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Three cupcakes topped with raspberry buttercream with one in the center topped with a raspberry.
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Raspberry Buttercream Recipe

This raspberry buttercream is made from fresh berries with a touch of lemon for a bright and zingy flavor. Use it to frost cakes, cupcakes, and even macarons!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chill Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings 3 cups
Calories 1155kcal
Author John Kanell

Equipment

  • Saucepan
  • Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
  • mixing bowl

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raspberries (120g)
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 pound confectioner's sugar (450g/ about 4 cups)
  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature (226g)

Instructions

  • Add the raspberries and lemon juice to a saucepan over medium heat. After the mixture heats up for a few minutes, mash the raspberries then allow it to simmer for about 10 minutes.
  • Strain the mixture into a bowl through a fine mesh sieve, and discard any solids. Cover the raspberry mixture and chill until cold, about 2 hours.
  • Cream the room temperature butter for a few minutes on medium speed with an electric or stand mixer.
  • Gradually beat in the confectioner’s sugar while mixing on low speed, and add the raspberry reduction a tablespoon at a time until the desired color and consistency are reached. (I usually end up using 1/4 cup.) Use the frosting immediately.

Notes

  • Use jam as a quick shortcut. Replace the reduction of fresh berries with seedless raspberry jam. You may need to add a splash of milk or lemon juice to the frosting as the jam might be thicker than the reduction. Follow the recipe as written from step 3.
  • Use softened butter. Butter straight out of the refrigerator will not cream properly, so be sure to set out the butter about an hour or so before you start working on the frosting. If you forget, follow my simple guide for how to soften butter in a matter of minutes.
  • If you like your frosting less sweet, try incorporating the raspberry reduction into Swiss meringue buttercream or Italian buttercream. You will love the result!
  • Don’t add all the raspberry reduction at once. Depending on how thick you need the frosting, you may not use all the reduction. Add 1 tablespoon at a time so you have full control of the buttercream’s consistency. I typically use about ¼ cup of raspberry reduction.

Nutrition

Calories: 1155kcal | Carbohydrates: 157g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 62g | Saturated Fat: 39g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 163mg | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 97mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 150g | Vitamin A: 1905IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 0.4mg