…
- Any summer or spring occasion
- Valentine’s Day, because of its pretty pink appearance!
- A girl’s birthday or baby shower
- Mother’s Day
Strawberry Buttercream: FAQs
Here are some questions we’ve been asked about this recipe!
How long does it take to make strawberry buttercream?
If you follow our recipe, just about 10 minutes or so! It’s very quick.
How much strawberry frosting does this recipe make?
About 3 cups. It’s enough to generously frost a whole 9×13 cake or about 12 cupcakes!
Is buttercream the same as icing?
Icing is primarily sugar and milk, whereas buttercream includes…well, butter, too! It’s fluffier than most icing and has a smoother texture.
Can you use margarine instead of butter?
Yes, although it will affect the flavor, so be aware of that!
Do you have to use frozen strawberries?
You can also use pureed fresh strawberries if you have those on hand. To enhance the flavor, you can additionally put some fresh strawberries, chopped very small, into the frosting! However, we truly recommend freeze dried strawberries…for whatever reason, they make this buttercream taste the best.
Did you enjoy our recipe for strawberry buttercream?
It’s delicious, fruity, and perfect for any spring or summer occasion! Let us know your thoughts in the comments on this strawberry frosting. Did you use our Strawberry Cupcakes recipe with it or top these cookies or pipe rosettes with it? We love to hear from everyone! You could even use these as a rosette top on strawberry cookies!
More frosting fun at Sweets & Treats!
We bet you didn’t know how creative you can get with frosting! It’s never just chocolate or vanilla, you know…and we have lots of recipes to show you right here on our blog.
- Dark Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Caramel Icing Recipe
- Almond Cupcake Frosting
- Pink Lemonade Frosting
Strawberry Buttercream
Make this easy Recipe for Strawberry Buttercream to go with Strawberry Cupcakes, Cookies, and more!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar, best if it’s sifted first to remove lumps
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, half-and-half or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup freeze dried strawberries
Instructions
- Add dried strawberries to food processor and pulse into fine powder, set aside
- If you are sifting the powdered sugar, do that now. Sift, then measure.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy
- Gradually add powdered sugar, alternating with whipping cream
- Add vanilla extract and beat well
- Mix in dried strawberry powder until well combined
- Use immediately or store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Let come to room temperature before using.
Notes
This recipe will generously frost 12 cupcakes or a 9x13 inch cake.