This Strawberry Buttercream Recipe has a beautiful, spring flavor frosting that boasts a naturally vibrant pink color.
There’s nothing like cake for celebrating, and there’s no time for celebrating like spring, right? I absolutely love the flavors that come along with the sun dresses and sandals. Fresh, juicy berries, tender spring greens. And if we can put those flavors in a cake, then pile it high with flowers, COUNT ME IN!
Flavoring Frosting Naturally
We all know about artificial flavors and colors. They’re easy, they’re fast, and they work! But they also come along with a whole slew of chemicals and potential allergic reactions. Which is why, if possible, natural flavors and colors are the way to go. Bonus points because, obviously, they taste waaaayyy better too. Or maybe that’s the best part?
But there’s this little thing called food science that can make things…difficult. In this particular case, butter (fats) and liquids (strawberries) don’t always like to play nice. So when you try to mix them, rather than emulsifying into a nice, smooth frosting, they’ll get all weird and curdly. No amount of powdered sugar will make them play nice, and you’ll just end up with an overly sweet frosting.
The answer is to reduce the liquid being added. So we’re cooking the strawberries down, which not only removes liquid but also intensifies the flavor. It’s a good thing all around! And it gives you a gorgeous, bright pink frosting to boot, no Red 40 necessary.
How to decorate with Strawberry Buttercream
The recipe below will frost a 2 layer 8″ cake with enough for some as a filling between cake layers. The cake pictured is actually a 3 layer 10″ and required 1.5X the recipe. I wanted a light pink, but with a strong strawberry flavor, so I mixed extra strawberry reduction into some of the frosting for the filling and crumb layer on the cake. Best of both worlds! However, you can adjust amounts to achieve the color/flavor you desire.
If you plan to pipe the frosting, make sure to puree the strawberry reduction very finely, or put the puree through a sieve to make sure the seeds won’t clog your tips.
And that’s really all there is to it! This strawberry buttercream is the perfect finishing touch for any celebration cake–Mother’s Day, birthdays, or just because. Flowers piled on top are not strictly necessary, but very highly recommended.
Print
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 5–6 cups, enough to frost a 2 layer 8″ cake 1x
Description
This Strawberry Buttercream Recipe has a beautiful, spring flavor frosting that boasts a naturally vibrant pink color.
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh strawberries, washed, hulled, and chopped
- 1 Tbsp. of fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, soft
- 6–7 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- Large pinch of sea salt
Instructions
Place strawberries and lemon juice in a medium sauce pan and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, or until the strawberries have softened. Crush them with a fork and continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes, or until the strawberries have reduced to about half of the original volume. Skim any foam that forms on the top while cooking and discard it. Allow the strawberries to cool completely, then blend them in a blender until smooth.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter for 2-3 minutes, or until it is light and fluffy. Add in 6 cups of the powdered sugar and the pinch of salt, then mix on low until it has all incorporated, scraping the sides of the bowl to make sure all of the butter is being mixed in.
Add the vanilla extract and strawberry reduction a little bit at a time until you have reached the desired flavor and color. If you have added most of it, then frosting may be thin and you may need to add extra powdered sugar for a spreadable consistency.
Spread or pipe onto cakes or cupcakes. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature and whip again if needed before using.
Notes
- Always sift the powdered sugar. There are tiny lumps that you may not even see when adding it to the frosting, but they’ll show up in the frosting and mar the finish.
- Beating the butter for a couple of minutes gives you a fluffier, less greasy frosting in the end.
- Cooking down the strawberries may seem like an extra step, but the extra liquid they add could cause your buttercream to “split”, leaving you with a messy, curdled blob of goo. Reduced strawberries will also give you a more intense flavor.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Cakes & Frostings
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American