Learn how to make a fresh, beautiful, naturally pink Strawberry Frosting using either fresh, frozen, or freeze-dried berries! Recipe includes a how-to video!
A Fresh, Naturally-Flavored Strawberry Frosting
Today’s strawberry frosting is a sort of choose-your-own-adventure recipe. When I set out to write this post, I didn’t plan on offering two variations of this recipe, but after lots of taste-testing, I decided both versions were too good not to share.
My strawberry frosting can be made using either fresh, frozen, or freeze-dried strawberries. No matter which method you choose, I guarantee it will yield an authentic, fresh strawberry flavor with a natural bright pink color, perfect for covering your favorite cakes or cupcakes (hint: pair it with my dark chocolate cupcakes for a chocolate/strawberry cupcake… yum!).
Today we start with a buttercream frosting base which we then infuse with the real fresh taste of strawberries. Let’s get to it!
What You Need
- Strawberries. For today’s recipe you will only need one or the other: freeze dried strawberries or fresh strawberries (or frozen, quartered strawberries, which we will treat exactly the same as we would fresh berries). I detail the differences in the frostings made with either further on in the post, but you really can’t go wrong either way.
- Powdered sugar. An essential ingredient for nearly all of my frosting recipes, this thickens the icing. Do not try to substitute granulated sugar, which will not work.
- Butter. Another classic buttercream frosting ingredient, you’ll want this to be softened, but not so soft that it’s melting/oily. I opt for unsalted butter and then add salt to best control the flavor of the frosting.
- Vanilla and salt. These two ingredients are added in small quantities to enhance the flavor of the frosting. While you could omit the vanilla extract for a purely strawberry flavor, I found in this recipe the vanilla enhances and deepens the berry flavor, rather than detracting from it.
- Cream. Heavy cream is only necessary if you are using freeze-dried strawberries. Because they are completely dehydrated and so have no moisture to them, they tend to make the frosting dry. A splash of cream will bring the frosting back to a smooth, spreadable, easy-to-pipe consistency. If you don’t have cream, milk will work, but you will need a bit less as it is thinner.
As always, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Strawberry Frosting Using Fresh or Frozen Berries
For fresh or frozen berries, the steps will be the same. If you’re using frozen strawberries, you do not need to thaw them first.
- Start with quartered berries (with the stems removed) and add them to a small saucepan. Add a splash of water, too. Ultimately our goal is to cook the excess water out of the berries, but adding an extra bit in the beginning keeps the berries from sticking to the saucepan and burning.
- Cook over medium heat. Once the berries begin to release their juices (the pot will suddenly have a lot of red liquid in it!) grab a potato masher or fork and mash the berries.
- Continue to cook until most of the water has cooked out, the liquid is thick and resembles a paste, and you basically can’t cook it anymore without the mixture sticking to the pot. Place it in a heatproof dish and let it cool completely!
- Prepare your buttercream frosting as usual (creaming the butter, gradually adding powdered sugar, and adding a bit of salt and vanilla) and then stir in the (cooled!) strawberry paste.
SAM’S TIP: It’s important that your fresh strawberry buttercream be thoroughly mixed, but when using fresh fruit try not to over-mix as sometimes, when over-beaten, the frosting can separate. This is not a risk when using freeze-dried berries.
…And Using Freeze-Dried Berries
- Measure out 1 cup of freeze-dried berries and toss them in a food processor, blending them until you have nothing but a fine dust remaining.
- Prepare your buttercream frosting as usual (creaming the butter, gradually adding powdered sugar, and adding a bit of salt and vanilla) and then stir in the strawberry powder. This strawberry frosting will be thicker than the one made with fresh berries, so in order to make it spreadable/pipe-able, you’ll want to thin it by blending in a bit of cream until you reach a smooth consistency.
What’s the Difference in Frosting made with Fresh or Freeze-Dried Berries?
Alright, so you have options here, but what’s the difference between the two frostings, anyway? The frostings shown above were made with fresh and freeze-dried strawberries, respectively, and no artificial coloring was added. Here’s the rundown on the differences between the two
What to know about fresh/frozen strawberry buttercream:
- This is shown on the above cupcake on the left. It is a paler pink in color with small, pretty specks of fresh, brightly colored berries.
- If you use fresh, ripe berries that have a brilliant flavor, you may notice that the frosting has a more natural, authentic flavor. This is a great frosting if you have great-tasting, fresh summer berries you’d like to use!
- It’s a bit more fussy and time-consuming to make. Cooking all of the water out of the berries takes more time and must be done properly or your frosting could be runny.
- It tends to be a bit softer than the freeze-dried strawberry buttercream and doesn’t hold up quite as well to the heat.
What to know about strawberry frosting made with freeze-dried berries:
- This frosting is depicted in the cupcake on the right above. It is a deeper, much more vibrant pink in color and is mostly uniform in color with much smaller, less noticeable specks of red strawberry throughout.
- This flavor tends to be more consistent and is a great option if it’s not berry season!
- Freeze-dried berries are less fussy. Yes, there’s the business of pulverizing or grinding them into powder, but other than that there’s no cooking and it’s just a quicker, cleaner, and more foolproof process.
- This frosting tends to be firmer/sturdier than fresh strawberry frosting and holds its shape a tad bit better. While no frosting holds up well in the heat, this one performed a smidge better in my hot studio than its fresh counterpart. While the fresh buttercream started to melt into itself in the heat, this frosting held its shape without issue.
Whichever strawberry you choose to start with, I’m sure you’ll love the end results. Enjoy!
Pair this frosting with one of these recipes!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Strawberry Frosting (with fresh, frozen, or freeze-dried berries)
Learn how to make a fresh, beautiful, naturally vibrant and pink strawberry frosting using either fresh, frozen, or freeze-dried berries! Be sure to check out the how-to video!
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Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 304kcal
Ingredients
- 4 oz (113 g) quartered fresh or frozen strawberries OR 1 cup (16g) freeze-dried strawberries
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups (500 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional, see note)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2-4 Tablespoons heavy cream or milk only if using freeze-dried strawberries
Recommended Equipment
- Potato masher (only if using fresh/frozen berries)
Instructions
For fresh/frozen berries
- Place quartered strawberries in a small saucepan over medium heat and add 1 Tablespoon of water (this will keep the berries from burning to the bottom of the pan).4 oz (113 g) quartered fresh or frozen strawberries OR 1 cup (16g) freeze-dried strawberries
- Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the berries release their juices, then grab a fork or potato masher and mash the berries into a pulp.
- Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is reduced in volume and thickened to a thick paste (similar in consistency to tomato paste) and most of the water is cooked out.
- Place in a heatproof container and let cool to room temperature before proceeding. You can speed up the process by placing the strawberry reduction in the refrigerator.
- Combine softened butter, a bit of the powdered sugar (about 1 cup) and vanilla extract (if using) and salt in a large bowl and use an electric mixer to beat until creamy and well-combined. Gradually add remaining powdered sugar until it has all been added.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, 4 cups (500 g) powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and add the cooled strawberry paste, 1 Tablespoon at a time, pausing to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Don't over-mix, but ensure all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Pipe or spread frosting onto cake or cupcakes. Enjoy!
For freeze-dried berries
- Place freeze dried berries in a small food processor and pulse until they’ve become a fine powder. Set aside.4 oz (113 g) quartered fresh or frozen strawberries OR 1 cup (16g) freeze-dried strawberries
- In a large bowl, combine butter, about 1 cup of powdered sugar, vanilla extract (if using) and salt until completely combined. Gradually add remaining powdered sugar until all has been added.4 cups (500 g) powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon salt, 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
- Add strawberry powder and stir until combined. The frosting will become stiff. Gradualy add heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until you’ve reached a desirable, pipe-able consistency (I typically need 3 Tablespoons of cream, but your mileage may vary and add the cream slowly).2-4 Tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- Pipe or spread frosting onto cake or cupcakes. Enjoy!
Notes
Serving size
This recipe makes enough frosting to generously cover 12 cupcakes (as seen in the video and photos) or modestly cover 24 cupcakes. It will also cover a 1-layer 13×9 cake or a 2-layer 8” or 9” cake (but you will not have extra frosting left to decorate the top/sides of the cake).Butter
Butter must be softened, but should not be so soft that it’s melty/oily or your frosting may be runny/greasy.Vanilla extract
Adding vanilla diminishes some of the fresh flavor of the strawberry but rounds out the overall flavor. For a true, more potent strawberry flavor, omit the vanilla extract. For a sweeter strawberry/vanilla flavor, add the vanilla.Fresh berries and smooth frosting
Personally I like the more rustic look of the buttercream that has bits of fresh berry streaked throughout. For a more consistent look (especially if you plan on using a small piping tip for this frosting) you can first process the berries in a food processor until they are a puree before cooking.Storing/making in advance
Fresh strawberry frosting will keep at room temperature for up to one day or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If making in advance, store in an airtight container with a piece of plastic wrap directly against the surface. You will need to let the frosting soften for a bit at room temperature and then stir before using. Strawberry frosting made with freeze-dried berries will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week or longer. If making in advance, store in an airtight container with a piece of plastic wrap directly against the surface. You will need to let the frosting soften for a bit at room temperature and then stir before using.Piping tips:
For the fresh strawberry frosting I used an Ateco 849 tip. For the strawberry frosting made with freeze-dried berries I used an Ateco 848 tip. The 848 tip is my all-around favorite tip that I use for most of my frostings. I’ve linked to it in the “Equipment” section above.Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 304kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 28mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 511IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!
Michelle
Excited to try this!
Would it be possible to freeze the frosting to use later? (I will be using fresh berries)
Thanks!
Sam
Hi Michelle! You should be able to freeze this frosting without issue. 🙂
Michelle
thank you!
Lindy
So yummy! I made this frosting with the fresh berry paste and opted to add a tablespoon of freeze dried berries just to give it a little more color. It turned out great!
Mia
I doubled this to cover my daughter’s four tiered chocolate birthday cake. It was exceptional. I used the freeze dried version and can’t fault it. Mine turned out more pink (less red) than in the video which I was really pleased about. Wonderful recipe, will definitely use again!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Mia! 🙂
Colleen Daley
Could I use a little strawberry extract and half tge amount of vanilla extract? Would that make a real strawberry flavor ?
Sam
You can leave out the vanilla extract entirely if you prefer. Strawberry extract will intensify the flavor and you can do that if you like, but it already has real flavor from the real strawberries 🙂
Elizabeth Jumet
Best strawberry buttercream I have ever had.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Elizabeth! 🙂
Gabrielle
My frosting came out too thin.. is there anyway to thicken it up?
Sam
Hi Gabrielle! You can always add more powdered sugar to thicken it. 🙂
kim
i made this last week, i used frozen strawberries. your recipe was easy to follow, and everyone loved it! thank you!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it, Kim! 🙂
Amanda Pikala
Extremely good!!
Lisa
My grudging came out thin…any idea what I did wrong or how to thicken?
Other than that delicious
Sam
Hi Lisa! You may have needed a bit more powdered sugar, or potentially the berries may have needed to be reduced a little bit more. 🙁
Jae
I think I’ve overcooked the strawberries, they don’t smell or taste like them anymore 🙈. Not really sure whether to forge ahead or not.
Sam
Hmmm that’s very odd. You will want the strawberries to have flavor or else your strawberry frosting won’t have that good strawberry flavor to it. 🙁
Kim
Hi I’ve made this recipe before and it turned out really good(and last a while in the fridge!) but this time around I don’t have butter so I wanted to know if you think making a cream cheese frosting base then adding in frozen strawberries the way it’s made in your recipe would work? Thank you in advance!!
Sam
Hi Kim! Honestly, without trying it, it’s going to be really hard to say. I typically use butter even in my cream cheese frostings.
April
I needed a strawberry icing for a cake for my mother’s birthday. She specifically requested a strawberry cake with real strawberry buttercream icing. I’ve made other icing’s, but never strawberry. It turned out delicious and so fluffy! I used frozen strawberries and I added the vanilla. I made a double layer 9” round. I had just enough left to pipe a few flowers on top, too! My kids loved the tiny bit I had left on the garbage cake I had left from trimming, and I know my mother will, too! (She’ll be over later). Thank you for posting this recipe. I have saved it to my cake icing repository 😁.
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, April! Happy birthday to your mother! 🙂
Ruth
May I use Benecol butter substitute.?
Sam
Hi Ruth! Truthfully, I am not familiar with this product so I can’t say for sure how it would work. If you do try it, I would love to know how it goes. 🙂
Gretchen
This is the best frosting I have ever made. Followed the recipe exactly using the freeze dried strawberries and it was just perfect. Will definitely make again. Thank you!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you loved it, Gretchen! Thanks for the review 😊
Laura
Delicious, you can really taste the strawberry! I used fresh, pureed first, and didn’t add vanilla, and it worked perfectly. Plus it turns quite pink with no food colour needed
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
So glad you enjoyed it, Laura! ❤️
Laura
Hi, do you know how much freeze dried strawberry powder I would use, in place of grinding the freeze dried strawberries myself? Thanks!
Sam
You’ll need 16 grams. 🙂
Kavi
Can i add food colouring to the fresh or frozen strawberry frosting to make it have colour
Sam
Hi Kavi! It will already be quite a vibrant pink color without food coloring, if you want to make it a richer pink you could add food coloring to do that though. If you’re trying to make it a different color you’ll run into some problems of course, and just keep in mind any color you add will be combining with the pink and take on a color of its own.
Victoria
Can the frosting be frozen if using fresh/frozen strawberries? Or will the consistency change?
Sam
Hi Victoria! I haven’t personally tried it, but I don’t foresee any issues in doing so. 🙂
Nell
Hi! Would this buttercream pair well with a lemon cake? I’m making one for my father’s birthday.
Sam
Hi Nell! Sounds like a delicious combination to me. 🙂